Take the challenge

Locate world cities and landmarks on a map, and get points for how close you were to the actual location. Suitable for ages 10-plus, it’s an addictive game that offers options, including the ability to play on specific continents. The game is free, and playable in all browsers.

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travelpod.com

Printable maps

Websites, such as National Geographic’s Xpeditions portal (nationalgeographic.com) and Eduplace (eduplace.com) offer maps for easy printing. Great for those last-minute homework panic attacks or for practice before exams, the sites have every imaginable map: from simple outline maps to political maps of the world in 1600.

Field trip

This clever mash-up combines city maps with Wikipedia articles, allows you to explore places while learning about them (wikifieldtrip.org). While not visually arresting, the site is a great distraction for adults too. Be sure to zoom out completely before starting.

The geography bee

National Geographic Bee (nationalgeographic.com) is a daily geography quiz from NatGeo that fires 10 questions about the world around you and tracks your progress. There’s an easy variant for younger children, as well as “expert” mode for the whiz-kids. The portal also has excellent learning resources, as well as the chance to see how you fared with people around the world. The site, however, is heavy, and may take a while to load.

An information hub

Globe Rider (funschool. kaboose.com) covers a wide range of geography topics, from ‘Global Warming’ to ‘Underwater Formations’, and has many activities, crafts and games for each. Colourful and well-animated, the site is suitable for younger children, and is free to use.