These are trying times we’re in. It seems like every day the news is filled with stories of conflicts and wars between countries or cultures. At times that can leave us feeling pretty helpless. But we AREN’T helpless! First and foremost, we can pray. Ask God for peace and wisdom for everyone. Second, we can open our kids’ minds (and hearts) to the world when we teach geography.

Our Kids Need Knowledge
There have been few times in history when knowing and understanding of the world has been more vital. Now is the time to dive in head first and teach geography with a passion.
More Than Facts
Facts are important. It’s good for our kids to know where places are and who important leaders are. They need so much more than rote memorization, though. When you teach geography your goal should be to help your kids understand the people of the world. It’s not helpful for them to be able to list the dates and locations of historical events if they don’t also understand why they were significant, how they changed people’s lives, and how the ripples of those events still impact us today. That’s why the main questions for Journey Around the World and Journey Through the USA focus on how history, culture, and environment impact each other. They help young people start to see history and geography in their larger context.
Understanding War
The war in Ukraine right now is the perfect example of why knowledge of the world is vital. It can seem scary, especially when we don’t understand why it’s happening. That’s where teaching geography comes in. Understanding the history between the Russian and Ukrainian people and the history of the Soviet Union will help them put current events into context. They can see the people on both sides of the conflict as actual people and can see how the histories of these two cultures lead to what we are seeing today. When we can understand the reasons behind something we remove some of the fear.
Our Kids Need Unity
Turn on the news or scroll through Facebook and you’ll see how much strife and conflict are in the world. I’m not saying that if we teach geography it will magically cure all the ails us, but it’s definitely a vital step in the right direction.
What Unity Isn’t
- Unity doesn’t mean agreeing with everything that others say and do. You can still believe that things are right and wrong while remaining united as part of humankind.
- Unity doesn’t mean letting go of our uniqueness. We are all created different and that is a beautiful thing. Keep raising your kids to be their amazing, unique selves.
What Unity Is
- Unity means learning to appreciate both what we have in common with others, and what makes each of us unique. It’s learning about other cultures and celebrating what we share while also celebrating all the beautiful differences.
- Unity means learning to love others as fellow children of God. It’s recognizing that each and every person on this planet is someone that God cared enough to create, and to die for, and someone we should show his love to!
Our Kids Need Compassion
One thing I have observed, far more often than I’d like, is a serious lack of compassion in our world. Compassion is what helps us to treat others the way they should be treated.
Compassion Leads to Mercy
It’s human nature to seek revenge. It’s not good, and it’s not what God wants from us, but it sure does come naturally! As we help our kids cultivate compassionate hearts we make it easier for them to show mercy. Part of why we teach geography, especially geography with a focus on culture, is to help cultivate compassion. It’s a lot easier to show someone compassion when we’ve learned about why they are behaving a certain way. The more we learn about others the more we can see them as just as human as we are and show them kindness and mercy instead of seeking revenge.
Compassion Leads to Generosity
Generosity is absolutely vital to humanity. Without it we are left with ‘every man for himself’ and that is not the kind of world any of us wants to live in. It’s so vital that God calls for us to be generous multiple times throughout the Bible! When we teach geography and help our kids cultivate compassion we can help them develop a generous spirit. That’s why I included projects like raising funds for clean water access as part of Journey Around the World. By helping kids understand the struggles of those around them they can become more compassionate and more generous.
Teach Geography with A Focus on Culture
Geography matters. How you teach geography matters even more. Teaching geography with a focus on culture can make a huge difference in the lives of our children and the world as a whole. Opening our kids eyes up to the world can help them be able to interact with others, care for them, and treat them with compassion.