POV: Just a Mom Trying to Teach Her Kids the States and Capitals

I didn’t expect this to be something I’d be teaching at home… but here we are. Our old school used to teach the states and capitals, and I just assumed it was one of those things every school covered at some point. But after moving (again) and getting settled into a new school, I realized… it’s not being taught here and honestly, it caught me off guard.

As a military family, we’ve moved around quite a bit, and with kids in different grades, I’ve started to notice little gaps in what they’ve learned depending on where we’ve been. Some things get repeated, and other things just… get skipped. This was one of them. Maybe it’s because we move so often, but I want my kids to have a general understanding of the country they’re growing up in. Where states are.
What their capitals are. Just… the basics. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I don’t want it to be something they completely miss either.

I’m definitely not trying to recreate school at home, but when I notice something missing—especially something as foundational as knowing the states and capitals—I like to find simple ways to work it in.

Nothing fancy. Nothing overwhelming. Just something easy we can do together. So I decided to make a set of states and capitals flashcards.

Keeping It Simple (Because Mom Life )

I wanted something that was:

Easy to use
Not overwhelming
Quick to pull out anytime
Actually helpful

Something we could use in small moments:

at the kitchen table
during homework time
even just a few cards at a time

No pressure, just learning as we go.

Is this still something schools are teaching where you are? Or have you noticed gaps like this too among your kids? I feel like every time we move, I discover something new that was either skipped or taught totally differently. Tell me I’m not the only one trying to piece it all together at home.