Land and water globe toss: a 15-minute kindergarten geography game
What it is: a kindergarten geography game where students toss an inflatable globe in a circle and say whether their right thumb landed on land or water. A class tally shows that most of the Earth is covered by water.
Time: about 15 minutes. Grade: kindergarten.
Materials: an inflatable globe or a soft beach ball globe, and a two-column tally chart (land, water) on the board.
- Show the globe. Explain that blue shows water and the other colors show land.
- Stand in a circle. Gently toss the globe to a student, who catches it and looks under their right thumb.
- The student says "land" or "water," and you make a tally mark.
- After 20 tosses, count the tallies together. Ask: "Which has more? What does that tell us about the Earth?"
- Finish by finding where you live on the globe.
Safety: toss gently and underhand, and say the catcher's name before you throw.
Differentiation: students who need support can roll the globe instead of catching it. Students who are ready name the ocean or continent under their thumb. Students who use a wheelchair can receive the globe on their lap.
Quick check: show a map and ask a student to point to one piece of land and one area of water.
For more ideas at this grade, browse the other free activities on the Hub.
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About this resource
- Shared by
- @UpOnlyLearning · Curriculum team
- Posted
- Oct 30, 2026
- Type
- Lesson plan
- Grade
- Grades K–2
- Subject
- Social studies
- Language
- English
- License
- Free for classroom, co-op and tutoring use. Please don't resell.