Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Capital Cities Memory: Free Printable Game for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Capital Cities Memory is a free printable geography game for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children cut out cards, turn them over and match well known countries to their capital cities. It is for 2 to 4 players, needs scissors and paper, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to the players and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
This is a card game for 2 to 4 players. Children cut out the cards, which show well known countries and capital cities from around the world. They turn cards over and try to match each country to its capital, using memory and careful looking. Our own suggestion: say each pair aloud when you make a match. Hearing and saying the words helps them stick.
- France
- Paris
- Italy
- Rome
- Spain
- Madrid
- Germany
- Berlin
- Egypt
- Cairo
- Japan
- Tokyo
Why learn capital cities?
A capital city is usually the place where a country's government is based. Capitals often appear on maps, in news stories and in sport and travel. London, for example, is the capital of the United Kingdom. Knowing a few capitals gives children a useful set of reference points. When they hear a city name, they can start to place it in a country and on a map.
Memory games suit this kind of learning because the pairs are just names that go together. Turning cards over, getting it wrong and trying again is a good way to fix them in mind. Children also practise looking carefully and remembering where cards were. A map or atlas alongside the game turns each match into a place children can actually find.
Capital city facts
- A capital city is usually where a country's government sits.
- London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom.
- Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast are the capitals of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Most countries have one capital, but a few have more than one. South Africa has three.
- An atlas usually marks capital cities with a special symbol, so you can spot them on a map.
Skills and curriculum link
- Capital cities
- Memory
- Matching
- Locational knowledge
- Taking turns
- Using an atlas
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Geography | Locational knowledge | Year 5 |
What children will be able to do
- I can match some countries to their capital cities.
- I can find those countries on a map.
- I can use memory tricks to remember them.
Ideas to help children remember
- Say it aloudSaying a country and its capital together, in the same breath, helps the pair stay in mind. Try it in a funny voice or a rhythm.
- Make a picture or a storyLink a pair with a silly image or a short sentence. The sillier it is, the easier it is to remember.
- Find it on a mapAfter each match, look for the country in an atlas or on a wall map. Knowing where a place is gives the name something to attach to.
- Sort by placeGroup countries by the part of the world they are in. Smaller groups are easier to remember than one long list.
Key words
- Capital cityThe main city of a country, where the government usually sits.
- CountryA land with its own borders and government, such as Wales or Japan.
- ContinentOne of the very large areas of land on Earth, such as Europe or Asia.
- AtlasA book of maps.
- MatchTwo things that belong together, such as a country and its capital.
- Memory trickA short way to help yourself remember something, such as a rhyme or a picture in your head.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the players. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Cut out the cards. Read the rules aloud together so everyone plays the same game.
- Play the first game together and talk about each choice. Take turns to read out or check the cards.
- Check the matches against the answers on page 2. Ask, "What trick helped you remember that one?"
- Come back another day. Two quick games beat one long one, and repeating a familiar game builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Play with the cards face up first. Children can look at every card and match pairs without needing to remember where anything is. Once they know the pairs well, turn a few cards over, then more, until the whole game is face down.
To stretch confident children
Use an atlas to find more countries and their capitals. Write your own cards for them and add them to the game. Then ask players to point to each new country on a map before they claim a match.
Make it a game
Say one fact about each country as you match it. It could be what it is near, what people eat there or what the flag looks like. If you cannot think of a fact, look in an atlas or a book.
Talk about it
- Which pair was easiest to remember, and why?
- Which pair kept tricking you? What could help?
- Where in the world would you find this country? Can you point to it on a map?
- What do you already know about this country or its capital?
- Why do you think countries have a capital city?
- If you made a new card, which country would you add?
Take it off the page
Atlas hunt
Pick a country card and find it in an atlas. Then find its capital. Take turns and see who can find places fastest.
Draw a map
Draw a rough map of a part of the world on paper. Mark a few countries and add their capitals with a star.
Postcard from a capital
Choose a capital city and write a pretend postcard from there. Say what you can see and where in the world you are.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first game and let them lead. Keep rounds short and relaxed. If they get stuck, play face up first. Having an atlas on the table makes the cities feel real.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, table activity or supply resource. It needs only printing and scissors. It supports the Locational knowledge strand of the Key Stage 2 geography curriculum. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider geography plan. It pairs well with an atlas, a globe and books about other places. The sheet is free to print again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits
Before this game, children learn that the world is made of countries and continents, and that maps and atlases show where they are. Naming and finding well known places is a strong base for matching countries to capitals.
After it, children can compare places, using what they know about countries and cities to notice how they are alike and different. Look at Italy Compared With UK for one year down and Global Differences Guide for one year up.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Which capital goes with this country?
- Where in the world would you find this city?
- What trick helped you remember a tricky pair?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Capital Cities Memory for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can play with the cards face up, and older children can add more countries from an atlas.
- What will children practise?
Children learn some well known countries and their capital cities. They also practise memory and matching, and they can link each country to a place on a map.
- How many players do I need?
The game is for 2 to 4 players. You also need scissors to cut out the cards. Play together the first time and take turns to read out or check the cards.
- What if it feels too hard?
Play with the cards face up first. Children can see every card and match the pairs without having to remember positions. Then turn cards over a few at a time.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters, other groups or revision.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting out the cards.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Page 1 is for the players and page 2 is for the grown-up.
More like this
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.