How to use this quiz
Ten questions a round, which takes about two minutes. Short and frequent beats long and occasional: a round before dinner four times a week will do more than a half-hour session on Sunday.
Start with Name the capital. When that's comfortable, flip to Name the state — recalling in the other direction is harder and is what makes the knowledge stick. Which region? is the one most kids find easiest and it's a good confidence reset after a rough round.
What kids usually get wrong
Nearly every child mixes up the same handful. The capital is often not the biggest city, and that's where the trouble lives: New York's capital is Albany, not New York City; California's is Sacramento, not Los Angeles; Illinois's is Springfield, not Chicago. Same story in Florida, Washington, Nevada and Missouri. If your child is stuck, teach that one rule before drilling the list — it explains most of the errors at once.
Ready for the rest of the world? Try the free world capitals quiz.
All 50 states and their capitals
The full list, alphabetical by state.
| State | Capital | Region |
|---|
Common questions
What grade do kids learn the 50 states?
Most US curricula introduce states and regions around 3rd or 4th grade and expect capitals by 5th. Plenty of kids meet them earlier through puzzles and road trips, and there's no harm in starting sooner — recognition comes long before recall.
Should they learn states or capitals first?
States first, grouped by region. Capitals attached to a state whose location means nothing yet are just fifty unrelated words. Region gives them somewhere to live.
Is this quiz free?
Yes, and there's no signup. Use it as often as you like.