Modulo

Stack the Countries

Recommended Ages

K–8th grades

Geography can turn into dry memorization fast, and many kids tune out once the flashcards appear. Stack the Countries transforms world geography into a physics-style puzzle game where children answer questions about countries, capitals, flags, and landmarks to literally “stack” nations on top of each other and clear the level. Developed by Freecloud Design, the app has become a staple recommendation in homeschool circles for making map practice fun without sacrificing content. We love that it gently pushes kids to recognize shapes, locations, and facts while keeping each round short and engaging. It’s an excellent fit for roughly ages 8–13 who already know a bit of world geography and are ready to solidify and expand their knowledge. Very young players or kids who get frustrated by arcade mechanics may need some coaching, but most geography-loving families see this as a feature, not a flaw. Pro tip: keep a world map or globe nearby so kids can quickly locate each country they encounter in the game, turning screen time into a richer, multi-sensory review.

Perfect for elementary and middle school learners who enjoy game-style challenges and want to solidify country names, locations, shapes, and flags; especially useful as a supplement for secular homeschool geography spines.

Pros

Engaging geography app where kids answer questions about countries’ capitals, flags, shapes, and landmarks to “stack” them and clear levels; has won educational awards and is frequently recommended by homeschoolers as a fun way to build geographic knowledge, with many kids spontaneously memorizing countries and flags. 

Cons

Requires reading and decent fine-motor control, so younger kids may struggle; focuses on facts (names, capitals, shapes) with limited cultural or historical context, so it doesn’t replace a full geography or world cultures curriculum; like all apps, it adds screen time and can be frustrating for kids who dislike timed or challenge-based games. 

Because Stack the Countries is a low-cost consumer app, some ESA or charter programs that fund apps will reimburse it as an educational purchase, especially when part of a geography or social studies plan. Families should check their specific program’s policies and approved purchasing platforms.

Epic Family costs $84.99 a year or $13.99/month. You can play for free with your school or Modulo.

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Stack the Countries
$14.00 USD

Skills

What kids will learn
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Geography
Geography
Social Studies
Social Studies

Stack the Countries Mission

The mission of Stack the Countries is to turn world geography into an addictive puzzle game that kids and adults actually want to play. By asking players questions about capitals, landmarks, borders, flags, and languages, then letting them literally stack animated country shapes to win levels, the app sneaks a huge amount of factual knowledge into a lighthearted physics game. With customizable question types and multiple modes, it helps learners of all ages build a mental map of the world through repetition and play rather than rote memorization.

Stack the Countries Story

Independent developer Dan Russell‑Pinson created Stack the Countries as a follow‑up to his hit U.S. geography game Stack the States. After seeing how much students learned simply by trying to balance states on a wobbling platform, he decided to expand the idea to all 193 countries recognized by the United Nations. He designed hundreds of questions, interactive maps, and three different game modes, packaging them in an app with no third‑party ads or in‑app purchases so families and classrooms could use it safely. Since its release, Stack the Countries has been featured in major app stores and on television and has earned multiple education and parenting awards.

About Modular Learning

FAQ: Additional Details about Stack the Countries

A typical play session might involve your child curled up with a tablet, tapping answers about capitals or flags, then tilting and dropping little cartoon countries onto a wobbly platform while triumphant or crash sounds play. You’ll see them quickly replay a level to “beat their high score,” and over time you’ll hear them casually recalling country names and locations that rarely show up in standard textbooks.

Stack the Countries is a paid geography quiz app that teaches country shapes, flags, capitals, and basic facts through a physics-based stacking game. Families install the app on a mobile device, and kids answer multiple-choice questions to “earn” country characters, then try to stack them without toppling to clear levels and unlock new maps and modes.

Parent involvement is optional but can add value; adults may play alongside kids, discuss interesting facts, or use missed questions as prompts for quick mini-lessons. Many families simply treat it as an educational game that kids can enjoy independently during screen-time slots.

Children should be comfortable reading short multiple-choice questions and have basic fine-motor control to tap and drag accurately on a touchscreen. No prior geography knowledge is required, but an interest in maps or travel helps sustain motivation.

Stack the Countries is a geography app that teaches country shapes, locations, and facts through a stacking game, appealing to visual‑spatial and ADHD learners. Reading demands can challenge younger or dyslexic kids, so co‑playing and reading prompts aloud can help.

Stack the Countries teaches geography through visual puzzles and animated country shapes, an approach highlighted by dyslexia organizations as helpful for learners who struggle with text-heavy materials. Because key facts are reinforced through repeated, game-style questions rather than long readings, kids with dyslexia can build knowledge without getting bogged down in print.

Stack the Countries teaches geography through visual puzzles and animated country shapes, an approach highlighted by dyslexia organizations as helpful for learners who struggle with text-heavy materials. Because key facts are reinforced through repeated, game-style questions rather than long readings, kids with dyslexia can build knowledge without getting bogged down in print.

App-store purchases follow the refund and family-sharing rules of the platform (Apple, Google, etc.). In many cases, accidental purchases or issues can be addressed by requesting a refund through the app store within a limited time, but ongoing use charges do not apply because it is a one-time purchase.

Less suited to toddlers or early readers, kids who become easily discouraged by repeated wrong answers, or families who avoid screens entirely; also not enough by itself for a deep dive into cultures, politics, or physical geography.

Stack the States, Seterra, and online geography games, plus board games like Ticket to Ride or 10 Days in Europe, are common alternatives or companions.

The developer occasionally releases updates for compatibility, bug fixes, and minor content tweaks, keeping the app functional on newer devices. The core gameplay and question bank remain relatively stable over time.

Start with one continent at a time, keep a globe or wall map nearby, and occasionally pause the game to locate newly learned countries on the physical map to anchor the app learning in real-world geography.

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Meet Dan

Dan Russell‑Pinson is the solo developer behind Stack the Countries and a suite of other award‑winning educational apps, including Stack the States, Presidents vs. Aliens, and Mathmateer. With a background in both programming and art, he designs and codes his own games, which are known for being kid‑friendly, ad‑free, and surprisingly addictive. His titles have been highlighted by Apple, Google, and education reviewers for their blend of solid academic content and polished gameplay. A fun fact: he often tests new game mechanics with his own children long before the rest of the world sees them.