A couple years ago I mentioned Z was obsessed with maps and geography. Well, the fascination has only grown since then. This year he has tackled memorizing and being able to recognize all 50 states.The memory cues that he uses to get them “stuck in his head”, as he calls it, are pure genius. Of course this is coming from his mom who is bias, and thinks knows each of her children are brilliant. I make no apologies. 

There are a few states he knows just from traveling, but most of them he has had to learn about for the first time and here are some of the ways he has memorized them. 
“Alabama, Arkansas I do love my ma and pa” is from a song he knows.
Then there is the state that sneezes “Mass A CHOO settes“. 
My personal favorite line “CAN WE FIX IT? Yes We Kansas!”. 
“Indiana Jones” (the Lego wii game, he doesn’t even know about the movie).
Or there is one that is a line from Toy Story when Ham says to Mr. Potato Head “way to go Idaho” 
and the list goes on. 
Then there are the shapes.
To me Louisiana is a boot, Michigan is a mitten, New Jersey Peanut. I think those are givens, but there are some states that I don’t even know how he comes up with the images for like 

 Arkansas– tea cup

Minnesota– a pillow with a bite taken out of it

 North Carolina– diamond

Nevada– kite

and of course many states that look like guns, knives, and dogs. He is a boy.

This video was shot while showing Z a picture of a map and pointing to each one. He can identify any state, in any order, on any US map. I hope you enjoy his enthusiasm in this video as he channels in his super powers to oblige his mother in the making of this movie.

Next up, continents.