Missouri

Imagine a big puzzle piece in the middle of the United States! That's Missouri. It doesn't touch the ocean, so it's called a landlocked state.

To the north is Iowa, and to the east are Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Arkansas is to the south, and Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska are to the west. The mighty Missouri River flows right through the middle, and the even bigger Mississippi River makes a border on the east side.

It's a state with lots of land to explore!

Missouri has some super old mountains called the St. Francois Mountains. They are 1.5 billion years old!

That's way, way older than your grandparents, or even their grandparents! These mountains are covered in forests and are great for fun outdoor activities. The state is named after the Missouri River, which is like a giant watery highway.

It joins up with the Mississippi River, which is so wide in some places it's like looking across a big lake!

Over six million people call Missouri home! That's a lot of friends to make. The biggest cities are St. Louis and Kansas City, which are bustling with activity. The capital city, where the government works, is Jefferson City. People have lived in Missouri for a very, very long time, even before the United States was a country. They built cool cities with big mounds a long, long time ago!

Missouri has some fun nicknames! One is the 'Show Me State.' It's also called the 'Gateway to the West' because many people traveled through it to explore new places. People in Missouri love music, especially jazz and blues. They also make delicious barbecue! If you visit, you might see amazing caves, beautiful lakes, and learn about the history of people who lived there long ago.