Following Directions

I don’t know about your kids, but my kids have never had a problem following directions. They listen attentively to each step and follow the directions perfectly every time.

Okay, that was a lie. My kids, like most other kids their ages, need a lot of help when it comes to learning to follow directions.

So how do you help your kids improve their ability to follow directions? It’s easy, and you’re probably doing a lot of it already.

Suggested Activities. One of the simplest things you can do with your preschool child is to give them a verbal list of two things to do (such as “First, bring me your favorite toy, and then clap your hands two times.”) to see if they can follow the directions correctly. Once they can follow two-step directions, you can vary the instructions and make them more complicated by adding additional steps.

Actively involving your child in any of the following activities is also great practice in following directions.

• cooking (this is a great way to illustrate the result of not following directions carefully!)
• conducting science experiments
• crafts of any kind (making puppets, musical instruments, origami, etc.)
• building models (model rockets, cars, human body, airplanes, etc.)
• painting (especially paint-by-number)
• drawing (especially with step-by-step instruction books)
• playing new games (have your child read the instructions to learn how to play)
• playing Simon Says
• first aid (teach them basic steps for fire safety, first aid, CPR, etc.)
• letterboxing (if you don’t know what this is, find out here)

Here are some more resources for following directions.

Downloads.

• Following Directions Practice Sheets. The student completes each worksheet completely on his/her own. [Grades 1-2]
• Writing Instructions Worksheets. A good way to learn to follow directions is by learning how to give good directions. This BBC site includes many worksheet activities for writing instructions. [Grades 3 and up]
• This one-page “test,” intended for kids who can at least read on their own, is similar to tests that are sometimes given in high school or college by “mean” teachers (my husband being one of them). You know what I’m talking about—the tests that say, “Read all the directions before you write anything on the test,” and then at the end of the test it says, “If you didn’t write anything on the test, put your name on the paper and turn it in for full credit. If you did write something, finish the test completely, and you will be graded accordingly.” [Grades 2 and up]

Online Lesson Plans.

How Well Do You Follow Directions. This easy-to-do activity teaches valuable lessons about the importance of listening and following directions. [Grades K-12]

Phil’s Fish Shop. Playing roles as new employees in a pet shop, students offer advice to customers, answer questions, and create a handbook of instructions for new fish owners. [Grades 3-8]

George Washington Teaches Map Directions. If students follow “directions,” they’ll have a picture of George Washington. [Grades 3-8]

Critics Of Cuisine. As food critics, students follow directions to create culinary delights and then critique the recipes and the flavor of their products! [Grades 3-12]

Online Interactive Resources.

Tina’s World Two. This interactive game, similar to Dora the Explorer, directs the child to follow directions for collecting bugs. [Grades PreK-2]

Following Directions Quiz. This challenging online quiz requires the student to follow 15 step-by-step directions absolutely perfectly. When you submit your answers, each step is evaluated to you can see why you made the mistakes you made. (I didn’t do all that great the first time I took the quiz!) [Grade 5-12]

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