Left, right, up, down! Fun game to teach your child directions.

  • Sep 16, 2021
  • Left, right, up, down! Fun game to teach your child directions.

    If asked to turn right or extend your left hand, do you still do a quick mental check of which hand you write or eat with? — Many of us do!

    If we as adults need to pause to remember directions, it's easy to understand how toddlers and preschoolers may take a while to learn these concepts.

    This is because directions are abstract and there is no clear way to learn or recall them. However, understanding it has been linked to the concepts of laterality and midline, which are the internal awareness of the left and right sides of our bodies and the invisible line which divides our bodies in half.

    Keeping this in mind, there are some simple things you can do to help your child solidify this knowledge such as the Hokey Pokey song or putting on shoes and clothes beginning with one side. This week's Co-Create activity is also one such fun direction game! 

    What is Direction Coding?

    Direction coding is a fun way to teach children some important life skills such as directions. It is an educational activity that involves teaching kids how to understand and follow directional commands. This method helps children identify the four directions in English, grasp spatial awareness, enhance problem-solving skills, and improve their ability to navigate spaces. Direction coding involves:

    • Learning basic directions like left, right, up, and down.
    • Understanding the relation of directions to their own movements and surroundings.
    • Teaching kids about how to follow directional commands.  

    Importance of Understanding the Directions for Kids

    As a parent, you would eventually want your child to become independent. Teaching directions for kids is a crucial step toward this goal. 

    Remember, it’s essential to take ‘baby steps’ when teaching directions. To that end, let us explore some of the top benefits of direction coding for kids:

    • It Helps Them Navigate Their Environment

    Understanding the basics of directions like left and right helps kids understand and traverse their surroundings, little by little.

    • Helps In Communication

    Learning direction coding can boost vocabulary and communication skills. When Kids learn to use words like ‘right’ and ‘up’, they can better describe what they want or where certain things are.

    • Develops Spatial Reasoning Skills

    By engaging in directional activities, children are empowered to develop important skills that can be useful in drawing a map, riding a bike, building blocks and various other activities. 

    • Works Wonders For Honing Reading and Writing Skills

    The flow of writing is usually from left to right. By understanding left and right directions, kids can learn how to read and write in a more efficient manner. 

    Benefits of Direction Coding

    This week’s Co-Create activity is once again brought to you by Vidushi, a DIY Blogger and mom to four-year-old Ira. You can see Vidushi’s previous activities here.

     

    This activity is called Direction Coding. It is ideal for toddlers and preschoolers as it offers them a host of benefits .

    1. Learning directions - Moving the arrows to match each other will help your child learn up,down, left and right direction.

    2. Colour recognition - Identifying the colours of the arrows and matching the right ones will help your child get familiar with different colours. 

    3. Promotes visual discrimination - Telling the colours and directions of each arrow apart will hone their visual discrimination skills.

    4. Improves eye-hand coordination - Observing the matching colours of the arrows and moving each arrow in the right direction will develop their hand-eye coordination. 

    5. Motivates logical thinking - Working to code all the arrows and complete the game will strengthen their logical thinking, reasoning, and problem solving skills. 

    6. Enhances fine motor skills - Moving the tiny arrows will strengthen the muscles in your child’s fingers and hone their fine motor skills.

    Creating the Game for Direction Coding

    Age group:

    This activity can be enjoyed by children between 3 to 5 years.

    Materials required:

    1. A piece of cardboard.
    2. Pushpins.
    3. A sheet of white paper.
    4. Black and coloured sketch pens.

    How to create this activity:

    1. Draw arrows on the white sheet and cut them out.
    2. Colour the arrows in 4 colours, according to the pushpins you have.
    3. Make two divisions on the cardboard as seen in the above picture.
    4. Place 4 arrows in the small division and the remaining on the bigger section. Fix each of the arrows in place with a push pin.

    Caution: Make sure to use a thick cardboard or use two cardboards layered one above other to avoid getting hurt by a pushpin. Pushpins should be handled by parents only. 

    How to play Direction Coding

    The arrows on the top section of the cardboard are your 'coding arrows'. This means that the direction of these four arrows will be used to guide all the other arrows on the board. Begin the game by rotating the coding arrows in any direction. 

    The aim of the game is to match the direction of each arrow in the bigger section with the coding arrow of the corresponding colour. Ask your child to check the colour of each arrow and rotate them in the same direction as its matching coding arrow. 

    Up the challenge: Once your child has gotten a hold of the game, make it more fun by adding arrows in different colours or varying shades of a colour. You could even time them and have them compete with their friends or siblings! 

    We hope you’ve enjoyed this activity. If you would like to share your experience playing with this board, tag us at #CoCreatewithshumee. Stay home and stay safe! 

    How to Make Your Kid Interested in Direction Coding Games

    If you want to know more about ‘how to learn directions’, these pointers could be of great help for grabbing your child’s attention:

    • Use Their Favourite Themes

    Anchor the direction coding games to your child's favourite themes. If they love superheros, create a mission where they follow directional commands to save the city. Personalising the direction games can make the learning process more exciting.

    • Use Exciting Activities

    Kids love to move! You can try creating a physical obstacle course in a given space where they have to follow directions like "two steps to the right" or "turn left at the stairs." This will make the concept of directions more concrete and enjoyable.

    • Turn Direction Activities Into Family Time

    While teaching direction coding to children, create challenges where everyone can take turns to give and follow commands. Celebrating your child’s successes together as a family can boost their confidence and motivate them to learn.

    FAQs

    1. What games help kids follow directions?

    There are so many games that make the process of following directions fun for kids. Some examples are:

    • Treasure hunt
    • Dance games 
    • Musical chairs 

    2. How to Teach Directions to Kids?

    Teaching directions to kids can be a fun and engaging process. 

    • Introduce simple directions like left, right, up, and down. You can use everyday moments, like walking to practise these directions.
    • Maps, drawings, and signs can help make concepts more concrete. Try making a simple map of your home and practice moving through it.
    • Ask your child to help with navigation. Simple tasks like “Turn left at the end of the road” or “Walk straight till the blue house” make learning practical.

    3.  At what age should a child know left from right?

    Generally, children begin to understand the concept of left, right and other directions around ages 4 to 5. However, this age range can vary widely depending on the child as every child learns at their own pace!

    4. Why is it important for kids to learn to follow directions?

    Teaching kids to follow directions is very important for many reasons. 

    • It helps them develop life skills such as listening, understanding, and doing tasks, which are crucial for their future success in school and beyond. 
    • When a child can follow directions, it also promotes safety while doing tasks such as crossing the street or handling objects etc. 
    • It also boosts a sense of discipline and responsibility. 
    • Direction skills are helpful not just in academic settings but also in social interactions

    5. What is the concept of direction for kids?

    The concept of direction for kids is all about understanding their environment better. It includes knowing basic direction terms like left, right, up, down, and around, which help them follow instructions and move through spaces effectively. It is also about helping kids build spatial awareness and cognitive skills that are essential for their growth and development.

    1 comment

    Thanks it’s helpful if you have the stuff

    Mikayla Fairhall

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