Pre-K YOUR Way: Trail Maps & Directions

by Jeana Kinne September 23, 2018

Materials Needed

One (1) Printed Map of your neighborhood or one (1) printed map of a local child-friendly trail (Maps can be printed from Mapquest.com or Google maps for free)
One (1) Pen
One (1) way to access a video on the Internet.

Instructions:

Step 1: Watch the following YouTube video and act out the song with the child:

Move Left! Directions Songs for Kids

by Dream English Kids. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgyer0IauyQ

Step 2: It’s time to go on a walk. Explain to the child that following directions are important in preventing people from getting lost.

Step 3: Use the map of your neighborhood to draw a line of where you’re going to walk and what turns you’re going to make.

Step 4: Using the map, go on a walk with the child. Follow the path outlined in Step 3. Each time you turn, have the child say if you are going right or left.

Step 5: At each turn, ask the child to use a pen to mark off where they are on the map.

Step 6: When you end up back at your house, show the map to the child so they can see where they went.

Take it to the next level: If your child masters the first 6 steps, continue on through step 10!

Step 7: Print out a map from your home to a home of a friend or relative that lives close by (or other location).

Step 8: Draw the route you’re going to take on the map.

Step 9: Give the map to the child before you get into the car and see if they can follow along throughout your drive.

Step 10: Show them where you are starting from and where you are ending. While in the car, ask you child what direction you are going (right, left, etc).