Maths

Activity: To use directions to find something that you have hidden in the house or in the garden. You could hide a piece of fruit, a chocolate bar, a reading book, a toy etc anything you like but call it 'hidden treasure'.

Discuss these questions:

What are directions used for? Why are directions important? 

For example, we need directions if we were going to go somewhere new or to help somebody else find something. Ask your child to describe to you how to get to school or walk to their grandparent's house for example. Stress the importance of using certain words to find something successfully. 

Introduce these words and write them onto a piece of paper or card that you can cut out and display at home using arrows- see below:

• forward
• backwards
• left
• right

Practise acting out these directions together by directing each other to move in a certain way through jumping or stepping in the right direction.

The Treasure Hunt 

Example- Have a starting point for your 'treasure hunt' and use the directional vocabulary to direct your child to the treasure, for example, move forward two steps, turn right then walk five steps forward, go up the stairs then turn left where are you now?

Next, walk forward ten steps, turn right and jump two steps backwards, make a half turn and look under the bed, you have found your treasure!

Throughout the week practise following directions at home in any fun ways you can, but concentrating on the directional words, forward, backwards, left and right. 

You could create a grid like the one below on a piece of paper and draw pictures of anything into the grid squares. Rather than pictures you could use actual objects in your grid. Choose something to put on your start position, for example, a counter, a dice or a coin. It would work better if you had a toy character as then they can see it like a real person and it would help them with positioning and movement. 

Example:

Put your counter onto the start position.
Move your counter forward 2 squares.

Turn right then move forward 3 squares. 
Where are you? That's right you are on the alien. 
Go backwards 1 square.

Now turn right.

Go forward 1 square. 

You have reached your destination- the park!

Have fun!

• Using a grid ask your child to direct you to something on the grid.
• You could also draw a large grid outside using chalk and place items on the grid and practise following directions. If your child is confident, ask them to direct you to something. 
   

Challenge- If your child has a solid understanding of these directions introduce them to whole and half turns.

Example of a grid: