Following Directions Activities Your Students Will Love

Following directions is such an important lifelong skill. Without it, we can't function in everyday life. It's something parents begin to teach early on with their children and teachers continue to reinforce in the classroom. This skill doesn't always come naturally, and it is much easier for some compared to others. Learning to follow directions takes lots of practice and patience. Not to worry though! I have some great following directions activities your students will love.

Following Directions is Important

When we think of following directions it doesn't seem like there's much to it. But if you stop and really think about all things you must do to follow directions, it's easy to see just how hard it can be. Following directions requires us to do several things all at once. 

Here are just a few of the cognitive skills that go into following directions: 

• decipher the details of either spoken or written language
• put the directions into appropriate steps to complete the task
• learn to ask for clarification of directions if we don't understand
• determine what tools or supplies are needed to complete the task
• complete the task

Whoa! No wonder it can be so difficult for children as we give more and more complex directions.  But all is not hopeless!  We can teach our students how to follow directions and have fun at the same time!

How to Effectively Give Direction to Students

Have you ever sat back and thought about how you are delivering directions or instruction to your class?  Here are a few things I like to consider before giving my students directions:

• Am I being clear?
• Are the directions concise?
• Have I explained why?
• Did I give them time to process?
• Can they explain the directions back to me?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you are more than likely providing good directions to your students. 

Visuals are also great tools to use when practicing following directions with your students. Display directions on the board with words and/or pictures.  This allows students to self-monitor and complete activities independently.

For students that need fewer distractions or more help with multi-step directions, provide them with directions right at their student desk. Many students that struggle with following directions thrive with visual steps to reference.  

However you choose to provide visual directions, this is one thing I know: this will eliminate many questions and save students from frustration. When our students can follow directions and complete a task independently, they gain a sense of pride and ownership in their work.  And . . . with some practice, they start to naturally do this on their own!

Following Directions Activities

Mastering the skill of following directions takes lots of practice. We typically practice this skill informally all year long.  Many times this looks like classroom rules and procedures, completing assignments, or following one-time directions.  Boring! 

Learning to follow directions doesn't have to always be tied to something so serious.  In fact, we can help our students learn these important skills in a fun and interactive way!

Games like Simon Says are great ways to practice following directions.  While this game is usually one-step commands, why not increase the difficulty.  Give two and three-step directions for students to follow.  And . . . make a rule that they can't start doing the activity until you have finished the instructions.

Another favorite activity to practice following directions uses drawing a picture.  The students love it and it lends itself to simple and complex directions. 

I like to use following directions pictures in two ways: listening to directions and reading directions. 

For the listening to directions version, I will give students a blank sheet of paper. Then, I'll read step by directions aloud to them. I may say, "Draw a tree on the right side of the page. {Pause} Draw a big pile of leaves under the tree. {Pause} Draw a dog under the tree." 

I will continue to give directions until the picture is finished. The kids love the anticipation of finding out what the finished picture will be. I love that students are working on auditory processing skills and following directions.

You can also use following directions pictures as an independent activity that works on reading comprehension and following directions.

For this activity, I will provide students with a sheet of paper with the directions on it. Students will complete the task on their own. It is very easy to see who followed directions and who did not!

The students absolutely LOVE these following directions pictures and will ask to do them.  Not only are they a great way to teach following directions, but with a little discussion time afterward, students can really dig into why it is important and what they can do to improve. 

Following Directions Activities Just Got Easier

Wouldn't it be nice to have a year of following directions activities right at your fingertips? I thought so, too! 

So, I created a variety of following directions activities for my classroom.  As I started using them consistently I noticed that my students were getting better and better at following directions the first time!  

I want that for your students too!  That is why I have made these activities available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. In fact, I have an entire category just for following directions activities! 

Each resource will provide lots of practice for following directions, using critical thinking skills, improving listening and reading comprehension, and some creativity too. 

The following directions activities are very versatile. They can be used for:

• Whole group instruction
• Independent practice
• Morning tubs
• Centers
• Early finishers
• 
  Informal assessment for comprehension skills
• Auditory listening activities
• Lessons for a sub

There are many versions available like 

• Winter Following Directions
• February Following Directions,
• Thanksgiving Following Directions
• and so many more! 

You and your students will love them all.

I hope these following directions activities have given you some great ideas to get started with in your classroom. Remember, practice makes perfect and that goes for skills like following directions too!

Following Directions Activities for the Entire Year

If you are ready to incorporate following directions activities in your classroom, then make sure to look at this bundle.  It will have you covered from the beginning of the year to the end!

Save these Tips and Ideas for Teaching Following Directions

Be sure to save this pin to your favorite classroom Pinterest board, so that you can come back when you need some ideas for teaching or reviewing following directions with your students.

Genre Reading Challenge

Have you ever had an idea, event, or experience that suddenly made you “click” with a coworker?

For me, that experience happened when I read The Book Whisperer by Donovan Miller last summer.  I was literally blown away.  I could not underline, highlight, and take notes quickly enough.  I raved about it to my coworkers, but only one of them was interested in reading the book.  I quickly shared my book with her and…BAM!!!!

After four years of working together, my coworker and I REALLY started bonding.  I had always admired her and looked up to her (figuratively and literally as I’m barely 5’0!!).  We were having daily conversations, brainstorming about getting our class involved in the 40 Book Challenge, and making Google Forms.  The next thing we knew, we had come up with an idea to fill our hallway with books...GIANT books!! 

We made nine giant books for nine different genres.  Above each book, we added the characteristics of the genre.  To finish the look, we added a matching bookmark.  During the year, students wrote recommendations and added to the books. These could also be used to list all of the books read during the school year.

Instead of using reading logs (which always seemed to get lost or parents didn't sign), I made an interactive notebook for the students to use.

We took notes as we worked through the PowerPoint over several days.  Students used their notebooks during the year to write reading responses.


At the beginning of the school year, we became a 1:1 digit school.  In addition to the physical reading responses, I created a Google Slides product to use with Google Classroom.  These worked extremely well also by giving students preselected responses to write about.  

• All of these items can be used simply for getting your students excited about reading.  
• They could be used in the media center.  
• These giant books can be located in a central location or maybe even the cafeteria to encourage students to read. 

You certainly do not have to implement the 40 Book Challenge or read The Book Whisperer to encourage students to read, read, read.  Sometimes, all it takes is a giant book to spark that curiosity. 

If you are interested in any of these items in my store, you can click on the pictures below.

What better way is there than to let your love of reading bond you with a coworker who becomes your teacher BFF?  Wouldn’t that be even MORE fabulous?

That’s just…

My Kind of Teaching

See you soon!

A Whole Lot of Multiplication, Some Growing Up, and a Love of Cereal Boxes

It's time to be real...

I. am. so. tired!!!

That is all...

The down and dirty!

Can you relate??  (haha...I'm talking to the choir, right??)

I am so enjoying my move to 4th grade.  

I'm not sure which of these has me so VERY tired...

• the schedule (specials at 8:15 and no other break until recess at 2:10... I just realized that's six straight hours...NO WONDER!) 
• the move to a new grade, which also means a new curriculum to learn 
• the resignation of our principal
• the firing of our superintendent
• or just the fact that I'm getting old (CERTAINLY not blaming it on the last one!  HA) 

It's a good thing I (loosely) plan out my entire year during each summer and have a system in place for my lesson plans so that I am able to get out the door on time each afternoon!

Here's what we've had going on in my classroom!

We've been working hard on multiplication.

We made these lapbooks from my Multiplication Unit.  

These could also be used in interactive notebooks if preferred.

Under the property flaps, the students wrote the definitions.  On the opposite side, they showed example equations.  When these were lifted, they drew illustrations to match.

Here is the front cover.  The pocket will hold the multiplication facts they need to practice.

Inside the book is a multiplication table the student completed and the multiplication strategies for the facts 2-9.

Here is a closer view.

When all of the flaps are lifted, the multiplication strategy is revealed.

We started the year in reading with my Judy Moody Was In a Mood book study.  

Here is what they want to be when they grow up.  

I was really surprised at the different types of answers given.  An FBI agent, horse jockey, Olympic swimmer, and a cell phone tower climber were just a few of the more interesting ones.  

The students did mini research projects and wrote about the jobs.  Some of those had to be done online.  We certainly don't have all of those topics in our library.

These made for a nice hallway display!

After we finished that unit (just shy of three weeks), we spent a couple of days doing one of my favorite activities...

You Can Even Read a Cereal Box FREE Unit

My students always have such a good time doing this FREE unit.

It is a FREEBIE in my store. 

If you are not one of the 36,198 people who have already downloaded it, stop by and get it for your own class.  Just add cereal boxes!!!

I LOVE showing the students that you can read ANYTHING, even a cereal box because that's just...

My Kind of Teaching