What's The Point

The purpose of this activity is to help your child understand and use location words, an important math skill for creating and using maps.

This Activity Will Help Your Child

• Learn about words that describe location (e.g., up, down, over, under, inside, outside, in front of, behind, above, next to)
• Identify where an object is using location words
• Follow simple instructions
• Move his/her body

Book Suggestions

• Go, Dog, Go
  by P.D. Eastman
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
  by Michael Rosen

Supplies

• None needed

How Do I Do It?

• Engage your child in simple "location" games by asking questions such as:
  • "What can you see that's on top of the table?"
  • "Tell me something that's up high (or down low)."
  • "I see something next to the door, what is it?"
  • "Tell me something that is on the bottom shelf."
• Play Simon Says:
  • "Simon says put your hands above your head."
  • "Simon says turn around."
  • "Simon says bend down low."
• Put on some music and give your child simple instructions such as:
  • "Move your arms up and down."
  • "Jump forward, now jump back."
  • "March behind me."

Take It Further

Sing the Hokey Pokey: "You put your hands on your head, you take your hands off, you put your hands on your head and you shake them all about, you do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about!" (continue with: hands in front of your body, behind your back, next to your feet, under your chin, etc.)