3 Games To Learn And Practice The Cardinal Directions

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Cardinal directions. They are important for finding your way around a city, traveling across the country, planning a garden, designing a house, and so much more. Given how much we use them in our lives, it is important we help our children master the cardinal directions. Here are three fun games we like to play to learn cardinal directions.

3 Games To Learn Cardinal Directions

These games use compass dice, which can be purchased in my online store.

Capture the Square

This game is not only a great way to master cardinal directions but is also a sneaky way to practice math facts at the same time. When we played this with friends while waiting at PE, they all had a great time.

For this game, you will need:

• Direction Die
• 30-sided die or 10-sided die
• Hundred’s Board
• Counters (such as small erasers, colored discs, beans, pennies, etc.)

To play Capture the Square:

1. Set a timer for ten minutes.
2. Roll the direction die. Roll the number die twice (or roll two dice).
3. Add, subtract, or multiply the numbers shown on the dice. Locate the square on the hundred’s board that corresponds to your answer. This is your starting square. (For younger children, choose an operation to use every time. For older children, allow them to choose the operation they use in order to capture the number they want.)
4. Place a counter on the hundred’s board one square away from your starting square in the direction indicated on the direction die.
5. For example, if you roll “S” on the direction die and your answer after adding the numbers on the number die is 5, you would place a counter on 15. (Starting square is 5, move one square south.) If you cannot place a counter on the square because the square is already occupied, try a different operation (i.e. subtraction instead of addition).
6. The winner is the person with the most captured squares when the timer goes off.

Race to the Target

This game can be played outside or on grid paper. If you have not talked about finding the cardinal directions by observing the sun, it might be helpful to discuss this before playing this game. (The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. If it is morning, the sun will be in the east. If it is mid to late afternoon, the sun will be in the west.)

For this game, you will need:

• Direction Die
• 30-sided die or 10-sided die
• Grid paper and Counters (such as small erasers, colored discs, beans, pennies, etc.)
• Compass (optional)

To play Race to the Target outside:

1. Determine a target. This could be a tree, bench, rock, or anything else in the vicinity.
2. Each player should choose a starting position at least twenty feet away from the target.
3. Players take turns moving towards the target. One person could roll the dice for everyone or players could take turns rolling the dice.
4. Roll the direction die and the number die.
5. Take the number of steps indicated on the number die in the direction indicated on the direction die. For example, if you rolled “N” and “5”, take five steps to the north.
6. The first player to reach the target wins.

To play Race to the Target on grid paper:

1. Mark a target on the grid paper.
2. Draw a compass rose on the grid paper.
3. Each player should choose a starting position at least twenty squares away from the target.
4. Players take turns moving towards the target.
5. Roll the direction die and the number die.
6. Move your counter toward the target as indicated by the dice. For example, if you rolled “N” and “5”, move your counter five squares to the north.
7. The first player to reach the target wins.

Treasure Hunt

Every child loves hunting for treasure! This game is sure to captivate your child while he masters cardinal directions. There are two ways to play this game. The first is to hide a treasure and allow your child to find it using a treasure map you drew. The other is to have your child hide the treasure, draw a map, and have you or a sibling follow the map to find the treasure.

For this game, you will need:

• Direction Die
• 30-sided die or 6- or 10-sided die
• Blank paper
• Compass

To play Treasure Hunt:

1. Hide a treasure somewhere in the yard. Mark this location in the center of your paper with an “X”.
2. Roll the direction and number dice.
3. Draw a line away from the “X” in the direction indicated on the direction die. Write the number of paces indicated on the number die. For example, if you rolled “SE” and “10”, draw a line to the southeast and mark 10 paces next to the line.
4. Continue rolling the dice and drawing the map 5-10 more times or until you run out of paper. Be sure to indicate the starting point on the map with descriptive words such as “first step of the front porch.”
5. Hand your map to someone else and see if they can find the treasure.

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This post has been linked to Hands-on Homeschool Ideas