Hi Sumara and all, I use a lot of the things already mentioned but I also use ring-around-the-rosy. First, we use a fixed source as a mark for a particular direction. Like an open door, AC, or if outdoors--the sun. Then we ring around the rosy until the designated person says stop. Then we take turns say which direction we are facing. If there is not a natural sound to orient to I will play music on my phone and leave it near the north wall (or south, east, west). Kristen

On May 17, 2016, at 4:08 PM, mary Jo Hartle <mjhartle23 at gmail.com> wrote:

HI, Just a couple of quick thoughts to add? Playing games like Red light green light work well only instead of running to the person who is it, the person who?s it calls out a direction and the players run to that direction?s designated base. Also, playing a game like ?Mother May I? and giving them things to do towards a certain direction is fun. I guess this is a bit like Deja?s suggestion for Simon says though. Also, doing a mirror-image kind of activity is good when demonstrating how directions are more helpful than just left or right. For example, if you are facing the child, you can say something like ?point to the right? then you can show how your way of pointing to the right is different than the child/students. Then, you repeat the exercise and say ?point to the North? and show how you are both now pointing the same way.

Letting the students design their own maps of things like the school, neighborhood, etc. are also great ways to teach directions, along with several other travel concepts. The kinesthetic aspect of this activity works really well though in helping to solidify such an abstract concept like cardinal directions sometimes can be.

Mary Jo Hartle , NOMC, TBS Mjhartle23 at gmail.com www.makingitontheplayground.com www.homeiswheretheHartleis.com

From: NOMC [mailto:nomc-bounces at lists.nbpcb.org] On Behalf Of Deja M. Powell Sent: Friday, May 13, 2016 10:56 AM To: Sheena Manuel <snm063 at gmail.com> Cc: NOMC at lists.nbpcb.org Subject: Re: [Nomc] seeking creative ideas for teaching compass directions to children

Hello Sumara, One idea I've used to teach cardinal directions is to have kids stand in a square a few feet away from each other. Then have a ball with a bell in it and give them directions (north, east, south, west), and they have to throw the ball to that person in that corner. All four kids have to focus in order to be prepared to catch the ball if it is there corner, so this helps them pay attention the whole time. Then you can give them new positions so they have to re-adjust there thinking. With more advance students you can do norther/east, south/east, etc...

Another idea is to have them go on a treasure hunt. Place a prize for them in one spot of the room/yard/court and have them start in a certain corner, then play simon says. For example, Simon says walk three steps North. You do this until they reach the treasure, if they make a mistake on their directions though, they have to start over to get to the treasure.

These are just a couple of ideas I've used in the past to help kiddos. Hopefully they help.

Thanks, Deja

Deja M. Powell, MA, NOMC PhD Student, Capella University Cane Travel Instructor, Utah Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired Co-Director, Club SILVER (Southern Utah) Cell: 801.891.3430 Work: 801-323-4343 Email: deja.powell at gmail.com Blog: slateandstylish.blogspot.com "You can never be Overdressed or Overeducated." -Oscar Wilde

On Thu, May 12, 2016 at 12:42 PM, <snm063 at gmail.com> wrote: - Using Tactile Town from APH, also Treks from APH - Using the room and having different things on each wall they can discover what's on each wall and set their own cardinal directions then drilling them to find a specific wall and checking the landmark for accuracy. -going to grocery store or dollar store using the same concept of setting cardinal directions as they find specific items on different walls or sides of the store

Sheena Manuel, MBA, MAT TBS/NOMC, NCUEB Outreach Specialist Louisiana Tech University Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness 318-257-4554

On May 12, 2016, at 11:12 AM, wrote:

Maurice,

Those are great ideas! Thank you.

Sumara

From: Maurice Peret [mailto:mperet at BISM.org] Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2016 12:07 PM To: Sumara Shakeel; NOMC at lists.nbpcb.org Subject: RE: [Nomc] seeking creative ideas for teaching compass directions to children

Greetings Sumara, I trust that this message finds you well.

I?m not sure how helpful this might or mightn?t be but I?ve sometimes used the concept of a face clock with folks struggling with cardinal directions; north being 12:00, east 3:00, south 6:00, and west 9:00. Trouble is, most people have become more accustomed to digital time devices. An idea that crept into mind, however, is perhaps circling chairs around a circle as for Musical chairs and the object might be to identify the chair at each compass point. You could do the same thing with a cake walk, have tasty treats at North, East, South, and West. Depending upon how challenging you want to get, you could even give bonuses for kids who can identify NE, SE, SW, and NW.

Hope to see you in Orlando.

Maurice From: NOMC [mailto:nomc-bounces at lists.nbpcb.org] On Behalf Of Sumara.Shakeel at dhs.state.nj.us Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2016 11:48 AM To: NOMC at lists.nbpcb.org Subject: [Nomc] seeking creative ideas for teaching compass directions to children

Hello,

We are planning activities for the children?s summer program at our state agency, and I am wondering if anyone has ideas for teaching compass directions to children as part of a map skills activity. They range in age from about six to twelve. I, of course, know how to teach compass directions but am looking for fun and creative ways to present this to children as I have worked primarily with adults.

Sumara Shakeel

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