following directions drawing activity pdf

Giving Directions ESL Activities, Games and Worksheets

Elementary (A1-A2)
Pre-intermediate (A2)

Battle Tanks

ESL Giving Directions Game - Listening and Speaking Activity - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes

Here is a free giving directions game to play with elementary students. In each team, one player is the 'tank' and the other is the 'driver'. Blindfold the two players who are the tanks and place two soft balls on the floor somewhere in the room. The two tanks then stand at opposite ends of the room. The drivers' task is to guide their tank to a ball by giving directions, e.g. go straight, turn right, etc. When a tank reaches a ball, the student picks up the ball and has ammunition to fire. The driver then guides the tank to fire on the other tank, e.g. aim higher, to the left, etc. If the ball hits the tank, the team wins. If the ball misses, the driver guides the tank to the ball again. When a team wins, the game is repeated with the next four students and so on. When everyone has played, the winning teams play against each other to find the ultimate champion.

Battle Tanks Preview

Draw the Directions

ESL Giving Directions Activity - Reading, Writing and Drawing - Elementary (A1-A2) - 45 minutes

In this creative giving directions activity, students draw pictures that match a set of directions and create directions for a classmate to draw. First, students read the directions on the worksheet and draw a picture of the directions in each box. When students have completed all their drawings, check their illustrations to make sure they match with the directions. Next, students create a new set of directions. When the students have written all the directions, they hand their worksheet to a classmate for them to draw.

Draw the Directions Preview

Giving Directions

ESL Giving and Following Directions Activity - Listening and Speaking - Elementary (A1-A2) - 20 minutes

This free giving directions activity helps to teach students how to ask for and give directions. Starting at the pin located at the bottom of the map, Student A asks Student B for directions to the first place shown on their worksheet. When Student A has been directed to each place, they mark the location on their map. The student then asks for directions to the next place from there. When all ten places have been marked on the map, the two students swap roles. Afterwards, the students compare their maps to see if they have marked the locations correctly.

Giving Directions Preview

img_interactive img_notes

Interactive Version - In this free giving directions breakout room activity, pairs of students practice asking for and giving directions to places on a map.

My Map

ESL Asking For and Giving Directions Activity - Drawing, Listening and Speaking - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes

In this imaginative giving directions activity, students draw a map of a town and then ask for and give directions to places on the map. Students begin by creating a map of a town in the box on their worksheet. Students then write in the names of the streets and draw eight places on the map, e.g. a cinema, town hall, shopping mall, etc. In pairs, students then take it in turns to ask for and give directions to the places on the map using the useful language on the worksheet.

My Map Preview

Star Wars Directions Game

ESL Giving Directions Game - Listening and Speaking Activity - Elementary (A1-A2) - 15 minutes

This free giving directions game is ideal for practicing or revising directions and prepositions of movement and place. Each team stands in one corner of the classroom. The two teams decide which side they want to play for, i.e. the Dark Side or Jedi. A player from each team then puts on an appropriate mask or blindfold and is given an inflatable lightsaber or similar object. The teams then call out directions they want their player to move, e.g. go straight, go back, turn left, turn right, etc. When a player is in reach of their opponent, their team shouts 'hit'. The player then tries to hit their opponent. The first player to do this successfully wins the round and scores a point for their team. Then, a new player from each team puts on a mask and so on. Afterwards, the two teams with the most points have a showdown to determine the champion.

The Crystal Maze

ESL Giving Directions Game - Listening and Speaking Activity - Elementary (A1-A2) - 30 minutes

Here is an entertaining directions game to help students practice giving directions. Each team chooses one student to be their player. The players leave the room while the maze is being created. Rearrange the desks to resemble a maze with one entrance and one exit. If a maze of desks isn't possible, create tasks for the players to perform to complete the maze, e.g. sit on a certain chair, open a certain book, touch a specific poster, etc. Once a maze has been created, the game begins with teams taking it in turns to play. The first team puts a blindfold on their player outside of the classroom and then brings them to the entrance of the maze. The aim of the game is for the teams to direct their player through the maze in the shortest possible time. Teams are awarded points according to certain criteria. When all the teams have played, they select new players and the students rearrange the desks into a new maze or change the tasks the players have to perform. The team with the lowest score at the end of the game wins.

The Crystal Maze Preview