Point to all four directions on the compass and say their names: North, South, East and West.
Materials you’ll need
- A Compass (toy version is okay, if it works)
- Items from Nature (Rocks, Crystals, Sticks, Shells—Whatever is Readily Available Outside Where you Live)
- Optional: Letters in any Material that Represent N, S, E & W
Instructions
- Place “earth treasures” like rocks and shells in their own groups in different corners of the yard or inside around the home and have children search for them using the compass.
- Have them tell you which direction each item was located in when identified.
- An optional extra step is to place large letters in each corner of the yard or home to act as a guide.
Suggested discussion topics
- How the sun and stars work together to act as Mother Earth’s compass and help travelers determine direction if they’re lost.
- How early explorers discovered new places using nature.
- Why directions are an important part of traveling safely.
- How technology like GPS maps are used now in place of older tools, but nature can always be relied upon if those technologies aren’t available.
- What types of things the children like to discover when they’re in nature. Animals? Bugs? Flowers?
- Challenge them to find something new in nature each time they play outside.
