5 Tips for Teaching Your Child How to Follow Instructions

5 Tips for Teaching Your Child How to Follow Instructions

As your children grow, they will learn how to do many things from you, including how to follow instructions. This is very important since they will need to be able to take direction from their teachers at school and their managers in their careers. Read below for five tips for teaching your child how to follow instructions.

Photo – Elina Fairytale

Make Sure You Have Their Attention

Before you start giving instructions to your child, make sure that you have their undivided attention. Step into their view so you are their focus and ask them to look and listen to you. Otherwise, they may become distracted as you give them directions.

Don’t Make Your Directions Complicated

When you first start giving your child directions, avoid giving them multiple steps at once, especially when they are very young. If you give them a series of directions, your little one may accidentally forget a step.

Instead, keep it simple by giving them one instruction at a time. As they grow older and become more used to following instructions, you should be able to increase their complexity.

Give Time for Questions

Pausing after you give directions is another good tip for teaching your child how to follow instructions. By doing so, you will give your kid time to comprehend what you are saying and see if they have any questions. You might even help them avoid making a mistake.

Provide Visuals in Your Instructions

Providing visuals as you give instructions can be beneficial. You may want to point to the items you want your child to use as they complete a task. Or try using visual aids, such as photos of children doing the task. These will help increase their level of understanding.

Use a Fun Activity

You can even use a fun activity to teach your child how to follow instructions. One example is teaching them how to drive a new power wheel they received as a gift.

One of the fun facts about electric vehicles for kids is that they are very useful in teaching kids why it is important to follow directions. When your child understands you are helping them drive their ride-on car better, they will know they should listen closely to their parents.

These strategies can allow your child to enjoy greater success when following instructions. This process will make them better in their schoolwork, their jobs, and their communications with others.


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Shannon Lazovski

Shannon is the Owner of Detroit Mommies and is a lifestyle blogger of 17 years. She is the CEO of The Lazov Agency, Glameselle Beauty, and the owner of Glamorousmoms.com and Detroitfashionnews.com. Shannon is also the Founder & President of The Glamorous Moms Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports women and children rebuilding their lives from poverty, illness, human trafficking, addiction, and domestic violence. She is big on spreading love to those who need it most and loves to connect with other parents.

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