Following Directions Activities for Speech Therapy

Following directions is a foundational receptive language skill that affects every aspect of a child’s daily life, from classroom participation to safety routines. SLPs use structured activities to build direction-following skills from single-step commands to complex multi-step instructions with embedded concepts. Systematic practice with increasing complexity helps children develop the listening comprehension and working memory needed to follow directions accurately and independently.

Why Following Directions Matters

Following directions is more than a compliance skill. It is a receptive language ability that requires a child to attend to spoken language, process the meaning of words and sentences, hold information in working memory, and execute the appropriate actions in the correct sequence. When any of these component skills is underdeveloped, direction-following breaks down.

In the classroom, direction-following is essential for academic participation. Teachers give an average of 50 to 100 verbal directions per school day, ranging from simple instructions (“Open your books”) to complex, multi-step sequences (“Before you put away your math folder, finish the last two problems and check your answers”). Children who struggle to follow directions may fall behind on assignments, miss transitions, and appear off-task even when they are trying their best.

SLPs assess direction-following as part of a comprehensive receptive language evaluation. Standardized tests measure a child’s ability to follow directions of increasing length and complexity, while informal probes reveal how the child performs in naturalistic contexts. This assessment data guides therapy planning and helps SLPs set appropriately challenging goals.

For a complete overview of receptive and expressive language strategies, see our language activities guide.

Building Skills: From One Step to Many

SLPs follow a systematic hierarchy when teaching direction-following skills. This hierarchy controls complexity along multiple dimensions so that children experience success at each level before advancing.

One-Step Directions

One-step directions contain a single action for the child to perform. “Stand up,” “touch the table,” and “give me the crayon” are all one-step directions. SLPs begin with familiar actions and concrete objects to ensure that the child’s vocabulary is not a barrier to comprehension. As the child demonstrates consistent success with basic one-step directions, SLPs introduce directions with modifying concepts: “Touch the big block” (size), “pick up the red crayon” (color), or “point to the one on top” (spatial concept).

Two-Step Directions

Two-step directions require the child to hold two pieces of information in working memory and execute them in order. “Pick up the ball and put it on the shelf” is a two-step direction with two distinct actions. The cognitive demand increases significantly at this level because the child must remember the second step while executing the first.

SLPs use several scaffolding strategies for children who struggle with two-step directions. Pausing between steps (“Pick up the ball… and put it on the shelf”) gives the child time to process. Having the child repeat the direction before beginning (“Tell me what you are going to do”) engages verbal rehearsal to support working memory. Visual sequence cards showing “first” and “then” provide a concrete reference point.

Multi-Step and Complex Directions

Multi-step directions with three or more steps challenge working memory and sequential processing. Embedding temporal concepts (“Before you sit down, push in your chair”), conditional logic (“If you have a blue one, put it in the box”), and negation (“Pick up everything except the triangle”) represents the highest level of direction-following complexity.

Naturalistic activities provide excellent contexts for multi-step direction practice. Cooking projects, where a child must follow a recipe step by step, embed directions in a motivating activity that produces a tangible result. Craft activities and obstacle courses offer similar opportunities for sequential direction-following with built-in engagement. Download our Following Directions Worksheet for structured practice materials.

Activities for Therapy Sessions

Barrier Games

Barrier games are among the most effective activities for targeting direction-following. The SLP and child sit on opposite sides of a barrier. The SLP gives verbal directions for the child to follow, such as placing stickers on a scene, drawing shapes on paper, or arranging objects on a grid. Because the child cannot see the SLP’s model, they must rely entirely on listening comprehension. At the end, the barrier is removed and both sides are compared, providing immediate visual feedback on comprehension accuracy.

Scavenger Hunts

Direction-based scavenger hunts require children to follow location-based instructions. “Go to the bookshelf and find something red” combines a location direction with an attribute concept. Scavenger hunts can be adapted to any difficulty level by adjusting the number of steps and the complexity of the concepts embedded in each direction.

Movement-Based Activities

Obstacle courses, relay races, and “Simon Says” variations embed directions in physical activity. Movement-based activities are particularly effective for children who struggle with sustained attention during tabletop tasks, as the physical component helps maintain engagement. These activities also target spatial concepts (over, under, through, around, between) in a concrete, experiential way.

Interactive games bring an additional layer of engagement. Games like Quiz present directions and questions in a game format that motivates repeated practice. Flower Garden provides a structured activity where children follow step-by-step instructions within a visually appealing game environment.

Building strong vocabulary is closely connected to following directions. Children who understand more words can process more complex instructions. For strategies on expanding the vocabulary that supports direction comprehension, read our vocabulary building activities guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age should a child follow two-step directions?

Most children can follow simple two-step directions by age 2 to 3, such as “Pick up the ball and give it to me.” By age 3 to 4, children typically follow two-step directions that include basic concepts like size or color. By age 5, most children can follow three-step directions and directions with embedded temporal concepts like “before” and “after.” If a child consistently struggles to follow age-appropriate directions, an SLP evaluation can determine whether a receptive language delay is contributing to the difficulty.

Is difficulty following directions always a language problem?

Not always. Difficulty following directions can stem from several sources, including receptive language delays, attention difficulties, auditory processing challenges, working memory limitations, or behavioral factors. An SLP evaluates a child’s language comprehension specifically to determine whether a receptive language delay is the primary cause. When attention or auditory processing is a factor, SLPs collaborate with other professionals to address the full picture.

How can teachers support direction-following in the classroom?

Teachers can support direction-following by gaining the child’s attention before giving directions, using visual schedules and picture cues to supplement verbal instructions, breaking multi-step directions into smaller chunks, and having the child repeat the direction before beginning the task. Consistent use of transitional language like “first, then, last” helps children organize the steps in their memory. Classroom-based collaboration between the SLP and teacher ensures that strategies used in therapy carry over to the academic environment.

What is the difference between not understanding and not listening?

Children who do not understand directions often attempt the task but execute it incorrectly, follow only the first or last step, or look confused and seek clarification. Children who are not listening may not orient to the speaker, may appear distracted, or may engage in a different activity entirely. SLPs help distinguish between these two patterns through careful assessment and observation, because the intervention approach differs significantly depending on whether the root cause is comprehension or attention.

How do I make following directions practice fun?

SLPs use game-based activities to make direction-following practice engaging. Scavenger hunts require children to follow location-based directions. Obstacle courses use sequential directions with spatial concepts. Cooking and craft activities embed multi-step directions in motivating tasks. Barrier games, where the child follows verbal directions to recreate a hidden picture, are among the most effective and enjoyable activities for targeting direction-following skills in therapy.

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This information is for educational purposes and does not replace professional speech-language pathology services. If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, consult a certified speech-language pathologist.