Moving on a grid: up, down, left and right: what children learn
Describing movement is part of the Year 1 position and direction curriculum. Children use words such as up, down, left, right, forwards and backwards to say how something moves from one place to another.
In this game children build a list of arrow moves to get Jigby the robot to the star. Rocks block some squares, so they need to plan a route around them. Some rounds start with a route that has one wrong move for children to find and fix. The Quick quiz orders turns and directions.
This topic covers the Year 1 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Geometry – position and direction): pupils should be taught to “describe position, direction and movement, including whole, half, quarter and three-quarter turns”. Year 1 pupils are usually aged 5–6.
For families following US standards, the closest Common Core standard is K.G.A.1, which is taught in Kindergarten.
How to play
Build a program of arrows to get Jigby to the star, then press Run. Each arrow moves Jigby one square. You can also use the arrow keys. Each game has 5 levels and no timer. Some levels have a bug to fix. If Jigby bumps into a rock or stops in the wrong place, change the program and run it again. You get a point for each level solved on the first run. You can also choose Put in order: 5 sets of steps to put in the right order, with no timer.
Step by step
- Look at where Jigby starts. Find Jigby and the star. Is the star above or below Jigby? To the left or to the right?
- Count the squares. Count how many squares Jigby needs to move up or down, and how many to the left or right.
- Plan around the rocks. If a rock is in the way, go round it. There is often more than one route.
- Run and check. Press Run and watch Jigby move one square at a time. If he stops in the wrong place, look at which move went wrong.
Worked examples
Example 1: The star is 2 squares to the right of Jigby. Which moves get him there?
Working: Move right, then right again.
Answer: right, right
Example 2: The star is 1 square up and 2 squares left. What could the moves be?
Working: Any order works if there is no rock in the way.
Answer: up, left, left (or left, left, up)
Example 3: Jigby's moves are up, up, right but the star is up 1 and right 1. Which move is wrong?
Working: He goes up one square too many.
Answer: The second up
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Mixing up left and right. Hold up your left hand with the thumb out: the fingers make an L for left.
- Counting the square Jigby is on as a move. Count the jumps, not the squares: put a finger on Jigby and count each step.
- Going straight through a rock. Trace the route with a finger first, checking each square.
Activities to try at home
- Give directions to find a hidden toy: 'Three steps forwards, then turn right.'
- Draw a grid on paper, place a toy and a 'treasure', and write the moves.
- Play a board game and count the squares moved out loud.
Ideas for the classroom
- Use a floor robot or a chalk grid in the playground.
- Pupils give each other directions to reach a target on a grid.
- Show a route with one wrong move and ask pupils to fix it.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Is this coding?
It uses the same idea as programming a floor robot, which is also part of Year 1 computing, but here the focus is describing position and movement.
Why do some rounds have a mistake?
Finding the wrong move makes children follow a route step by step, which builds the language of direction.
Can it be played with a keyboard?
Yes. With the game selected, press the arrow keys to add moves and Backspace to remove the last one, then Tab to Run.