Maps and directions
Kindergarten · Geography
Explore places, read maps and discover the world around you.
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Compass directions: north, south, east and west
Which direction is opposite east? Which way is at the top of a map? A free elementary geography game about the four compass points, with a printable.
Play Compass directions: north, south, east and west
Learning about maps and directions
In this Kindergarten geography collection, you can practice Compass directions: north, south, east and west. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Keep a globe, atlas or simple map nearby. Ask your child to point to a place or direction before naming it. Relate a map symbol or feature to a real example, and compare places rather than memorising isolated names.
Ask: “Where would you look to check your answer?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Compass directions: north, south, east and west
Most maps are drawn with north at the top. That means south is at the bottom, east is on the right and west is on the left. Going clockwise round the compass, the order is north, east, south, west, which many children remember with a phrase such as "Never Eat Shredded Wheat" or "Naughty Elephants Squirt Water".
Try an example: If north is at the top of a map, which direction is on the right?
Clockwise from north comes east, and on a map that is the right-hand side.
Show the answer
East.
What to look out for
Mixing up east and west. Write "WE" across a compass: W on the left, E on the right, so the two letters spell "we".
Read the full Compass directions: north, south, east and west guide
Practice away from the screen
- Find north at home using a compass app or a real compass, then label the walls of a room N, E, S and W.
Curriculum connections
Compass directions: north, south, east and west
Suggested kindergarten practice, selected by skill and reading demand. US states and schools teach these topics in different grades; this is not a state-standards alignment claim.
NCSS C3 Framework teaching connection: Geographic representations and places. Use place names, compass directions and physical features as background for reading maps and asking questions about places. Extend the game with a map or photograph; recognizing labels alone is not a complete geographic inquiry. Read the framework.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with maps and directions?
Start with Compass directions: north, south, east and west. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. These games provide focused practice. Grade suggestions do not replace your school’s curriculum, and any Common Core connection applies only to the skill described.