Step 2
Are our instructions clear… or just noise with a smile?
“Let’s all get ready!” sounds nice - but if no one moves, it wasn’t an instruction. Instructions should land, not float into the toddler abyss.
What can we do?
Say it, show it, check it - words, gestures, eye contact.
One job at a time - “Get your shoes” not “Get your shoes, wash your hands, pack your bag, and call your mum.”
Avoid question traps - “Shall we tidy up now?” = no, we shall not.
Use silly triggers - “When I clap twice, freeze like a banana.”
Follow through - don’t say it ten times. Say it once, then help it happen.
Reflection Prompts
Are we giving simple instructions or rambling out loud?
Do we reteach when children miss it, or just repeat louder?
Are we using play to build listening - or only correcting when it fails?
Could our transition cues be more engaging and fun?
Activities to Try
One-Step Relay: Outdoors, shout one simple action - “Touch the wall!” “Find something blue!”
Detective Replays: Missed an instruction? Make them detectives to recall it.
Instruction Stations: Rotate playful tasks like “Put on a hat,” “Line up like giraffes,” etc.
Characters in transition: Fun ways to signal the next task “Be a butterfly and flutter towards the sink for washing hands”, “How would a cat/wizard/unicorn wait in their seats for lunch?’