Teaching Children to Follow Directions

Does your child (or student) struggle to follow directions? You’re not alone! In this episode of the Speech and Language Kids Podcast, Carrie Clark, SLP and founder of SpeechAndLanguageKids.com, walks you through how to teach children to follow directions—step-by-step. Whether you’re working with toddlers just starting to understand basic commands or older kids struggling with multi-step instructions, this episode has got you covered.

You’ll learn practical strategies for teaching one-step, two-step, and even complex multi-step directions, plus how to support kids using play, visuals, repetition, and more. We’ll also dig into why following directions is hard for many children (even those without speech or language delays!) and what you can do to help them succeed.

Listen to the Podcast Here

You can listen to the full podcast episode below:

Why Following Directions is Hard for Kids

Following directions requires listening, understanding, memory, attention, and execution—sometimes all at once! Carrie explains why even neurotypical kids can struggle and how communication delays, ADHD, or autism can make this even more challenging.

Beginner Level: Teaching One-Step Directions

Start here with your toddlers and early learners! Carrie explains how to teach:

Routine directions (like “put your shoes on”)
Novel directions (like “touch your nose”)
How to use play-based therapy, visual cues, gestures, and prompt fading
Why giving clear, concrete instructions is critical (no more “take a seat”—say “sit down”!)

Moving to Two-Step Directions and Spatial Concepts

Once kids are getting the hang of simple directions, it’s time to build up! Learn how to teach:

Two-step routine and novel directions
Directions using spatial concepts like “on,” “under,” “next to,” and “in”
How to embed these skills into daily routines or classroom settings

Intermediate Level: Multi-Step and Temporal Directions

Now we’re stepping it up with:

3- and 4-step directions
Temporal concepts like “before” and “after”
Tips for older preschoolers and elementary-aged kids who need extra support due to memory, attention, or processing challenges

Advanced Level: Real-Life, Real-World Directions

This is where the rubber meets the road. Carrie covers how to help students follow complex directions in:

Academic settings (like classroom tasks or worksheets)
Daily life (like routines at home)
Noisy, distracting environments

Resources and Tools Mentioned

Therapy Pathways and Therapy Plans – Step-by-step guidance on teaching following directions at all levels. Available in the Speech and Language Kids Hub
Session Builder Tools (AI-Powered Prompts) – Generate custom one-step, two-step, or three-step directions on any topic.
Discussion Boards in the Hub – Ask questions, share challenges, and get feedback from the SLP community. Available on all membership levels.
Search the Hub for “Following Directions” to find therapy kits, materials, and more.

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