Smilies Follow Directions Worksheet

Following directions is one of the first independent-work skills a first grader really needs, and it takes more than listening. A student has to read a written instruction, hold it in mind, and then do exactly what it asks — circle, underline, box, cross out, or draw. This Smilies Follow Directions Worksheet gives children five short written directions and three friendly face templates so they can practice reading an instruction carefully and carrying it out on their own.

Each direction on this first grade following directions worksheet acts on its own row of pictures, words, letters, or numbers, so children see right away whether they did what the direction asked. Read the page together once, then let students work independently. Part A asks them to circle the third star, put an X on the biggest circle, underline the word cat, draw a box around the letter M, and cross out the number 6. Part B invites them to draw a happy, a surprised, and a sad mouth on three large smiley face templates. A complete answer key is included, so you can check the whole page in seconds.

What’s Included

• 1 print-ready PDF worksheet
• Answer key
• 5 read-and-do direction tasks plus 3 draw-the-face activities

Three reasons this Smilies Follow Directions Worksheet helps children learn the skill. First, every task uses a different action word — circle, put an X, underline, draw a box, cross out — so students learn that the verb, not the picture, tells them what to do. Second, the ordinal and comparison words built into the directions, such as third and biggest, are exactly the vocabulary that test directions rely on later. Third, the face-drawing section rewards careful reading with something genuinely fun, which keeps attention high all the way to the bottom of the page.

Teachers and parents can stretch this activity in a few easy ways. Read the directions aloud one at a time while students follow along silently, then have them reread each one on their own before they mark anything. At home, warm up with a quick two-step direction game — touch your nose, then clap twice — before sitting down with the page. You can also ask children to write a direction of their own for a partner, swap papers, and check each other’s work, which turns the skill into a game they can repeat all year.

Related Resources

• Following Directions Coloring Worksheet
• Following Directions Tasks Worksheet
• Drawing Follow Directions Worksheet
• Respect Song (Classroom Mix) — Have Fun Teaching