Activity Guide: Follow the Signs

A simple everyday activity for building early reading and confidence.

This is one of those activities that started almost by accident for us.

When we were in London, Ben helped us follow signs on the Underground. He noticed colours, arrows, “Way out” signs, and the different lines. It made reading feel useful, not like something separate we were asking him to practise.

We also play a little sign-spotting game in the car. I randomly shout out words or numbers I notice on signs, which for some reason Ben finds hilarious. He started by spotting numbers, but now he will read small words too, especially if I am driving slowly enough for him to have time to look. The funny thing is, he will often resist reading in a more formal way, but he actively asks to play this game.

That is the lovely thing about signs. They make reading feel real.

What you need

A walk, a town, a station, a park, a museum, a beach, a car journey, or anywhere with signs.

What to do

Choose a simple mission.

It could be finding the way out, finding the toilets, spotting a certain bus stop, following signs to a beach, park or shop, or simply seeing how many words and numbers you can notice.

Ask your child to help look for useful signs.

Point out words, arrows, colours, symbols and numbers.

Let them make guesses.

Ask questions like:

“What do you think that sign is telling us?”

“Which way should we go next?”

“Can you spot a number?”

“Can you read any little words?”

Celebrate the useful reading, even if they are using pictures, colours or symbols rather than reading every word.

The learning point

Children learn that reading has a real purpose.

Signs show that words, symbols, numbers and arrows help us understand the world and find our way. This builds early literacy, confidence, problem solving and independence.

It is also a gentle way to practise reading without it feeling like reading practice at all.