How it works
This direction spinner opens on the 8 directions: the four cardinal points and the four between them. Tap 4 directions for north, east, south and west only, 16 points for the half-winds such as NNE, or Left or right for a walk.
Read the full guide
Map and compass games
Map warm-up. Spin, and the class names a town or country in that direction from where they sit. Treasure steps. Spin, walk five steps that way, spin again. Bearings. On 16 points, read the bearing off the card and set it on a real compass. Each point is 22.5° from the next, so NNE is 22.5° and SW is 225°.
A walk with no plan
Tap Left or right before you head out. At each corner, spin: turn left, turn right, keep straight on, or turn back. Stop after ten spins and see where you ended up. Stay on paths you know, with an adult for young walkers.
Tips
- Stuck on 16 points? The letter nearest the front is the main direction: in NNE you are mostly north.
- Use Elimination on 4 directions to send four teams off in four different directions.
Questions and answers
What are the 8 directions on a compass?
North, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west and northwest. The first four with no second word are the cardinal directions, 90° apart. The other four sit halfway between them and are called intercardinal or ordinal directions.
What do NNE, ENE and the other three-letter points mean?
They are the half-winds, halfway between a cardinal and an intercardinal point. The name puts the cardinal first: north-northeast is between north and northeast. With them the compass rose has 16 points, each 22.5° apart.
Is the bearing on the card true north or magnetic north?
The bearings count clockwise from north at 0°, as on a map. A compass needle points to magnetic north, which is off true north by an angle that changes from place to place and over time, so treat the card as a map bearing.