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Here are the kids' several attempts at instructions. When the instructions don't quite work out, we've noted that in parentheses.

Son's Instructions, First Attempt

Step one, get two pieces of bread out.
Get a butter knife and get some PB.
Take one piece of bread.
Spread it around with the butter knife. (Dad pushes the bread around the counter with a butter knife.)
Get some jelly, rub it on the other half of the bread. (Dad rubs the jar of jelly on a piece of bread.)
Put the breads together on top of each other, take a big bite. (Dad puts the two plain pieces of bread on top of each other and takes a bite.)

Daughter's Instructions, First Attempt

Take two pieces of white bread out of the bag.
Take the lid off the jar of peanut butter.
Get a butter knife and stick it inside of the peanut butter jar. (Dad puts the butter knife in the jar and leaves it there.)
With the knife, scoop a bit of peanut butter out of the jar.
Spread your scoop of peanut butter onto one of your pieces of bread with the knife. (Dad spreads a tiny amount of peanut butter on one of the pieces of bread.)
Open the jelly jar.
Squeeze it onto the other piece of bread. (Dad pushes the jar of jelly onto a piece of bread, flattening it, and then puts the piece of bread with the peanut butter on top of the jar of jelly to complete the sandwich.)

Son's Instructions, Second Attempt

Get two pieces of bread.
Get some peanut butter.
Take the peanut butter knife.
Open the peanut butter.
Put the knife in the PB. (Dad puts the butter knife in the jar and leaves it there.)
Get some jelly.
Open the jelly.
Squirt the jelly onto the bread.
Take the butter knife with the peanut butter on it, wipe it all over the piece of bread that's blank. (Using the butter knife in the jar, Dad lifts the jar and rubs it on the bread.)
Take the butter knife, rub the jelly all over the piece of bread. (Dad rubs jelly on both sides of the piece of bread.)
Put the two pieces on top of each other.

Daughter's Instructions, Second Attempt

Take two pieces of white bread out of the bag.
Take the lid off the jar of peanut butter.
Get a butter knife and stick it inside of the peanut butter jar. (Dad puts the knife, handle down, into the jar and leaves it there.)
With the knife, scoop some of the peanut butter out of the inside of the jar.
Spread your scoop of peanut butter onto one of your pieces of bread with the knife. (Dad uses the knife handle to spread peanut butter on the side crust of one of the pieces of bread.)
Squeeze some jelly onto the other piece of bread.
Spread the jelly on the bread with the butter knife.
Put your two pieces of bread peanut butter and jelly sides together. (Dad puts the peanut buttered edge onto the flat jelly surface of the other piece of bread.)

Son's Instructions, Final Attempt

Get two pieces of bread.
Get some peanut butter.
Get some jelly.
Open the peanut butter.
Get a butter knife.
Put the butter knife in the peanut butter. (Dad puts the knife, handle down, into the jar and leaves it there.)
Take the butter knife out of the peanut butter.
Take one piece of bread and take the butter knife that has the peanut butter on it, and spread it all over the top of the piece of bread. (Dad uses the knife handle to spread peanut butter on the top crust of one of the pieces of bread.)
Squirt some [jelly] on another piece of bread.
Take the butter knife, rub it all over the top of the piece of bread. (Dad rubs the peanut butter covered handle of the knife on the top edge of the bread.)

Daughter's Instructions, Final Attempt

Take two pieces of white bread.
Take the lid off the jar of peanut butter.
Get a butter knife and stick it inside the peanut butter jar. (Dad puts the knife, handle down, into the jar and leaves it there.)
With the knife, scoop some of the peanut butter out of the inside of the jar. (Dad uses the knife handle to scoop out the peanut butter.)
Spread your scoop of peanut butter onto the face of one of your pieces of bread with the knife. (Dad uses the knife handle to spread the peanut butter.)
Squeeze some jelly onto the other piece of bread.
Spread the jelly on the bread with the butter knife. (Dad uses the knife handle to spread the jelly.)
Put your two pieces of bread peanut butter and jelly sides together.




Do the Hokey Pokey!


An easy and fun way to listen to and follow directions — and get the juices flowing!

Simon Says

cartoon drawing of kids raising one hand in the air. text says, simon says, put your left armm up.

This classic game is fun and easily adaptable. One person is "Simon" and calls out instructions for everyone else to follow, like "Simon says, hop on one foot." Make it even more challenging by adding 2- or 3-part instructions, like "Simon says, jump two times and pat your head."

Whatever Simon calls out, everyone has to do, but if the command is given without the "Simon says" part, everyone should ignore it. If someone messes up, they are out of the game. Who will be the last person left? — the person who follows instructions the best!



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