Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Treasure Island Turns: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 3
- ForYear 3
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Treasure Island Turns is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children match turns, then steer a pirate to face the right direction. They use quarter turns, half turns and compass directions. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children start by matching turns, then work through numbered questions about a pirate called Ada. Each question gives a compass direction to face and a turn to make. Children decide which way she faces afterwards and write the answer in the space. They can point a finger or pencil at a drawn compass to help them think.
- Ada faces east. She turns a half turn. Which way does she face?
- Ada faces west. She makes a full turn. Which way does she face?
Ways to build the skill before you start
Turn on the spot
Stand up and face a wall. Name it as north. Ask your child to make a quarter turn, then say which way they now face. Let them try different turns.
Label the room
Stick paper labels for north, east, south and west on four walls. Then call out turns and let your child walk or turn to the right wall.
Say the turn aloud
Before writing an answer, ask your child to describe the turn in words, such as a quarter turn or a half turn. Clear language helps clear thinking.
Use a paper arrow
Cut an arrow from card and place it on a drawn compass. Turn it as the question says and read where it points.
Why use a pirate and a compass for turns?
A turn is a change of direction. Children often meet turns through games, dance and moving around the playground, but describing them clearly takes practice. A compass gives four fixed directions to name, so a turn has a clear start and a clear finish. That makes it easier to say exactly what has happened.
Treasure Island gives the turns a purpose. A pirate who must face the right way to find the treasure gives children a reason to be careful. They picture themselves standing on the island, then turn in their mind. This links the idea of a quarter turn to right angles, which Year 3 children study as a property of shape.
Compass and turn facts
- The four main compass points are north, east, south and west.
- Going north, then east, then south, then west follows the direction a clock hand moves.
- The needle of a magnetic compass points towards north.
- A quarter turn is the same size as a right angle.
- Sailors have used compasses to find their way across the sea for hundreds of years.
Skills and curriculum link
- Right angles
- Quarter and half turns
- Compass directions
- Describing turns
- Reasoning about direction
Ideas that help with turns
- ClockwiseClockwise means turning the same way as the hands of a clock.
- Quarter turnA quarter turn is one fourth of a full turn. It makes a right angle.
- Half turnA half turn is two quarter turns, one after the other.
- Starting pointEvery turn begins from the way you are already facing. Find that first, then turn.
Key words
- CompassA tool, or a drawing, that shows the directions north, east, south and west.
- DirectionThe way you face or move.
- TurnA change in the way you are facing.
- Quarter turnOne fourth of a full turn. It makes a right angle.
- Half turnTwo quarter turns. It is half of a full turn.
- Right angleThe angle made by a quarter turn. It is often shown with a small square corner.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the matching together first. Talk about what each turn means before anyone writes.
- Let your child work through the numbered questions. They can use a finger or pencil on a drawn compass if it helps.
- Check together using page 2. Ask, "How did you decide which way she faces?" The thinking matters as much as the answer.
- Come back another day and try any tricky questions again. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Draw a compass on paper and put it on the floor. Let your child stand on it and physically turn to face each direction. Act out each question first, then write the answer. Tackle one question at a time and talk about each choice.
To stretch confident children
Make up your own turn puzzle for a friend. Choose a starting compass point and a finishing compass point, and write the turn that links them. Swap puzzles and check each other's. Can you write one that needs more than one turn?
Make it a game
Hide a treat in the room. Give your partner turn and step instructions, such as a quarter turn then three steps, so they can find it. Swap roles. An adult hides the treat if it needs a high shelf.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child mixes up a quarter turn and a half turn.
Try thisAct both out on the spot. Show that a half turn is two quarter turns, one after the other.
Watch forA child starts from north every time instead of from the direction given.
Try thisUnderline the starting direction in the question. Put a finger on that point of the compass before turning.
Watch forA child turns the wrong way round the compass.
Try thisRemind them that clockwise follows a clock hand. Trace the way with a finger on a drawn clock face, then on the compass.
Talk about it
- What is a turn? How can you describe one without moving your hands?
- How do you know which way you are facing right now?
- What is the difference between a quarter turn and a half turn?
- Which part of the compass did you start from, and why does that matter?
- Where might a pirate need a compass in real life?
- How could you teach a friend to follow a turn instruction?
Take it off the page
Chalk compass
Draw a large compass on the playground or patio in chalk. Stand in the middle and take turns to call out turns for each other.
Pirate treasure hunt
Hide a small toy at home. Write a clue trail using turns and compass directions. An adult checks the route is safe.
Paper pirate
Draw a small pirate on a card arrow. Place it on a drawn compass and move it through turns as you read out instructions.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first question, then let them lead. Standing up and turning on the spot helps. Praise careful thinking, not just correct answers.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary after teaching turns and right angles. It also works as an early finisher task, homework or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 supports mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan. It pairs well with outdoor play and map reading. Use it again for brothers, sisters or a revision session a few weeks later.
Where this fits in maths
In Year 2, children meet position and direction. They use position words, make quarter, half and three quarter turns, and describe turns as clockwise or anticlockwise. This sheet builds on that, so some of the language may feel familiar.
In Year 3, children also learn that right angles are a property of shape and compare angles with a right angle. Later they name acute and obtuse angles, use coordinates to describe position, and in Year 5 they measure angles in degrees.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Treasure Island Turns for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Younger children who enjoy turns may manage it with help, and older children can use it as revision.
- What will children practise?
They practise right angles, quarter and half turns, and compass directions. The sheet also asks them to describe turns and reason about which way someone faces.
- What if the sheet feels too hard?
Draw a compass on paper and let your child stand on it. Ask them to turn their body to face each direction. Acting out the turn first usually makes the written question much clearer.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Children read, think and write by hand.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Print both pages and keep page 2 for the grown up.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.