What’s left, what’s right? 5 handy tricks for kids (and adults)
26.4.2023
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Distinguishing left from right can be quite difficult. And not just for kids. Thankfully, these five tips make it a piece of cake.
Still get right and left confused sometimes? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. It’s true that children in particular struggle to distinguish between the two. But not only them. According to Bild der Wissenschaft (article in German), 20 to 30 per cent of the population are at war with right and left. There’s an evolutionary reason for this. We’re actually designed to orient ourselves according to our surroundings and the cardinal directions – not by using left or right. On top of that, the two sides are relative. In other words, they change depending on your perspective. Only adding to the confusion.
5 simple methods
But putting evolution and perspective aside: in everyday life, we still have to know where to turn. And this is best learned at an early age. To better teach your kids (or yourself), check out these five tips.
1. Using your fingers
The finger trick is the ultimate hack for school-aged kids. They’ll need to know capital letters, after all. The trick involves stretching out your hands and spreading your thumbs. On your left hand, the thumb and index finger will always form a capital L – for left. On the other hand, the L is reversed, making that the right side.
Source: Katja Fischer
2. Plenty of books
Practice makes perfect, as we all know. If you consciously give your child tasks involving left vs. right when looking at books and telling stories, they will soon learn the difference. On which page do you see the green tractor? Did you see that black bird on the top left? Is the boy standing to the right or left of his mother? Or ask them to identify that red thing in the upper right corner. Hidden object books are perfect for this.
3. Creatively using body features
My seven-year-old daughter knows exactly where left is. It’s where she has a small birthmark on her thumb. Does your child have a similar body feature? Whether mole, scar, pigment spot or similar, you can explicitly define this feature. Naturally, something uncovered by clothes and visible at a glance is always best. A scar on the left knee covered by trousers is of little use when they’re riding a bike.
Source: Shutterstock
4. Play games
Colours, shapes and figures help a child learn faster. Take the book below for example (only available in German). A game for ages six and up, the player slips into the role of a police officer and must move to the left or right from the perspective of the respective guard. Not so easy when some police officers are facing the child and others have their backs turned. «Sophie la Girafe,» on the other hand, is suitable for ages three and up. Eight wooden figures can be built across 24 different models, thus taking on a new point of view each time. And a themed puzzle book like the one in the product list below offers numerous child-friendly exercises to improve orientation.
Children's books
CHF9.50
Die neuen LernSpielZwerge - Räumliche Orientierung
German, Carmen Eisendle, Loewe learning and puzzles, 2022
5. Singing your way to knowledge
In a car, the driver always sits on the left – at least in this country. The hand on a clock always turns to the right. In principle, your child only needs to remember these two things to figure out left and right. Nursery rhymes are perfect for just this purpose. I promise, the more annoying the song, the quicker they’ll remember the lyrics.
The permanent solution – for adults
If all these tips just don’t work, there’s always this last option: tattoo some initials on the back of your hands – just ask Australian influencer D'Kodia Laine. «My friends would joke about how silly it looks having an adult make the L-shape with your hands to differentiate,» she said in 2021, when her tattoo went viral. Her friend had drawn an L and an R on her hands, respectively. Until she decided on a permanent solution to her problem.
Source: Instagram/laurenwinzer
Katja Fischer
Senior Editor
Katja.Fischer@digitecgalaxus.chMom of Anna and Elsa, aperitif expert, group fitness fanatic, aspiring dancer and gossip lover. Often a multitasker and a person who wants it all, sometimes a chocolate chef and queen of the couch.
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