“Put the teddy bear in the box.” “Stand behind the chair.” Simple directions like these become much easier for children to understand when they’ve had a chance to see and practice what the words mean.
My positional words worksheets for preschool help children learn where things are using familiar pictures and simple activities. They’ll practice words like in, on, under, above, behind, and between by circling, coloring, cutting, pasting, and drawing.
The activities are designed for preschool and early kindergarten children. There’s no need for independent reading since you can read the directions aloud and work through the examples together.
Learn positional words with picture cards
Start with the illustrated picture cards. Each card shows a positional word, a picture demonstrating its meaning, and a short sentence explaining where something is.
The set covers 16 positional words:
- In, out, on, under
- Above, below, in front of, behind
- Next to, between, near, far
- Over, through, left, right
Introduce a few words at a time rather than trying to cover everything in one lesson.
For example, start with in and out. Grab a small toy and a box. Put the toy inside the box, say “in,” then take it out and say “out.” Let your child copy the actions before showing them the matching picture cards.
You can do the same with on and under using a chair or table.
Once your child understands the positions using real objects, the picture activities will be much easier to follow.
Positional words activities for preschool
The worksheets give children several ways to practice identifying positions and following directions.
Here’s what they’ll be doing:
- Circle the correct picture. Find the teddy bear in the box, the dog under the table, or the bird above the tree.
- Color and mark pictures. Color the cat on the chair, find the ball below the shelf, or put an X on the kite far from the child.
- Choose the correct positional word. Look at a picture and circle the word that describes it, choosing between two options such as on and under.
- Cut and paste pictures. Put a frog on a log, a fish in a bowl, a bird above a nest, and a ball under a chair.
- Draw objects in the right place. Draw a sun above a house, a flower next to a tree, or a bird between two clouds.
There’s also a review worksheet that mixes several positional words together, so children can practice what they’ve learned without being told which word to look for first.
An answer key is included for checking the activities.
How to use the positional words worksheets
Begin with words your child already understands, then gradually introduce less familiar positions.
Read each instruction aloud and let your child study the pictures before answering. There’s no need to rush. If they’re unsure, demonstrate the position using a toy or something nearby.
For example, if behind is causing confusion, hide a toy behind a chair. Move it in front of the chair, then behind it again, saying each word as you go. Return to the worksheet once your child can recognize the difference.
Keep the picture cards handy for a little extra practice during the day. Ask your child to put a pencil next to a book, place a toy between two objects, or find something above their head.
Short activities like these help connect the words on the worksheets to things children see and do every day.
For preschoolers who are just beginning to learn positional words, one worksheet at a time is plenty. Save the mixed review activity until they’ve practiced most of the positions.
Preparing the worksheets
Print the picture cards and the activity pages you plan to use.
The picture cards can stay on full pages or be cut apart for individual practice. Most worksheets only need pencils or crayons, while the cut and paste activity requires child-safe scissors and glue sticks. Those supply links are affiliate links.
For another hands-on activity, try the cut and paste shapes sorting worksheet. Children can practice identifying and sorting shapes while getting more cutting and gluing practice.
You can also explore the kindergarten worksheets busy book for more early learning activities covering matching, opposites, and other basic concepts.
Get your positional words worksheets
Help your child understand words like in, under, behind, and between with picture cards and simple activities they can work through at their own pace.
Download the positional words worksheets below and start with a few familiar positions before moving on to the rest of the activities.
