Introducing: Position

Vocabulary

Up/down

Above/below

Next to/beside

In front of/behind

On top of/underneath

Hints and Tips

Here you are concerned with finding out what your child understands about position, not moving.

Your child may be aware of many of these words as they are in everyday use but it is important to consolidate that knowledge and ensure mathematical understanding so it can be built upon in the future.

Essential Prior Knowledge

None - this is the very beginning of learning about position

Activity

Use a stool and a teddy and position the teddy in different places. For example, under the stool, above the stool, next to the stool leg, etc.

These teddies are beside the stool.

Read the story 'We are going on bear hunt'. You could use the teddy to act the part of the bear. Encourage your child to say the refrain i.e. we can't go over it etc

Provide some different coloured building blocks and ask your child to create a model (hidden from you) and then have him/her describe to you how to make it. E.g. put the big yellow block on the bottom, put the small blue block on top, put the red block behind etc. 

Hide a set of interesting objects (e.g. pretend jewels) around your home, then take your child on a hunt to find them. Talk about the 'treasure' and where he/she found it. Encourage your child to use positional language.