Front and Behind Worksheet: Identifying Positional Words
Understanding 'front' and 'behind' gives children ages 3-5 the spatial vocabulary they need to follow instructions and describe the world around them accurately, an important stepping stone toward later concepts like ordinal position and basic geometry. This worksheet asks them to apply the words to specific pictures rather than just hear them in passing, which cements the connection between the word and the physical relationship it describes. Positional language like this also supports following multi-step directions at home and in the classroom.
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Month 6: Preschool multi-subject foundational skills | Ages 4-5
This is page 20 of the pack. Ages 4-5 · Pre-KAges 4-5 · ReceptionAges 4-5 · LKGAges 4-5
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- Spatial Sense > Spatial Concepts
How to use this worksheet
Look at the first picture together and ask your child to identify which object is positioned in front and which is behind. Read the instruction aloud for that picture, such as 'Circle what is behind the tree,' and have your child point to their answer before circling it. Continue through each picture on the page, alternating between 'front' and 'behind' prompts so your child practices distinguishing the two rather than always looking for the same position. Afterward, ask your child to describe one picture in their own words using the term correctly.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons
Extension activities
- 1Line up toys or stuffed animals and ask your child to tell you which one is in front and which is behind another.
- 2Play a following-directions game: 'Stand behind the chair' or 'Stand in front of the table,' switching roles so your child gives the instructions too.
- 3During a walk, point out real objects and ask your child whether a car, tree, or person is in front of or behind something else.
- 4Set up a small train of toy cars and have your child describe each car's position relative to the ones around it.
- 5Take a photo of a lineup of objects and ask your child to describe what's in front and what's behind using full sentences.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
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