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Try this fun game with your child to test their knowledge of position words like 'over' and 'under', 'behind' and 'in front', 'above' and 'below'.

Playing this game will help your child better understand the concept of positions in relation to themselves.

Check out the film below to see the game in action.

Two mums and their little boy holding teddy monkeys on their head.
Image caption,
Getting more family members involved can make for a fun contest.

The benefits of the over and under game

  • It helps children practise following simple instructions
  • It encourages them to take turns with you, a key skill for conversations
  • It helps them learn and practise putting position words into sentences, like 'over', 'under', 'next to' and 'in front of'
  • It encourages them to use their imagination to come up with different places to place a toy or object

How to play the over and under game

Take a toy or household object each - let your little one choose what to play with. You might want to give them a choice of toy to encourage them to name it - 'Would you like to play with teddy or unicorn?'

Start by telling them where to put the toy in relation to themselves e.g. 'Can you put it… on your head/next to you/behind your ear?'. Get creative!

Try getting more family members involved and making it a race to put the toy in the right place.

Offer plenty of encouragement if they get it right - even more if they win!

Let them have a go at naming where the toy or object should go.

Other games to teach position words

  • You could have a go at an indoor treasure hunt, taking turns to hide a toy or object and giving each other clues to where it could be.
Two mums and their little boy holding teddy monkeys on their head.
Image caption,
Getting more family members involved can make for a fun contest.

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