Penny teaches kids what a preposition is and how to pick the one that tells where, one step at a time. Kids practice with friendly hints, then show what they know in a 5-question quiz. Quiz scores go to HFT Classroom automatically.
This position words butterfly activity has 1st to 2nd Grade students study 10 picture cards and write where the butterfly is in each sentence. Answer key included.
With this circle and draw prepositions worksheet, 2nd Grade students circle the word that tells where in six sentences and draw each scene. An answer key is included for easy checking.
Using Lucky Charms Before and After Activity, studentsplay this fun game to practice identifying before and after.
This frog and a log position words activity helps K-2nd Grade children match picture cards to on, under, above, next to, in front of and behind, with practice and an answer key included.
This on the road to gold prepositions activity has 1st to 3rd grade students find prepositions on self-checking sports task cards and race to a gold medal. Answer key included.
Over, under, and all around!
Prepositions are the little words that tell where or when: on, under, behind, between, before, after. In 2nd grade, kids learn to spot them in sentences and use them in their own writing, like The frog sat on the log. They also learn that a preposition starts a phrase that adds detail: "under the bed," "after lunch." The click moment is when a student realizes one tiny word can move the frog from on the log to under it and change the whole picture!
Prepositions are about position, so kids learn them best when they can see and move things. These are our go-to moves.
Start with the on-screen lesson so kids see and hear each preposition used correctly. Pause after each one and have a student act it out with a pencil and a cup: in, on, beside. Then they say the full sentence out loud.
Why it works: handing over the work step by step, from teacher to student, is one of the most widely used teaching frameworks (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).
Try it withUse the Prepositions Micro LessonMicro LessonsOpen it →Give kids a sentence like "The cat is behind the box" and have them draw exactly what it says. When the drawings don't match, you get a great conversation about which word made the difference.
Why it works: pairing a picture with each word gives kids two ways to remember it, a well-tested principle of how people learn (Mayer, 2009).
Try it withCircle and Draw Prepositions WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →Hand out a paper butterfly and a flower. Call out a preposition and kids place the butterfly above, below, next to or on the flower. It takes two minutes and every child is doing the thinking.
Why it works: kids understand an idea best when they touch it, then draw it, then write it, the order the U.S. Department of Education recommends for elementary math.
Try it withPosition Words Butterfly ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Prepositions are perfect for games because kids get to move. Here are some favorites.
ActivitiesUse a cereal treat to practice time prepositions. "What did you eat before the heart? After the star?" Snack time becomes grammar time.
Open Lucky Charms Before and After Activity →
ActivitiesKids move a frog around a log while a partner names its spot. Switch roles and keep it silly.
Open A Frog and a Log Position Words Activity →
ActivitiesA board-game style path where every move needs a correct preposition sentence. Great for March, or any time.
Open On the Road to Gold Prepositions Activity →Teacher favorites right now: Use the Prepositions Micro Lesson, Position Words Butterfly Activity and Circle and Draw Prepositions Worksheet.
A preposition is a word that shows where something is or when something happens. Words like in, on, under, behind, before and after are prepositions. In "The ball is under the chair," the word under is the preposition.
Most 2nd graders work with common place and time words: in, on, under, over, behind, beside, between, above, below, before, after and during. The goal is to recognize them and use them to add detail in writing.
Make it physical. Use a small toy and a box, and have kids place the toy where you say. Once they can act the words out, have them write sentences that tell exactly where things are.
It's a preposition plus the words that follow it, like "under the table" or "after school." These phrases add where and when details that make writing much clearer.
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