Playground visit

Appropriate Population: 

• School-age. 

Goal: Child will be able to understand preposition words. Potential target words: in, on, under, next to, beside, behind, in front of,  

Steps:

1. Visit the child’s local park or playground. Note, this activity is only appropriate if the family actually spends time at this place. If they don’t go to the park there may be another more appropriate location. (it doesn’t have to be a playground, you could do this inside if need be).
2. The child can play on the playground as you narrate what they are doing using preposition words. I.e “you are on the slide, I am next to the slide, you are on the swing I am behind the swing, I am behind you, oh now I am in-front of you:”
3. Have the child follow directions to go to certain spots on the playground. Take photos of them in these spots.
4. They might also like to give you directions of places on the playground and take photos of you there, or you might use a photo timer to get photos of you together on the playground.
5. Head home and review the photos together, you might like to show another family member. Repeat the prepositions as you review the photos.
6. If you have time you might like to put these photos together into an online book.  You, or the family can use this book in the future to talk about prepositions with the child. You can use microsoft word, google docs or a dedicated social story website.

Variation: Involve their favorite toy,  put it in different locations and  use preposition words to describe its location. I.e “Teddy is next to the tree, Teddy is behind the tree, Teddy is under the tree”. 

Step up: 

• See if the child can independently follow directions to go somewhere.
• See if the child can complete a two step instruction. I.e “Go under the slide and then on top of it”

Step down:

• Go back to step 2 of the activity, incorporate new objects.

Resources:

• Childs familiar environment and belongings, a camera (phone will be fine), Google docs, or Microsoft Word.