Teach children the concept of up and down with different hands-on activities. Toss balls, beanbags and other objects up and down in the air and as you toss them, say the words "up" and "down." Ask children to state when the objects are up and when they are down. Help them climb a ladder to a slide and inform them that they are "up" and after they ride the slide, inform them that they are "down." Place a stuffed animal or toy on a shelf and ask children to tell you which direction, up or down, the item is. Remove the item from the shelf, put it on the floor and ask students to state the name of the direction the object is.
Front and back is another simple direction that children are expected to learn during preschool. Show children a variety of objects -- toys, books and clothing, for example -- and point out the front and back of each of the objects. Arrange the objects so that either their fronts or backs are showing and ask children to identify whether the fronts or backs of the objects are showing. Cut profile pictures of people, cars, instruments and animals in half. Have children match the front and back of the pictures.
Use interactive activities to teach children the concept of in and out. Have children pour items into a container and tell them that the items are "in." Instruct children to pour the items out of the container and inform them that they items are "out" of the container. Have children toss balls into bins and as the balls land in the bins, have them say the word "in." Instruct them to remove the balls from the bins and say the word "out" as they do.
Children should also understand the concept of top and bottom. To teach children top and bottom, have them touch their heads and say "top" and have them touch their toes and say "bottom." Stack two or more blocks on top of one another and ask students to point out where the top and the bottom of the pile is. Place a doll inside a two-story dollhouse. Ask students to name whether the doll is on top or on the bottom when it is placed on the second floor and when it is placed on the first floor.