Demonstrate the concept of prepositions by showing them to the children. Use a stuffed animal and a large box. Describe the animal's position in relation to the box as you move it around. "The animal is in the box. The animal is on the box. The animal is next to the box." Have children take turns moving the animal according to your directions or have them do their own demonstrations.
Show the children a video, such as "Around, Over, Under, Through" by Grover on Sesame Street. Set up a version to practice in the classroom, gym or playground by using chairs or other handy materials. It is also available in Spanish.
Have follow up activities available for the children to manipulate. Purchase or create a preposition bingo activity or matching game where children match pictures. Pass out bingo cards to small groups and describe the positions of pictures on the cards to be covered. Provide objects that children can manipulate to match the pictures.
Encourage reading skills by making a word wall of prepositions. For preschoolers, these would be cards with different positional words written on them with an accompanying picture. Also use flashcards. Turn flashcards into three-part matching cards. One set of cards is the control set with the picture and the word. The second set has the picture and word separated. Match them both to the control card.