Space & Place

Space & Place is the growing ability to understand where things are, how they relate to one another, and how people move through environments. For children ages 0–5, this skill covers positional words (above, below, next to), orientation (left/right, forward/back), distance (near/far), and the simple planning and memory needed to follow routes or remember where things belong. Developing Space & Place helps children make sense of their surroundings, move with purpose, and describe the world with clear, confident language.

As a standalone skill, Space & Place encourages children to:

• Use positional language: Learn and use words like under, between, behind, and on to describe where objects and people are.
• Practice orientation and direction: Develop a sense of left/right and forward/back as they move, follow directions, and imitate actions.
• Judge distance and scale: Notice near versus far and big versus small through play, like carrying a toy across the room or comparing tall and short towers.
• Plan and follow simple routes: Remember steps, follow a path, or use a picture map to find a hidden object or move through an obstacle course.
• Manage personal and shared space: Learn how their body fits in a place and how to share space safely with others during games and routines.

Hands-on, playful experiences make Space & Place concrete: hide-and-seek and treasure hunts, building block cities and navigating toy roads, obstacle courses that require turning and stopping, and picture-map activities that follow simple routes. Talking about where things are during routines and stories, examples like “put the cup next to the plate,” “the puppy is behind the chair”, give children language and practice for describing and moving through space. These everyday moments strengthen spatial thinking, problem-solving, and independence!

Check out our list of books that build this skill below. Click each book cover to access our fun, simply activity guides – great for use in the classroom or at home! These guides include talking tips and hands-on activities using everyday items to support learning about space and place through play.