Mapping Words to Places: How Kids Learn Location Concepts (and Why It Matters)
Mapping Words to Places: How Kids Learn Location Concepts (and Why It Matters). If language is a map, location words—in, on, under, between, in front of, behind, over, above, near, far—are the compass points. They help children follow everyday directions (“Put your folder in your backpack”) and succeed in classrooms (“Line up behind the blue cone”).
A core rule of development is simple: understanding comes before talking. If a child cannot reliably point to an object based on its location, they won’t be able to tell you the correct location either—because receptive knowledge typically precedes expressive skill. PMC+1
A driving metaphor: from “garage” to “behind the school”
Imagine you tell a child, “Park the toy car in the garage.” That’s containment—one object inside another—and it’s one of the first location ideas kids master. Now upgrade the route: “Park the car behind the school next to the playground; to reach the playground, drive around the school.” That single instruction stacks perspective (front/behind from the school’s viewpoint), proximity (next to/near), and path (around), which is far more complex than simple “in.” Research shows children grasp in/on/under relatively early, while terms like behind/in front of/between/next to and path words like around emerge later and demand richer spatial reasoning. templeinfantlab.comPMC+1
Milestone map: when location concepts typically emerge
Every child’s path varies, but studies offer a helpful “map” for common ages:
Around 2 years: Children begin to understand and produce simple locatives like in, on, under. templeinfantlab.com
~2½–3½ years: Growth in concepts such as over/above (static vs. movement nuances continue to refine), next to/beside; in, on, under become robust. Narrative-rich input boosts learning. PMCWiley Online Library
~3–5 years: More complex relational terms like behind, in front of, between, beside become reliable, though still influenced by perspective. PMCChildren and Family Health Devon
Early school years (6–10 years): Spatial language keeps sharpening; children improve in both comprehension and production of complex relational and distance terms, including near/far. Some terms (e.g., near/far) remain challenging for many learners and in neurodiverse profiles. ScienceDirectPMC
Quick note: over often implies motion across a path (the bird flew over the tree), while above is usually a static vertical relation (the picture is above the sofa). Children learn these distinctions gradually.
Why this matters at school
Weak spatial-language foundations ripple into daily routines: a child may not understand where to sit, where to putfinished work, or how to line up behind a peer. Mastery of basic relational concepts is linked to better classroom performance, and teaching spatial terms supports broader spatial thinking (useful for early math). Pearson ClinicalPMC
Spot-checks you can try at home or in therapy
“Show me the teddy under the chair.”
“Put the block between the two cups.”
“Stand in front of me… now behind me.”
“Place the sticker near the star; now far from the star.”
If a child struggles to point accurately on these, they’re not ready to say them reliably yet—that’s your cue to keep working receptively first. PMC
What helps: evidence-informed strategies
Model in context. Narrate play with clear, repeatable phrases: “The cow is in the barn… now it’s on the roof… now it’s under the bridge.” Frequent, varied input grows categories. PMC
Use stories and routines. Brief narratives (even 60–90 seconds) that weave location words (“The mouse ran around the house and hid behind the box next to the door”) improve retention compared to unconnected labels. PMC
Teach perspective explicitly. Practice taking the viewpoint of objects (“What’s in front of the school?”) to reduce front/back confusion. National Science Foundation
Map the classroom. Draw simple maps and ask for routes: “Drive from your desk to the bin by going around the table and stopping between the cones.” Exercises like these build path language and compliance with multi-step directions. templeinfantlab.com
A gentle rule of thumb
Start with containment/support (in, on)
Expand to simple contrasts (under, over/above)
Add proximity (near/far, next to/beside)
Layer perspective (in front of/behind) and relations among multiple items (between)
Finally, integrate paths (around, through) in real spaces
This order reflects how children typically organize spatial meaning—moving from simple, concrete relations toward multi-object, perspective- and path-dependent ones. templeinfantlab.comPMC
When to get support
If a preschooler isn’t consistently pointing correctly to in/on/under, or a kindergartener can’t follow directions with between, behind, or in front of, consider a language evaluation. Early, targeted work on location concepts makes classroom life (and life-life) run smoother.
References (select)
Bower, C. A., et al. Three-year-olds’ spatial language comprehension and links with math. 2020. (summary: simple in/on/under around age 2; complex terms later). templeinfantlab.com
Taliancich-Klinger, C. L., et al. Preposition accuracy on a sentence repetition task. 2017. (early in/on at ~27–30 mo; under/front/back/beside/between ~3–5 yr). PMC
Rohlfing, K. J., et al. Can 28-month-olds learn “behind/next to” from pictures? Narrative input helps. 2016. PMC
Gilligan-Lee, K. A., et al. Age-based differences in spatial language, 6–10 years. 2021. (continued improvement across early grades). ScienceDirect
Devon NHS. Developing linguistic concepts—ages and stages. (practical milestones: between, behind/in front/around in 3–4 yr range). Children and Family Health Devon
Bornstein, M. H., et al. Comprehension vs. production in 100,000 children. 2011. (receptive precedes expressive). PMC
Goodwin, A., et al. Comprehension of wh-questions precedes production. 2012. (general principle: comprehension before production). PMC
Eising, M., et al. Developmental classroom intervention for spatial cognition. 2022. (spatial words support spatial thinking).