Photographer's Pose — Behind, Between, Beside

A pretend photo shoot where the child and a few soft toys are the models and you are the fussy photographer. Every pose is described in position words — behind, in front of, between, next to, under, on top of — and the child has to arrange themselves and the toys to match before you take a real picture.

  1. Set the studio. Choose one or two “props” — a chair, a big cushion, a laundry basket — and three soft toys.
  2. Call the pose in words only. “Bear sits on the chair. Rabbit goes behind the chair. You stand next to the chair.” Keep your hands on the camera so you cannot point.
  3. The child arranges the scene, then freezes and says “Ready!”
  4. Take the photo with a phone or a pretend cardboard camera.
  5. Check the picture together. Read the pose again and look: “Is rabbit behind the chair? Yes!” If something is off, fix it and reshoot — no telling off, just “the photographer wants one more.”
  6. Make harder poses. Use between (“stand between bear and the basket”), two positions for one toy (“under the chair and next to rabbit”), and left/right for children who are ready.

Variation: play a tabletop version with small figures and a cup, or reverse it — the child is the photographer and directs you into position, which shows whether the words have become their own.

Requirements

  • Space: A corner of a room about 2 × 2 meters
  • Surface: Floor or carpet
  • Materials: A sturdy chair or large cushion, 2–3 soft toys, a phone camera (or a pretend camera)
  • Participants: 1 adult + 1 child; extra children make better group photos
  • Supervision: Full — the adult calls the poses

Rationale & Objective

Spatial words are relational: “behind” names no object, only how two things sit relative to each other, which makes them harder to learn than nouns. Simple terms (in, on, under) arrive first; behind, in front of and especially between come later and are still being firmed up at five. Basic-concept tests such as the Boehm and Bracken include these words because they appear constantly in teachers’ instructions. Research by Pruden, Levine and Huttenlocher found that children who hear more spatial language go on to use more of it and to do better on later spatial tasks. Starting with the child’s own body is the usual clinical route, because a position you have stood in is easier to understand than one you only see. The photo gives a natural reason to check the result against the words — feedback without correction from the adult.

Progress Indicators

  • Early: reliably manages on, in and under; mixes up behind and in front of; places a toy near the prop but not in the named position
  • Developing: gets behind, in front of and next to with one toy at a time; “between” needs showing; loses track when a pose has three parts
  • Proficient: arranges a three-part pose from one telling, including between; spots their own mistakes when checking the photo
  • Advanced: follows poses that combine two position words or use left and right; directs the adult accurately using the same words

Safety Notes

  • Use a stable chair and do not ask the child to stand or climb on furniture for a pose
  • Keep “under” poses to open spaces where the child cannot bump their head or get stuck
  • Clear toys and props off the floor between rounds to prevent trips
  • Avoid correcting in a way that feels like failing a test — treat a wrong pose as the photographer changing their mind
  • If a 5-year-old shows little understanding of basic position words such as on, in and under, mention it to your paediatrician or a speech-language therapist

Hints

  • Playfulness: be an over-the-top photographer — “Darlings! Rabbit simply must be behind the chair!” Print or scroll through the funniest shots afterwards
  • Sustain interest: change the theme (family portrait, pirate crew, zoo brochure) and the props; let the child pick which toys are today’s models
  • Common mistake: pointing or looking at the spot while speaking. Hide behind the camera so the words carry all the information
  • Limited space: shrink it to a tray — three small figures, a cup and a box — and photograph the tabletop scene instead
  • Cross-domain: position words are the vocabulary of early geometry; counting the models adds numeracy; posing and freezing practises body awareness
  • Progression: one toy and one position word → three-part poses → between → two position words for one toy → left and right → child directs the adult

Sources

  • Pruden, S.M., Levine, S.C. & Huttenlocher, J. (2011), “Children’s spatial thinking: does talk about the spatial world matter?” Developmental Science
  • Boehm Test of Basic Concepts — spatial concepts (behind, between, next to)
  • Bracken Basic Concept Scale — direction and position concepts
  • UK EYFS Development Matters — understanding and using positional language
  • Head Start ELOF — understands and uses spatial vocabulary (Language and Mathematics domains)
  • CELF Preschool-3 — basic concepts task