Grade 1 Position Words word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Grade 1 Position Words word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this position words puzzle set for my 1st graders during our math and language arts unit. The kids could tell me where something was with gestures but kept mixing up words like "above" and "below" or "behind" and "in front of." They also weren't sure what "between" meant when we started using spatial language in our classroom. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using position words like above, below, beside, between, behind, in front of, inside, outside, left, right, up, down, over, under, and near. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the vocabulary finally stick.

The PDF is four pages. Three puzzles plus one answer key page. The word search works well for quiet time after recess, and the scramble gets them talking because they argue about whether "over" and "above" are the same thing. The crossword I use for partners or as a review, and I usually have a set of picture cards showing a cat and a box in different positions nearby for the kids who need visual support. I added a couple simple cat, box, and arrow drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 1st through 2nd grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers draw a picture of a ball in a box and label its position on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.