“Monkey & Box Prepositions: Fun, Hands-On Activities for ELLs”

 This resource (Monkey & Box Prepositions — hands-on ESL/ELL activities and worksheets to teach prepositions of place with fun games, puzzles, writing and partner practice)  is included in the Zoo Animals for EFL. Click here:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Zoo-Animals-Flashcards-for- EFL-3611842

Learning prepositions of place is essential for your learners because it helps them develop key communication skills and a deeper understanding of how objects relate to each other in space. This **Monkey & Box Prepositions** resource uses fun hands-on activities, games, puzzles and worksheets to help elementary ELL students understand where things are (e.g., on, in, under, next to). 

Prepositions Flashcard Drill

Young learners will use the flashcards with prepositions pictures to describe where animals are. Prepositions help students form complete sentences and improve their fluency. They will write yes/no questions for each flashcard (e.g., "Is the monkey on the box?"). After writing, students can ask those questions to a partner, strengthening their ability to use prepositions in spoken language.

Students must observe the image carefully to form the puzzle sentence with the cards, improving their visual literacy and understanding of spatial relationships.  Students match the image to the correct puzzle sentence: “The monkey is in the box.”

Start the fun Copycat Drawing & Writing Activity (multi-sensory task (draw + write) . Students draw the image from a small card and write the corresponding sentence. This is multi-sensory learning (seeing, drawing, writing) to boost recall.

Die + Placement Game

Activities like placing objects in a specific location improve both language and spatial thinking. Students must connect the preposition word to positioning the monkey and the box in that correct location, after rolling the die included in the resource. Students then describe the sentence using the cutouts: “The monkey is in front of thebox!”

Beginners can focus on picture recognition; advanced learners can write full sentences .

Worksheets Prepositions

Worksheets give students multiple opportunities to practice prepositions in different contexts. Students can work at their own pace, allowing for differentiation based on ability levels. Just choose the correct one for your students.

The visual prepositions poster introduces students to key location words using simple, kid-friendly monkey illustrations. Each monkey demonstrates a different preposition—between, in, behind, in front of, on, under, and next to—making it easy for young learners to understand spatial relationships at a glance. It’s perfect for introducing the vocabulary, displaying in the classroom, or using as a quick reference during hands-on activities.

This Read and Color worksheet helps students practice prepositions of place using simple sentences and colored monkeys. Children read each sentence, identify the correct preposition (in front of, behind, on, next to, under), and color each monkey accordingly. It’s a fun way to reinforce reading comprehension.

Children read each sentence—such as behind the red box, between the yellow boxes, or in the pink box—and then match it to the correct picture.

Each picture shows the monkey in a different location, and learners fill in the missing preposition to answer “Where is the monkey?”

Worksheets provide a way for teachers to assess individual understanding.  By reading sentences and matching them to pictures, students improve comprehension.

Worksheets will keep students engaged while deepening their understanding of prepositions.

This labeling worksheet is a great way to reinforce body-part vocabulary while keeping the focus on the fun monkey theme. Students follow the arrows and label each part of the monkey’s body.

Matching mats help students recognize and decode words, improving their sight word recognition. Just print and cut.

Students will practice sentence structure in context, by saying where they landed on the board game.

If students write sentences in the flip book, they practice sentence formation and grammar. It’s a tactile activity, which helps kinesthetic learners absorb information better.

This resource has more to check, go to this blog post:

 https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2024/04/zoo-animals-move-flashcards.html

This resource is also available separately or in a bundle, here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Prepositions-Bundle-Hands-On-ESL-Activities-for-Elementary-ELLs-13387265

 

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"Rabbit and Mitten Preposition Activities | Flashcards, Games, Worksheets & Flap Book"

 This resource(Rabbit and Mitten prepositions ESL activity — fun printable games and worksheets to teach TOP prepositions (in, on, under, next to) to young learners. Perfect for elementary ELL classes) is part of Clothes Theme for Elementary ESL. Click here:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Clothes-Theme-for-Elementary-ESL-2987481

Use this low prep resource to reinforce spatial concepts in an interactive way. Students benefit from visual aids that clearly demonstrate the basic prepositions.

The printable flashcards are great for using full sentences to improve their grammar, vocabulary, and confidence in speaking English. Teachers can use the flashcards in whole-class, small-group, or individual activities.

Start a Sentence Building Challenge. Show a rabbit and mitten preposition flashcard, and students must write or say a sentence using the correct preposition. Use this activity for mixed level.

Take a look!

Teachers can use the small cards for quick review sessions, centers, or even take-home practice. One student draws a small card and places the cutouts in the matching position.

Worksheets provide structured exercises that help students internalize prepositions by writing, reading, and coloring.

Color & Draw Prepositions Worksheet. Students will read the sentences and follow the instructions, such as draw and color the rabbit in the correct position.

Fill in the Blank Sentences worksheet where students just write the missing prepositions.

Numbered Picture & Sentence Matching Worksheet for Prepositions. It develops Reading Comprehension. Students must read and understand the sentence to find the correct matching picture, reinforcing both prepositions and sentence structure.

Encourage Critical Thinking when students must analyze the sentence and carefully color the correct rabbit, strengthening problem-solving skills.

Rolling a die adds an element of excitement, turning preposition practice into a game. Using the rabbit and mitten cutouts allows students to physically move the pieces. A student rolls the die and moves the rabbit cutout into the correct position relative to the mitten. Then, they can say a sentence describing the placement (e.g., "The rabbit is next to the mitten.").

Students connect preposition words with visual representations, strengthening vocabulary retention using the mats. Students match the word card to the correct picture on the mat.

Students put together a sentence from the puzzle provided.  Then, place it on the space and reads: (e.g., "The rabbit is behind the mitten.").

A fun board game to roll, move, and describe where the rabbit is in relation to the mitten. 

Printable flap book. Each flap can include a sentence and a picture showing the position, use the template provided, encouraging students to read and connect ideas.

This resource is also available separately or in a bundle, here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Prepositions-Bundle-Hands-On-ESL-Activities-for-Elementary-ELLs-13387265

 

This resource has more to check, go to this blog post: 

https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2024/05/clothes-unit-flashcards-for-elementary.html 

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"Interactive Learning with Small Cards: Engaging Farm Animal Activities for ELLs"

 This resource is included here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Farm-Unit-for-Elementary-EFL-3790548

Print the farm unit small cards to offer even more flexibility for interactive learning. Find in this post engaging activities to help students build farm vocabulary, speaking skills, and sentence structures! Small cards allow students to manipulate and interact with the vocabulary rather than just observing.

Small Card Writing Activity. Have learners select 4 small cards and write a short text on their notebooks. By selecting four cards, students must think critically about how to connect the words into a meaningful sentence or short text.

 Encourage Pair and Group Work as students sort the cards into 2 or 4 legs farm animals. Students can also categorize the animals into Big or Small. Grouping words into meaningful categories helps students remember and recall vocabulary more easily.

Small cards are great for students to work independently or with a partner to sort the animals into mommy and baby. As students discuss their choices, they practice explaining, reasoning, and using key phrases (e.g., "The horse is the mommy." "The foal is the baby.")

Sorting farm animals by products introduces basic classification skills that support early science learning. Review the farm-to-table connections (e.g., cows → milk). Model sentences: "A cow gives us milk." Students will make more sentences as they match the cards.

Use the small cards as a Bingo caller deck. Have students write 6 or 8 words on their notebooks from all the small cards that are displayed on the board or table. They will mark their matching words as they are called.

Students write on the speech bubbles (available on the resource) what Sound the animal makes (Moo, Baa, Cluck). This helps linking phonetic awareness with written words. Students can practice reading their speech bubbles aloud, reinforcing pronunciation and speaking confidence.

A video!!

Printable farm animal games for ESL kids — fun card games, board game, sorting mats, headband game and spelling activities to teach animal names, sounds and farm-life vocabulary are in the full farm unit pack. Go to this blog post:   https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2025/04/fun-on-farm-engaging-esl-learners-with.html 

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Hamburger Prepositions for Primary School English Learner

 This resource (Hamburger Prepositions of Place — ESL Prepositions Activity for Primary Learners)  is part of the Food Unit for Elementary English Language Starters.  LINK: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Food-unit-for-Elementary-English-Language-Learners-Starters-11035412

This hamburger prepositions resource gives teachers a hands-on, visual way to teach prepositions of place that young learners can easily understand. By moving and placing the hamburger around the box, students see and say the language at the same time, making prepositions like on, under, and in more meaningful and easier to remember.

There is a set of flashcards with the hamburger in different positions of place (e.g., on, in, under, next to, behind, in front of, between the box). It also comes with the small cards that students can use for matching games or sentence-building activities. Perfect to review food vocabulary.

 Hand in the cutouts of the hamburger and box for the students to, color, cut and glue onto a toilet paper roll. Have them place in the correct position according to sentences (e.g., "Put the hamburger inside the box").   Students can write-the-sentence on their notebooks to reinforce the skills.

Assemble the printable dice with prepositions of the hamburger’s position for a fun "Roll & Place" game than can be played in pairs. Great for Listening and responding to commands.

Use the mat with labeled prepositions or the images one, and have the learners place the cutout in the correct spot on the mat. As an option they can write the sentence for extra practice. It works perfectly as a small-group or independent center.

There is a preposition puzzle where students match a sentence (e.g., "The hamburger is in the box") with the correct picture.

Print a board game where students move along a path and must say or write a sentence using the preposition shown on the space (e.g., "The hamburger is under the box").

There are several worksheets to use along the theme.

These worksheets give students structured practice with prepositions of place by matching sentences to pictures. Learners look carefully at each hamburger scene and identify where the hamburger is in relation to the box, reinforcing understanding of prepositions such as in, on, under, next to, and between.

Mini Video. Use your worksheets for speaking!

To wrap it up, create this flap book which is a fantastic interactive tool because it provides a hands-on activity. The pages are glued in the middle. Students will match the picture to the word. They will lift each flap to reveal a hamburger in different positions relative to the box.

They can also include a sentence frame, such as "The hamburger is ___ the box." under each flap.  As an Interactive Quiz you can call out a preposition, and students find the correct flap.

Ready for Mixed-level usability.

Take a look of the flap book!

When to Use This Activity

✔ After introducing prepositions of place  

✔ During centers or small group practice  

✔ As warm-up or review  

✔ For partner speaking tasks  

✔ For mixed-level ESL/ELL classrooms

These hamburger prepositions activities give learners multiple, meaningful opportunities to practise spatial language, build confidence with English prepositions, and communicate accurately — all through fun, contextual practice your students will love.

Teaching food vocabulary can be challenging when students only memorise lists of words. These **Food Unit Flashcards** give elementary ESL/EFL learners visual cues, repeated exposure, and instant connection between images and vocabulary — helping them recognise, say, and use food words with confidence in speaking and writing activities.  Go to this blog post, all in this food unit pack :   https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2024/02/food-unit-flashcards-for-elementary.html 

This resource is also available separately or in a bundle, here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Prepositions-Bundle-Hands-On-ESL-Activities-for-Elementary-ELLs-13387265

 

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