Measure Me Preschool-Learning Math Activity

Understanding inches and feet may be math concepts that are too hard for young children to grasp. Still, you can start getting your kid familiar with the concept of measurement by using a unit of measure that he definitely understands—himself!
What you need:

• Ribbon or string
• Ruler or tape measure (for older children)
• Construction paper
• Glue

How to do it:

• Take the ribbon or string and measure your child all over: arm, legs, foot, even fingers and nose.
• Pull the ribbon taut and then cut it at the correct length.
• Now go around your house or backyard and measure different items. Then ask your child some comparison questions, such as: Can you find a stick that is the same length as your leg? Which is longer: your nose or your teddy bear's arm? What can you find that's as long as your finger? etc.
• For older children: Make a comparison chart. Line up the ribbon so that each piece is touching the bottom edge of a sheet of construction paper. Glue the pieces of yarn onto the paper. Then label each ribbon piece so your child can compare the length of his leg to the length of his foot. Pull out the ruler and measure how many inches each body part is, and write that number on the chart.

Brain Building Bonus: Some older children may be ready to use a ruler on their own. Head to the kitchen, and have them choose some food items (such as a banana, soup can, slice of bread, etc.) to measure and compare.(Bonus bonus: If you have a kitchen scale, let your child compare weights too!) Make a chart with a column for the food name and a column for its size. Then ask your child which item is the longest? The shortest? Which one weighs the most? The least?
How this builds brains:Measurement is all about comparing objects. The goal of this activity is to give your child the vocabulary to talk about his world and to begin to note similarities and differences in everyday things. Plus, measuring involves estimation (another math concept), and yes, lots and lots of counting!
Get more brain-building activities for preschool learning! Check out our Brain Building Boot Camp with Dr. Christine Ricci.