For most of the month of November, the learning activities have been all about getting to know you and doing a little book with kids called “All About Me”. For kids, talking and learning about themselves as individuals, helps them develop their self-confidence and boosts their self-esteem. Plus the language and other skills promote kindergarten readiness. This activity involves some simple measuring.
Measuring height doesn’t have to be in inches and centimeters. It can be done in non-standard units that have more meaning and relevance. For fun and learning, instead of measuring how high on a door frame, have your child lie down and see how many shoes long s/he measures. Then, have your child measure you or another child. Some other measuring tools might be straws or popsicle sticks or train track pieces. Standard tape measures are quite abstract; they are not as easy to understand as real objects.
To measure weight (or mass) let your child put a phone book on the scale and see the numbers move. Try a few other things. Toddlers just like to see the numbers change or the dial move. Older ones often like to make the numbers get bigger. They may like to weigh themselves to start and then check out what happens when they hold things, too. More important than kindergarten readiness is the discovery and the exploring and the learning fun. What other things can be measured? Is this measuring up?
