An Inch, a Foot and a Mile

Learning about measurements

ADDED April 06, 2009

Today we’ll be having fun with measurements.  For this activity you’ll need a ruler.  And a car.

Start off small:  give your kid a ruler and point out an inch.  Ask your little one what things are smaller than an inch.  There’s not a lot, we think.  But what can your kid come up with?  (A penny, a ladybug, a speck of dust, etc.)

Next show your child a foot.  What can you guys think of that is smaller than a foot?  A lot more than that inch, right?  (A person’s foot, a guinea pig, a hamburger, etc.)

Have your child take a ruler and measure the stuff in your house.  Tell them to report to you their findings.  What’s bigger than a foot?  What’s smaller?

When they’re done measuring around the house, it’s time to examine the next measurement up the scale.

(The next measurement above a foot is a yard.  You could tell your kids about yards if you want.  In our house, though, we didn’t.  People measure fabric and football fields in yards, but otherwise yards aren’t used much anymore.)

For us, the next measurement up is a mile.  To show your kid a mile, put them in the car . . . and show them a mile.  Drive a mile away, and then turn around and go back home.  When I did this with my son, he was amazed at how long a mile is.  And really, there’s no way to describe the distance, without getting in the car and actually experiencing it.

And as with the other measurements, talk about a mile.  What things are bigger (and smaller) than a mile?

It takes some practice to learn what measurement to use.  For instance, even after the mile car trip, my five year old wondered, “Could you use a mile to measure our house?”

We hope that this activity is educational . . . and that in the fun department it also measures up!

ages 4-12, educational, good at home,

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