Big, Small, and in Between
Explore Measuring
Young children learn about measuring before they ever use rulers or scales. They practice these skills by pouring water, stacking blocks, or filling containers. Children use their senses and simple tools to explore size, weight, length, temperature, and more. They notice if something is big or small, heavy or light, long or short, or more or less.
- Audience
- Caregiver
- Subject
- Math
- Age
- KindergartenPre-KPreschoolToddler
- Languages
- Brazilian PortugueseEnglishHaitian CreoleSimplified ChineseSpanish
- Materials
- Long strip of paper, stamp pad, measuring tape, painter's tape, big container, small container, measuring spoons/cups, water dropper, beach ball
Many adults feel anxious about math, often because of past experiences. But here is the good news: you don’t need to be a math expert to help your child! Just be curious together. Notice the shapes and numbers around you, and talk about them while you play. When math is part of everyday life, it feels less scary for both of you. Laugh, explore, and don’t worry about mistakes.
Try these activities!
Measuring with handprints
- Place a long strip of paper on a flat surface.
- Put ink on hands using stamp pads.
- Stamp handprints on the paper in a line. How many handprints did it take to get from one end of the paper to the other?
- Put an object on your paper, or hold the paper up next to an object. How many handprints long is it? One whole hand? Several hands? Or maybe just part of a hand? Use the handprints to measure the length of different objects around the house.
Beach ball rolling
- Blow up a beach ball.
- Roll it on the floor. Try a hard push and a soft push and notice the different lengths it rolls.
- Use a measuring tape to see how far it went. Maybe the beach ball rolled the whole length of the measuring tape, or maybe just half.
- Try rolling the ball on different surfaces. You can also try rolling other objects—like a different ball, crumpled aluminum foil, or a toy car—to see how far they go!
Water play
- Get a small container, big container, measuring cups, measuring spoons, and a water dropper. Fill the big container with water.
- Pick up water with different sized spoons, cups, or containers. Try using the measuring spoons or measuring cups and pour into the small container. Use the water dropper to move water from one container to the other. How many scoops or squirts does it take to fill a container?
- Describe what you notice, what you do, or what you wonder about.
- “It’s full!”
- “Let’s add more water.”
- “What if we put in less?”
- “Now it’s empty!”
Ways to support your child
“I wonder how many handprints long the table is.” “I notice your teddy bear is 6 blocks tall!”
“Is it half the measuring tape?” “It’s as big as your whole hand!”
“Let’s scoop the water to fill the container!”
Everyday interactions
Adults measure time in minutes and seconds, but learning to understand time can be tricky! You can make it easier by using something your child can see or hear. If you say, “3 more minutes to play,” use a sand timer that lasts three minutes. Show them that when all the sand is at the bottom, time is up. Or, play a song that lasts three minutes. Say, “When this song is done, it’s time to wash your hands for dinner.”
Related Resources
CaregiverActivityUp, Down, and Around
When children crawl under a table, fit toys in a box, or figure out how to get through a narrow path, they are thinking about how to move through or fill up a certain space. Moments like these support spatial thinking—how we understand where objects are and how they move or fit together.
CaregiverActivityPutting Together, Taking Apart
Adding and subtracting happens every day! It’s not just about equations like “1 + 1 = 2.” Young children learn about math by exploring how amounts change—like putting more colors onto their painting (addition) and giving a block from their pile to a friend (subtracting). As children explore putting together and taking apart groups of objects, they practice basic skills that help them get ready for the math they will learn in school.
CaregiverActivityCircles, Squares, and More!
Shapes are everywhere! Some shapes have names—like circle, square, or triangle. Some shapes don’t have names—like the puddles on the ground or the outline of a favorite toy. Children naturally experience shapes when fitting blocks together, sitting in a circle at story time, or trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Exploring shapes helps them observe, compare, and interact with the world around them.
CaregiverActivitySame and Different
Matching and sorting are key skills that help children learn how things are the same or different. Children might sort and match by color, size, shape, or what things are used for. When they do this, they are learning to compare items, understand groups, notice patterns, and organize information—all important ideas in early math and problem-solving.
CaregiverActivity1, 2, 3!
Numbers and counting help us understand ideas like amounts and sizes. When your child says “one, two, three” while touching three blocks, it helps them see that numbers have meaning. This early practice makes it easier for children to learn other math ideas, like adding, subtracting, and measuring.
EducatorGuideMath Everywhere – Playgroup Guide
You can use or adapt this playgroup structure to maximize playful learning about early math during your playgroup. Be sure to also visit the Math Everywhere collection to download the accompanying Family Activity Sheets. This playgroup guide includes:
CaregiverActivitySnip, Stick, Scribble!
In school, children do lots of activities. They write, draw, paint, and build with different materials. As children do these things, they use tools–scissors to cut paper, paintbrushes to mix colors, and pencils to write letters and numbers.
CaregiverActivityI Can Do It
At home, children can often get one-on-one help with what they need. At school, teachers have many children to care for and may not be able to assist right away. This is why it is important for children to learn to do tasks like zip jackets, put on shoes, and open snack containers. These everyday tasks use fine motor skills—small movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.