Standard Measurement with Play Dough

This hands-on, literature-based math activity will help your younger students concretely understand the concept of standard measurement.

Target Age Range: K-2

Skills Covered: non-standard measurement, standard measurement, making comparisons, fine motor skills, reading

Understanding measurement doesn’t have to be hard for little ones. In fact, teaching it early with concrete materials builds an in-depth understanding that will last a lifetime!

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When teaching measurement to young children, always begin measuring things with “non-standard” tools. That means you will supply crackers, paper clips, M&M’s, counting bears, or whatever else floats your fancy for measuring things. Give your child LOTS of experience measuring with non-standard measuring tools.

Comparing Measurements with Non-Standard Measuring Tools

In the activity pictured above, I wanted to help my kindergartener understand that not all measurements are equal. When mom says she needs a length of playdough that is 3 bears long, does she mean a length of 3 BIG bears or 3 SMALL bears?  Is there a difference??

I asked Eli to roll out two snakes with playdough. He placed 3 big bears next to one of the snakes and cut the playdough to show the length.