Teaching Measurement with Games

Teaching Measurement often takes a back seat in a busy kindergarten classroom. We find ourselves in the world of Number most of the time. Here are some easy measurement games that we play all year. They are easy to play and make great centers.

 Measure Me!

This is a fun game for comparing heights and using nonstandard measurement.
To play:

• Reproduce a set of cards. I change the cards throughout the year to match the "theme" or season.  I also make the cards different sizes. This way, it will be different each time.
• The kids work with a partner to measure each other using the set of cards.
• On the recording page, they each write how many of the cards they used to measure each other.
• Then, they draw a picture of them and their partner to show their measurement.

How Long Is Your Name?

This game takes a little time for the kids to get the hang of. You will want to play it with them several times before you add it as an independent center.
To play:

• Reproduce a set of "theme" related or seasonal word cards. I make these in excel or a table.
• Invite the children to make a "name train" by collecting unifix cubes, one for each letter in their name. Snap these together, leave them together throughout the game. I have the children use only white, this makes it easier for me to see which cubes are for their name.
• Each child takes a card. Place a unifix cube on each letter.
• Once each letter is covered, snap the cubes together.
• Compare the cubes for the "theme" word, to the cubes for their name.
• Is the word longer, shorter or the same length as your name?
• Write the word on the recording page in the correct column.

Which is Longer?

This is a super easy game for comparing length.
To play:

• Invite each child to count 10 cubes and snap them together. 
• Children will work in partners.
• Give each partnership a game board and a spinner.
• Each child holds his 10 cubes in his hands.
• The kids say, "1,2,3 break."
• They break their cubes into 2 parts.
• Place one part on the game board.
• Whoever put the shortest length of cubes on the game board, spins the spinner.
• If it lands on shorter, that child gets all of the cubes on the game board.
• If it lands on longer, the other child gets all of the cubes on the board.
• Now, they repeat.
• The game continues until one child has all of the cubes.

 Which is Taller?

You can play the same game format to compare height.

These games are from this Measurement Game Pack Bundle.