My four-year-old enjoys playing with pom poms, so devising a pom pom preschool measurement activity was a no-brainer. This non-standard measurement with pom poms activity sparked many conversations about capacity, and I know it will be for you, too! This measurement activity is all that and a bag of chips.
RELATED: Hands-on learning in our jam. This is why we begin learning through play every morning. Use this math activity collection of ideas to inspire your child’s mathematical thinking.
- How do I teach measurement to my preschoolers?
- Craving a calmer morning?
- What my preschooler thought about as he measured
- Keep preschool activities simple.
- Materials
- Set up Non-Standard Measurement with Pom Poms
- Why non-standard measurement is important
- More learning perks
- Non-Standard Measurement with Pom Poms for Preschoolers
How do I teach measurement to my preschoolers?
The best way to teach measurement to preschoolers is to begin with nonstandard measurement. Non-standard measurement uses everyday items and objects to examine size, length, and, in this case, capacity.
My favorite way to teach measurement is through hands-on activities that inspire more play!
Play inspires children to take risks and encourages critical thinking. It combines my preschooler’s interests with a learning measurement experience.
Here, my four-year-old is measuring and exploring capacity as he did in this measurement pouring station. Non-standard measurement with pom poms for the win!
RELATED: Here are 20 more ways to use your bag of pom poms!
Craving a calmer morning?
Breakfast Invitations are simple learning games that begin the day with play.
What my preschooler thought about as he measured
Here at Days with Grey, I am all about inviting my child to learn through play as I sit on the sidelines observing. As he scooped and played, we chatted about mathematical concepts.
- How many pom poms will fit into this jar?
- Which jar has more pom poms than the other?
- What happens when I fill the pom poms past the line?
The pom poms act as an open-ended material for my preschooler to pour and scoop to encourage hands-on learning.
RELATED: Stop the endless Pinterest search and store your favorite ideas in your back pocket with our activity cards!
Keep preschool activities simple.
Measurement activities are simple to create at home and are hands-on. This means your child is touching the materials, learning by doing and testing new ideas. Boom. All are powerful ways to remember what we practice.
And fear not! I am about to show you just how quick and easy play can be for kids at home and how entertaining it will be for your children.
My two-year-old, four-year-old, and almost Kindergartener scooped and measured for a long time.
So grab the kiddos, and let’s get measuring! I am here to show you a quick setup and simple execution for helping your children learn through play while you catch your breath throughout your busy day.
Materials
At Days with Grey, I like to keep the supply list simple. To see our most used supplies, go to my supply list.
To set up non-standard measurement with pom poms, gather a few recycled containers, a spoon, a large container, painter’s tape, and pom poms to get started.
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Pom Poms
I like this container of pom poms becuase it comes with a storage container. No more exploding bag of pom poms, please!
Painter’s Tape
I had no idea how often I would use painter’s tape. One of my favorite activity supplies.
Set up Non-Standard Measurement with Pom Poms
Setting up any preschool activity should always take less than five minutes. If you time yourself, I bet you can get it done in three.
Remember the “buffer zone” we talked about in How to Introduce Sensory Bins?
Here, the under-the-bed storage bin helps keep most of the pom-poms contained as the boys scoop and pour into measuring.
- Gather a few reusable containers. It is preferable to have the same size to talk about how many pom poms went into each, however it is not an absolute. Use what you have this time and save containers for the next time your child plays.
- Add painter’s tape to each container.
- Add a container of pom poms into the large sensory bin.
- Place a spoon in the bin of pom poms.
- Invite your preschooler to begin adding pom poms into the jar until they reach the line.
Why non-standard measurement is important
My preschooler doesn’t know it, but he is preparing for future essential math skills.
Children following the Common Core standards directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common to see which object has “more of “/”less of” the attribute and describe the difference.
This particular measurement activity begins to explore capacity. Here, children explore fill vs. empty and how much space a certain number of pom-poms takes up.
Learning by doing is a significant part of improving any skill! We must ease up on the worksheets and continue allowing our preschoolers to learn hands-on.
More learning perks
This sensory math activity helps my four-year-old hold his hand steady as he pours the pom poms into each container to reach the line.
Scooping into a container helps:
- Encourage counting as your child sees how many are in each jar
- Improve hand-eye coordination
- Practice grasping small objects with more proficiency (Hello, fine motor!)
- Strengthen hand and arm muscles
This measurement game is such a hit! It is just one of the 40+ Indoor Games we play often.
When will you grab the pom poms and get started?
