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Game card for parents · 0C-2 · Ages 3–6 · 5 min

Which Is Longer?

Lining things up from the same starting point teaches your child a fair way to compare length.

S-1 Numbers are amountsS-6 Mistakes are fine — try it

You need

  • a piece of string or ribbon
  • things to compare: a spoon, a shoe, a book, a sock

How to play

  1. Pick two things and ask which is longer.
  2. Lay them side by side with one end against a wall.
  3. Look at the other end to see which sticks out.
  4. For things that can't move, use the string to measure one and compare.

Guess first

Guess first: is the spoon or the shoe longer? Now let's line them up against the wall.

Three things to ask

  1. Why do we put the ends together?
  2. Can you find something longer than your arm?
  3. Is the sofa longer than the door is tall?

Easier

Compare two things that are very different, like a pencil and a broom.

Harder

Order four things from shortest to longest, or measure with hand spans.

Watch for

A common slip is comparing without lining up the ends. Rather than saying it's wrong, slide one along and ask, "Is it still longer now?"

boxi-math.github.io · CC BY 4.0 · Boxi Yu