• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Course
    • Teaching Every Reader
  • Subscriber Freebies
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Member Login

The Measured Mom

Education resources for parents and teachers

  • Alphabet
  • Reading
    • Structured literacy
    • Printable Books
    • Pre-Reading
    • Phonics
    • Sight Words
    • Comprehension
    • Fluency
    • Vocabulary
  • Writing
    • Grammar
    • Handwriting
    • Spelling
    • Writing in Pre-K
    • Writing in K-3
  • Math
    • Counting
    • Number Recognition
    • Addition & Subtraction
    • Colors, Shapes & Patterns
    • Visual Discrimination
    • Time, Money & Measurement
    • Place Value
    • Graphs
    • Multiplication & Division
    • Fractions
    • Problem Solving
  • Book Lists
    • Letter of the Week
    • Early Childhood Themes
    • Pre-Reading Skills
    • Math Concepts
    • Writing Mentor Texts
    • Versions of Familiar Tales
    • Holidays and Seasonal
    • History
    • Leveled Book Lists
  • Join Membership
Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • Alphabet
    • Reading
    • Writing
    • Math
    • Book Lists
  • Podcast
  • Courses
    • Teaching Every Reader
    • Teaching Every Writer
  • Subscriber Freebies
  • About
  • Membership
  • Contact

PSPKK12318 Comments

Using yarn to teach measurement

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Did you know that we collect math ideas for each letter of the alphabet?  Some are simple — it was fun to create transportation printables for the letter T.  But the letter Y… what were we going to do, count yaks?

Thankfully I realized that yarn can be a great math manipulative — for measuring, of course.  So today I’m sharing a few ways to teach measurement to kids using yarn.

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

I decided to do this lesson after my daughter’s day at first grade so that she could participate too.  The activities I’ll share can be used with preschoolers, kindergartners, and first graders — depending on the ability and interest level of the kids.

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

For the sake of my Three, we started out very simply.  I cut out lengths of yarn in five separate colors and gave each of my kids this piece of paper with colored bars.  Their job was to line up each piece of yarn along the edge.  Then we talked about which was longest, shortest, second longest, etc.

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

Next, I gave each of my kids a length of yarn (in their favorite colors, of course).  We moved around the house and I pointed out different toys, furniture, and household objects.  “Do you think your yarn is shorter or longer than this vent?”    My Three was pleased to discover that his string was almost the exact same length.

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

“My yarn is shorter than the couch.”

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

“The piano is longer than my piece of yarn.”

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

Next, the kids cut lengths of yarn to compare our bodies.  My Five measured his waist.

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

Then he measured my waist.  After cutting lengths of yarn for every member of the family, including my husband, we laid them out on the floor.  My Five announced, “Mommy’s the winner!”  Yes. I win.  At least I have an excuse (until mid-January).

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

After doing a lot of work with nonstandard measurement, it was time to introduce inches, feet, and yards.  I cut a length of yarn to represent each.

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

Next, I gave my Six the inch-long piece of yarn, my Three the foot-long piece, and my Five the yard-long piece.  By this time my Three had tired of the lesson and moved on to other things. His older siblings, however, hunted for objects that matched their lengths.

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

Among other things, my Five discovered that the bottom of our refrigerator is about one yard tall.

His sister found items in the craft closet that measured one inch in length.

Our drawers are a foot wide.  So are our kitchen chairs.

Want a simple lesson for teaching measurement to kids? Check out this post for teaching linear measurement using yarn. Free printables included!

After a day at school, my Six was ready to go read her books – so just her younger brother (not yet in kindergarten) completed this measurement worksheet with me at his side.  He learned to line up the ruler at the end and read the number which matched up with the other end of the rectangle.

My Three was eager to do a page himself.  I printed  a page for him, which he enjoyed – but it was not something he could have completed on his own.  He never quite caught on how to line up the ruler and how to find the number which shows the length.  No worries – he’s three!

MEMBERS GET MORE!

Members of The Measured Mom Plus get access to even more printables, in addition to quick video trainings and no-print resources. Join thousands of happy educators!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Get your free yarn measurement pages!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

Free Math Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You'll get printables for counting, addition and subtraction, measuring, problem solving, and more!

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Math, Time, money & measurement Tagged With: preschool, first grade, measurement, kindergarten, Pre-K

You May Also Enjoy These Posts:

NEW no-print resources! Shape clip cards Place value mat
Winter themed spelling game
Easy sensory activity: Y is for Yuck (just two ingredients!)

Reader Interactions

18 Comments

  1. Tina

    April 12, 2020 at 10:36 am

    You have such amazing resources. Thank-you for sharing:-)

    Reply to this comment
  2. Tatiana Canella

    January 5, 2020 at 11:53 am

    Awsome Ideas!! Will have to work all of them with my pre Ks.

    Reply to this comment
  3. Lindsey

    May 23, 2016 at 10:43 pm

    Thank you for the great ideas. I was looking for a math activity for my preschoolers to go with the book “Just how long can a long string be?” by Keith Baker

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      May 27, 2016 at 4:53 pm

      I’m glad you found this post – it sounds perfect for that book. I haven’t seen it yet. Will have to reserve it from the library for my preschooler!

      Reply to this comment
  4. stephanie

    January 19, 2014 at 6:58 pm

    LOve this! We are starting measurement next week in first grade so this is perfect! Thanks for sharing at After School!!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      January 23, 2014 at 8:13 am

      As I was planning this I thought it would have worked very well in my classroom… hope you get (got) a chance to try it!

      Reply to this comment
  5. Jill

    January 18, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    Yarn can be used in so many ways, including making math fun!

    Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      January 18, 2014 at 8:21 pm

      Thanks for visiting, Jill!

      Reply to this comment
  6. Ann @ My Nearest and Dearest

    January 15, 2014 at 9:37 am

    This is great, Anna! The yarn is such a simple and effective way to help kids understand length.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      January 18, 2014 at 8:21 pm

      Thank you, Ann!

      Reply to this comment
  7. maryanne @ mama smiles

    January 12, 2014 at 7:01 pm

    Yarn is pretty useful stuff! Love this activity!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      January 12, 2014 at 7:50 pm

      Thanks, Mary Anne!

      Reply to this comment
  8. Katie @ Gift of Curiosity

    January 9, 2014 at 11:15 am

    I have just started doing some basic measurement activities with my kids as well. I love the ideas you shared here using yarn. And how cute that you were the “winner.” 🙂 Hope you have a smooth delivery and transition with your newest addition!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      January 12, 2014 at 7:50 pm

      Thank you so much, Katie!

      Reply to this comment
  9. Natalie

    January 8, 2014 at 10:41 pm

    Great ideas for early measurement and introducing standard length. Even after 20 years of living in US yards still stump me 🙂 If you don’t mind, I am going to add this post to my upcoming round up of 100 math ideas for 100 days of school.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      January 12, 2014 at 7:50 pm

      Of course you’re welcome to share anything of mine in a round up without asking :). I can certainly understand how the standard system of measurement is confusing. Tonight my 3 year old was using his tape measure to measure the length of the couch. “Mom, the couch is 10 pounds!” 🙂

      Reply to this comment

Trackbacks

  1. Measurement – Baytzuhr says:
    July 7, 2017 at 2:21 am

    […] di Gift of Curiosity Ukur barang dengan duplo di No Time For Flash Cards Ukuran Foot Book Dr Seuss Ukuran dengan yarn di The Measured Mom 10 math books, tools & measurement di KC […]

    Reply to this comment
  2. Hands-On Measurement Activities - Buggy and Buddy says:
    August 18, 2015 at 11:06 am

    […] Teach Measurement Using Yarn from The Measured Mom […]

    Reply to this comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Grade Level Key

  • PS Preschool (ages 2-3 years)
  • PK Pre-K (ages 4-5 years)
  • K Kindergarten
  • 1 1st grade
  • 2 2nd grade
  • 3 3rd grade

Hello, I’m Anna!

Welcome to The Measured Mom. I’m so glad you’re here!

Meet Our Team

Free Math Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You'll get printables for counting, addition and subtraction, measuring, problem solving, and more!

Shop our store!

120 Print and Play Math & Literacy Games for K-2

$15.00

Preschool Math Curriculum for Home

$24.00

Place Value Task Cards for 2nd Grade

$8.00

Shop all resources

Members get more!

The Measured Mom Plus is the perfect online membership for Pre-K to third grade educators.

Learn More

Love Freebies?

Subscribing to our email newsletter is completely free. And when you do, you'll get access to our library of subscriber freebies! Sign up below to get access to a wonderful variety of math and literacy resources.

Join our online course and get the tools you need to teach every learner in K-2!

Confidently teach every reader in your classroom. Still have time to live your life.

Learn More

Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher

Check out these recent podcast episodes:

  • What does the research say about alphabet instruction? with Dr. Shayne Piasta
  • What is set for variability? A conversation with Dr. Marnie Ginsberg
  • How to help students improve language comprehension – a conversation with Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan
More Episodes

Check out these FREE email courses...

Get strategies and tools to teach a particular topic with a free 5-day email series! Just click an image to sign up. We recommend signing up for just one at a time.

For Pre-K Educators

How to teach phonological & phonemic awareness

How to teach phonological & phonemic awareness

Learn how to develop this important pre-reading skill with a free 5-day email series!

How to teach preschool math

How to teach preschool math

Learn exactly what to teach your preschoolers in this free 5-day series!

For Kinder & 1st Grade Educators

How to teach kids to sound out words

How to teach kids to sound out words

Learn my top strategies for teaching kids to "sound it out"

How to teach sight words

How to teach sight words

Get strategies and tools for teaching sight words to young learners!

Tips for teaching phonics

Tips for teaching phonics

Sign up for our free 5-day email series to learn what phonics skills to teach and how to structure your phonics lessons!

For 2nd & 3rd Grade Educators

How to build reading fluency

How to build reading fluency

Learn smart strategies for helping your learners become fluent readers with this free 5-day series!

How to build reading comprehension

How to build reading comprehension

Discover the essential reading comprehension strategies for 2nd & 3rd grade and how to teach them!

“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” –Matthew 6:33

Copyright © 2023 The Measured Mom •  All rights reserved  •  Privacy & Disclosure Statement  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs