This week I had the pleasure of visiting KG2, Ms Sharon’s class, as they engaged in a Mess About as an introduction to their maths unit on Measurement.
Measurement is a part of everyday life—at home, at work, in our cars, and during leisure. Thanks to technology, we now track more than ever before: sleep patterns, heart rate, water intake, and more. Learning how to measure and manage data is an important life skill.
This brings us to an important point for teaching measurement in the maths curriculum: measuring must be meaningful and have a clear purpose. While mathematics gives us the tools and systems for measurement, the real power of measurement lies in its use across all areas of learning and daily life. Like statistics and probability, measurement becomes more valuable when used in real-world situations. When children are engaged in authentic tasks—such as figuring out how tall a plant has grown or how much water fills a bottle—they are more likely to explore deeply and build strong understanding.
At its core, measurement is about making comparisons. For younger children, this often begins by comparing objects directly and using language such as “heavier,” “lighter,” “longer,” or “bigger.” Later, they move to indirect comparison, using objects or units to measure. At first, these units might be informal, like using acorns or paper clips. Over time, students learn to use standard units and tools, such as rulers or scales, and shift from simply counting units to reading measurements accurately from a scale.
Visiting KG2, Ms Sharon’s class, was wonderful reminder that deep mathematical understanding often begins with playful exploration, not worksheets. When children pour, fill, compare, and estimate through real experiences, they build the foundations for concepts like volume, length, and quantity in meaningful ways.
Too often, we rush to the textbook, forgetting that curiosity and concrete experiences are what bring maths to life. Environments where children can think, try, play, and discover is where the learning really sticks.
Take a look at our young learners as they explore the different concepts associated with Measurement. Some children were even recording their ideas—completely self-directed!
