Preschoolers

Growing Taller

Build math skills while you track your child's height.

What you need:

• construction paper
• four pieces of 8.5" by 11" cardboard
• colored duct tape or fabric tape
• stickers, stamps, or other art materials
• 12 inches of ribbon or string
• glue
• ruler

What to do:

  1. Discuss the concept of measurement. Show your child a ruler and invite him to share what he already knows about it. Explain that 12 inches is also called a foot and that these units are used to see how tall a person is (also known as height).

  2. Make your own growth chart. Arrange the sheets of cardboard so that the short ends are almost touching. Create a hinge between the pieces of cardboard by placing tape along the short edges, leaving a bit of space between the pieces.

  3. With your child, glue colorful sheets of construction paper to the cardboard pieces. Using a ruler, mark each foot. If you like, you can also mark the inches with dots.

  4. Invite your child to decorate the chart with stickers, stamps, drawings, or other materials. Attach the ribbon to the top of the chart to make a loop for hanging.

Learning benefits:

• Introduces concept of measurement
• Supports creativity