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Caterpillar Measuring EYFS

Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

This activity is one of a set of trial Early Years Foundation Stage resources. For further information and links to others in the set, please see the introductory page.


You may wish to download and print one of these three observation sheets (1, 2, 3) which link to this activity.
 
Resources
Play dough/plasticine/modelling clay/salt dough
Equipment for measuring caterpillars - e.g. interlocking cubes, counters, balance scales ... 
Activity
Let's make caterpillars!  
Questions to ask
How long is your caterpillar?
Can you make a longer/shorter one?
Who has made the longest/shortest one?
How heavy is your caterpillar?
Can you make a heavier/lighter one?
Who has made the heaviest/lightest one?  
Possible observations
Accurate counting
Use of vocabulary associated with length e.g. longer, shorter, longer/shorter than ... 
Understanding of how to compare lengths with other caterpillars and cubes
Use of vocabulary associated with weight e.g. heavy/light, heavier/lighter ...  
Follow-up
A caterpillar story e.g. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"
Build a 'house' for a caterpillar
Find some pictures of real caterpillars
You could measure other objects such as beads on a piece of string, rows of interlocking cubes etc.
Children could stand back to back so that others could see who is the tallest.
For a very similar activity which focuses on timing rather than measuring, see Snake Timing
 
For an easily printable version of this page, please download this pdf.
 
This activity was adapted, with permission, from ideas in Kate Tucker's book 'Mathematics Through Play in the Early Years', published by Sage ISBN 978-1-84860-884-9.  

 
The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice. More information on many of our other activities can be found here.
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NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.