My Arm Is as Long As...

In pairs, children measure body parts (arm, leg, foot, hand) with strips of yarn, then look for classroom objects of the same length. It builds a sense of the size of each body part and how it relates to the world around them.

How to play

1. The teacher measures a child's arm with yarn from shoulder to fingertips, cuts the strip and finds something in the room that's the same length (2 min).
2. In pairs, one child stretches out an arm and the other lays the yarn from shoulder to fingers; the teacher or child cuts the strip (3 min).
3. Also measure the leg (hip to foot, sitting down) and the foot, and tape each strip to the floor with the child's name (3 min).
4. With the arm strip, hunt around the room for something the same length: a table, a door, a shelf (4 min).
5. In a circle, compare: Which is longer, the arm or the leg? The foot or the hand? (2 min).

Rules

• Yarn never goes around the neck.
• Whoever is being measured holds still like a statue.
• Scissors are used sitting down with the teacher nearby.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: measure the parts reachable while seated and search for objects in a nearby area.
• Visual impairment: use thick yarn and compare by touch, sliding the strip along objects.
• Lower fine-motor skill: use pre-cut long strips, and the child just marks where to cut with a clothespin.

Learning goals

• Perceive the length of different body parts.
• Compare body parts with each other and with objects.
• Work in pairs carefully and patiently.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Yarn strips: 75
• Safety scissors: 13
• Masking tape: 2

Teacher tip

Prepare a small ball of yarn for each pair so it doesn't tangle. The typical mistake is leaving the yarn slack, so show them how to hold it snug at the shoulder.

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