A key part of learning about measurement is that in order to measure the length of something a consistent unit of measurement must be used. We are all used to using centimetres, metres, etc to measure objects, but in Year 1 measurement begins by using non-standard units of measurement.

A non-standard unit of measurement can be any object; pencil, paper clip, coin, cube etc. The key thing for children to realise is that the chosen units of measurement must be equal in size. For instance, if using cubes then all the cubes must be equal in size. It is not helpful to use a range of different sized cubes.

By using a non-standard unit of measurement children can compare the length and height of different objects. For example, a pencil might be 8 paperclips long and a pen might be 12 paperclips long.

There are great opportunities to be had whilst measuring length using non-standard units and children should be given the opportunity to choose their own objects. Our latest pages are an excellent starting point for this work. Take a look now.