If you want to learn or teach measurements, the best place to do
so is in the kitchen. Almost everything that is done in the kitchen
is based on measurements. If a child wants to perform the simplest
task such as making some Kool-Aid, measuring is involved as they will
have to measure one cup of sugar for 2 quarts of Kool-Aid. If a parent
were to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies with their child just
think of the possibilities there. Measurements in a simple batch of
cookies include cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons and just imagine
the possibilities if you were to double that recipe.
Learning measurements in the kitchen can begin at a very early age
and as the child grows, so can the learning. There really is no better
place to teach measurements although teachers do bring these lessons
into the classroom somehow they are not as effective as they are in
the kitchen with hands on experience. Plus all kids just love to cook
in the kitchen. Even preschoolers can help you bake a cake or prepare
a simple dinner. Here is when you would want to explain to the child
what tools are used to measure wet and dry ingredients. Show them
what a cup of liquid looks like and then a cup of flour or sugar.
Show them and then test them on which is bigger, a teaspoon or a tablespoon.
Let them practice with water until they get it right. Let them play
with dry ingredients such as flour but if you aren't so daring then
let them play with the measuring devices in the sand where the mess
doesn't count.
Weight is another measurement and this can be introduced early at
the grocery store by weighing produce or buying deli meats. In the
produce sections they have those scales and kids are fascinated by
them. Let your child weigh some fruit and explain how many apples
are in one pound, etc. This type of activity is preparing them for
later work in the kitchen. Understanding all of the concepts involved
with measurement can be difficult for a child first starting out.
Most kids love the kitchen, which is a great place to begin the adventure
of measurement. Once your child knows the difference between a cup
and a tablespoon, start teaching them what you know about conversions
and equivalents. Give lots of praise and encouragement along the way
and when they're enjoying their first meal, remind them that they're
the ones who made it and that measurement was the key.
Before you start to teach measurements to your child, discuss the
process. Set some reasonable goals together and designate rewards
for various levels of progress and understanding. This will create
motivation for your child to learn measurements. Since you will be
working in the kitchen, rewards can be easy to create. Set a weekly
ritual of cooking something delicious together. Your child will learn
their measurements and the whole family will get a nice meal in the
bargain.
Here are a few of the easy math lessons that can be taught using
your time in the kitchen. Once the child is a bit older then you can
get to conversions in measuring. Even if you don't know all of the
conversions between units of measurements, simply using the tools
will help your children become familiar with the amounts that each
measurement can hold. Show them the ones you do know: how two half
cups equal 1 whole cup; four 1/4 cups equal 1 whole cup and so on. You
may come across something that even you do not know in which case
you should show the child how to be resourceful and find the answer.
Cooking can be a great way to explain to children how an algebraic
equation works. Teach then the basic knowledge that cooking and baking
requires following a specific formula which is just like algebra and
if the formula is not followed precisely then you will come up with
something different than you originally wanted.