Exploring Science Practices: Measure Up

Measuring, using tools, and counting are important skills for doing science.

• This activity is designed to engage early learners (ages 0-4) and their caregivers in the development of science process skills. Through doing this activity with their young child, caregivers will explore 3 main ideas:

  • Measuring, using tools, and counting are important skills for doing science;
  • Very young children can use measuring tools to investigate foundational science concepts like distance, mass, and volume;
  • Scientists develop and use measuring tools to gather information about the physical world, including faraway objects in space.

• Throughout this exploration, the facilitator should model strategies for fostering, guiding, and building on basic science practices. The activity has the following goals:

  • To help adults understand that doing science looks different at different developmental stages;
  • To model facilitation strategies that encourage the use of science process skills by early learners;
  • And to thereby increase caregivers’ ability and confidence to engage the very young children in their lives in science activities.