Introduce your students to the concept of measuring length with informal units using this fun and hands-on activity! The Measure It! Informal Units Length Activity is perfect for building early measurement skills through exploration and comparison. Designed with younger learners in mind, this resource provides a tactile and engaging entry point into Maths that will build confidence before students transition to using formal units like centimetres or metres.

Students will love selecting their own measuring tools from a variety of familiar classroom materials such as paperclips, blocks, matchsticks, or MAB units. They’ll then use these informal units to measure themed images provided in the activity. Each image offers a different shape and length, allowing students to make comparisons and develop their understanding of measurement in context. This open-ended structure helps reinforce that measurement is about comparing and quantifying, not just numbers on a ruler.

The activity includes three fun and familiar themes – farm, transport, and under the sea – that are sure to spark student interest and encourage discussion. Whether students are measuring a tractor, a submarine or a pig, they’ll be developing key maths skills without even realising it! Teachers can encourage students to estimate first, then measure, promoting deeper reasoning and reflection on their measurement strategies.

Key Learning Outcomes

• ✅ Recognise and use informal units to measure length
• ✅ Develop estimation and comparison skills using hands-on methods
• ✅ Build foundational understanding of how and why we measure
• ✅ Identify differences in length and record findings using consistent tools

What’s Included

• 3 themed sets of image measuring cards:
• - Farm
• - Transport
• - Under the sea
• Student recording sheet for writing down results and chosen measuring units

Materials Needed

• Printed image cards and recording sheets
• Scissors (if cutting cards apart)
• Informal measuring tools such as:
• - Paperclips
• - Matchsticks
• - MAB units
• - Unifix cubes
• - Small pencils or counters

How to Use

1. Print and prepare the themed image cards and recording sheets.
2. Provide each student or group with a set of images and a selection of informal measurement tools.
3. Students choose one type of measuring item for each image, estimate the length, then measure and record their answer.
4. Encourage students to discuss their findings, especially when different items produce different totals.

Ideas for Classroom Use

• 💡 Use in Maths rotations as part of a practical measurement station
• 💡 Integrate into an early childhood measurement unit as a warm-up or review activity
• 💡 Invite students to compare which informal unit was easiest or most accurate to use
• 💡 Create an outdoor extension by asking students to find and measure real-world classroom objects

Top Teacher Tips

• 💛 Laminate image cards and recording sheets for long-term use and easy clean-up
• 💛 Store themed sets separately to match your current classroom topic
• 💛 Offer students choice over their measuring tools to increase ownership and motivation
• 💛 Add a classroom display showcasing student estimates versus actual results

This resource is a wonderful way to introduce young learners to the concept of measurement using hands-on, inquiry-based learning. With visual themes, open-ended recording and tactile engagement, your students will be building measurement knowledge in a fun and memorable way.

This resource is also available in an Easter theme.