Measuring Game

Source: Games Without Music For Children
Category: GAMES FOR THE SCHOOLROOM



Before playing this game, the children should be well accustomed to the
use of the foot-rule, marked with inches (cost, &c.[1]). Each child
should have a foot-rule and measure its book, pencil, desk, &c.; it
should also be taught to draw lines of different lengths with the rule
on its slate; thus, teacher might say, 'Draw a standing-up (vertical)
line six inches long,' or, 'Draw a lying-down (horizontal) line four
inches long,' and so on. The children will thus get accustomed to
estimating the length and breadth of objects, and will be able to play
the game.

Suppose the slate to be the object chosen, the teacher holds it up so
that all may see it, and then repeats the lines:

Think it over carefully,
And tell me what the length may be
Of this slate.

The children who are ready to answer then put their hands out, and the
one who guesses correctly (or most nearly correctly) has the privilege
of asking the next question, and stands in front of the class in
readiness. Before proceeding, however, the first object should be
measured, so that all may see that the answer was correct.

Perhaps the pencil may be the next object chosen, or a window-pane,
ball-frame, desk, duster, book, &c., and instead of length, we may
have breadth. The words would then be:

Think it over carefully,
And tell me what the breadth may be
Of this window-pane.

The children should be taught to listen attentively, so that they may
know whether length or breadth is to be guessed; the meaning of the two
terms should, of course, be explained previously.

If circular objects are chosen for measurement, the word 'girth' must be
substituted for 'length.' This form of object should only be used for
the older children, as it is much more difficult. To measure a circular
object, a string should be passed round it, and the string should then
be measured with the foot-rule.

Sometimes the word height may be substituted, as, for instance, in
measuring the height of a plant or a child. The children will enjoy the
latter very much.

Twelve inches make a foot,
And nine a quarter-yard,
The half-yard eighteen inches takes,
To learn this is not hard.

[1] Appendix II.


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