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Valentine’s Size Sequencing Measurement Activity

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no cost to you, I may earn a small sum if you click through and make a purchase.

February 11, 2019 by Sarah Punkoney, MAT

Need a Valentine’s Day math activity for your preschool math centers? This measurement activity for preschoolers teaching size matching and sequencing, and it includes a free printable to add to your Valentine’s math centers.

Check out all my best math activities for preschoolers here.

Teach Size Sequencing with Measurement Activity for Preschoolers

size sequencing measurement activities for preschoolers
All you need is a simple set of nesting cookie cutters for this heart measurement activity.

I don’t know if it was the heart cookie cutters or the “new” math tray, but my preschoolers love this measurement activity and are always asking, “You know, the wood box with the hearts in it? Can I do that activity right now?”

Yes, of course!

Of course, it is ok with me that my preschooler keeps herself busy learning about size differences, sequencing, and even some patterning.

Now, I have to admit something…

I’m kinda’ a sucker for nesting cookie cutters like these. They come around Walmart, Target, and even sometimes the Dollar Store for just about every holiday and I ALWAYS snag a few sets because they are fantastic for teaching a ton of math skills!

And I mean a ton!

And they’re pretty fun for process art, too.

But when I grabbed these heart shaped cookie cutters I had a specific idea in mind.

A Valentine’s tray for my math preschool center.

  • Valentine's Day Activity Pack
    Valentine’s Day Activity Pack
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  • Friendship Circle Time Activity Pack
    Friendship Circle Time Activity Pack
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FAQ About Teaching Measurement to Preschoolers

How do you introduce measurement to preschoolers?

Most kids are eager to learn concepts of measurement since it’s easy to see real-life applications. Generally, children are introduced to the idea by making matches, comparing sizes, then trying out some non-standard measurement. 

In preschool, it’s not developmentally appropriate to use rulers and other standard forms of measurement. Rather, focus on beginning concepts and foundational skills.

What are some measurement skills for preschoolers?

In preschool, measurement skills include:

> measuring height, length, and weight in non-standard units
> recognizing quantities that are more and less
> identify most and least in quantities and volume
> identify big, medium, and small, as well as the terms bigger and smaller
> ordering up to 5 objects by size in both ascending and descending order

As with all the other strands of mathematics, the study of measurement provides a foundation for more advanced concepts of measurement that will be learned in later years. These skills are all covered in the Daily Lessons in Preschool Mathematics Measurement Unit.

How do I write measurement preschool lesson plans?

Measurement lesson plans for preschoolers should include a range of hands-on and engaging activities that are developmentally appropriate. They should be systematic and the skills should progress by targeting the skills listed above.

The Daily Lessons in Preschool Mathematics Measurement Unit includes everything you need to teach measurement skills to your preschooler and takes the guesswork out of teaching measuring skills to preschoolers.

Related Reading

The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Measurement in Preschool
  • These daily lessons in measurement are available in our preschool measurement lesson plans. They provide engaging daily lessons, hands-on activities, centers, and much more.
    Daily Lessons in Measurement Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart

Heart Themed Measurement Activity for Preschoolers

There are a lot of different directions you can take this activity using just two set of nesting heart shaped cookie cutters. Here are a few skills to consider:

  • size matching
  • sequencing
  • comparing

These are all skills related to teaching measurement to preschoolers.

Materials

  • nesting heart shaped cookie cutters
  • FREE printable from the end of this post

If you want to make your own, it’s really simple. Just trace around each cookie cutter using a color coordinated marker. But the free printable will certainly save you time!

Heart-Themed Measurement Activity for Preschoolers
The hearts on this free printable are designed to match the most common nesting heart cookie cutters.

The Set-up

Print and laminate the printable at the end of this post. Cut in half and laminate for added durability.

Place the task cards in a tray with two sets of heart-shaped nesting cookie cutters.

Invite your preschooler to start making matches!

The Heart Themed Measurement Activity

After introducing these cards to my preschoolers, I like to leave the tray in my Valentine’s math center. The printable includes cards with single hearts as well as multiple hearts on the same task card.

The idea is to match the heart cookie cutters to the corresponding hearts printed on the task cards.

Measurement Activity for Preschoolers with Printable Heart Cards
Preschoolers practice making matches as well as practice size sequencing.
  • These daily lessons in measurement are available in our preschool measurement lesson plans. They provide engaging daily lessons, hands-on activities, centers, and much more.
    Daily Lessons in Measurement Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart
  • These daily lessons in preschool positions and patterns are designed to guide you through daily lessons, centers, vocabulary development and a deep dive into the math topic while still being developmentally appropriate for preschoolers.
    Daily Lessons in Positions & Patterns Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart

The task cards use up to four nesting cookie cutters, so your preschooler will have to not only find the right color to match but also the right size. This adds a little extra challenge for those who need it.

Child Using Heart Cookie Cutters in a Measurement Activity for Preschoolers
This preschooler is loving this heart size measurement activity for Valentine’s Day.

This is more difficult if some of the sizes are missing from the task card because then the preschooler has less information to work with when deciding on which cookie cutter might be the correct size.

Measurement Activity for Preschoolers with Heart Cookie Cutters
Preschoolers can use these task cards to work on concepts of measurement.

There are sixteen different task cards included, meaning you can meet a wide range of skills in your preschool classroom.

Of course, for an even bigger challenge, you can invite your preschoolers to make up new pattern cards, too!

Free Printable Cards for Measurement Activity for Preschoolers
This is an easy size sequencing activity for preschoolers that requires nearly no prep at all! Just print, cut once, and teach!
  • These daily lessons in measurement are available in our preschool measurement lesson plans. They provide engaging daily lessons, hands-on activities, centers, and much more.
    Daily Lessons in Measurement Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart
  • Daily Lessons in Graphing Preschool Math Unit
    Daily Lessons in Graphing Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart

Don’t Forget Picture Books for Valentine’s Day

As with all our other activities, this one was paired with some of our favorite books. I know my kids always look forward to seeing what new books I have to read with our activities, and I’m fairly certain they’d let me read to them all day long if I could.

Below are a few of the books we read specifically for this activity, as well as some others in our Valentine’s home library.

This simple activity is a perfect one to teach kids to measure in early childhood. Through matching heart cookie cutters, preschoolers learn and reinforce sequencing and order skills, measuring skills, size and color differentiation, and puzzles and patterning. And these cite little nesting cookie cutters become a measurement tool, too!

Grab Your FREE Cookie Cutter Task Cards Here

Think this is a math tray you need in your Valentine’s preschool centers? You can grab your own free copy by clicking the image below!

Then keep reading for more free Valentines’s printables and measurement activities for preschoolers, too!

Get Measurement Lesson Plans!

This Daily Lessons in Preschool Mathematics Measurement Unit includes everything you need to teach measurement skills to your preschooler.

Daily Lessons in Preschool Mathematics is a complete and comprehensive curriculum designed to teach your preschooler all five disciplines of math without the boring worksheets!

  • These daily lessons in measurement are available in our preschool measurement lesson plans. They provide engaging daily lessons, hands-on activities, centers, and much more.
    Daily Lessons in Measurement Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart

Looking for More Ideas for Kids to Learn How to Measure?

Comparing and Measuring Activities for Preschoolers
Fall Sunflowers Preschool Science Center
Free Ice Cream Cone Measurement Cards
Sarah Punkoney, MAT

I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.

stayathomeeducator.com/

Filed Under: Geometry, Mathematics, measurement, Printables, Shapes, Thematic Activities, Valentine's Day Tagged With: featured

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Trackbacks

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    […] in with baking soda! A simple set of heart shape cookie cutters in varying sizes is also a great math activity. Why not use them for tracing […]

  2. How to Make a Layered Hearts Valentine's Craft for Preschoolers says:
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    […] a mix of scissor cutting skills and measurement, all tied up in a cute and simple preschool craft for Valentine’s […]

  3. Valentines Day Math - Stress Free Math for Kids says:
    February 4, 2019 at 10:05 pm

    […] Heart Cookie Cutter Matching: A Measurement Activity. […]

  4. Five Valentine's Day Math Activities from One Free Printable says:
    April 12, 2019 at 1:54 pm

    […] For really young preschoolers (2-3 years), just let them add the pattern blocks however they choose. Simply being allowed to “play” with the pattern blocks helps the child build spatial awareness and fine motor skills, and it builds their confidence and independence as they get to make their own choices. Sit down next to the children and talk about the shapes and colors they are choosing and model making matches. […]

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