Long and short are about how far something reaches. To compare, line them up at the same start. Which ribbon goes farther?
Key idea
Line up the starts. The one that ends farthest away is the longest.
For the grown-up: Compare spoons, pencils or socks by laying them side by side with the ends lined up. If the starts don’t match, it’s easy to be fooled, so show how to line them up. Keep screen time short: two or three problems, then play.
- Try it at home: Compare two pieces of string.
- Find something longer than your hand.
- Make a long snake and a short snake from play dough.