Heart Math - Love Theme

We used chestnuts from our Winter Nature Table to explore concepts of measurement.  Non standard units of measurement can be used to develop children's measuring skills as long as each object is about the same size.  If you don't have chestnuts, you could use items like pennies, same size buttons, almonds, or uncooked pasta.  
From construction paper, I cut out three different size hearts and gathered three different size measuring cups.  
She learned about volume by filling each of the three cups with chestnuts, and she compared their different sizes by counting how many chestnuts filled each cup.


She measured each heart's area by placing chestnuts on top of the heart and counting how many chestnuts it took to cover it.  
She discovered each heart's perimeter by placing chestnuts around the edge of the heart and counting how many chestnuts it took to surround it.  


We talk about our favorite thing each night before bed, and Miss E said that playing with the chestnuts and hearts was her favorite part of the day.  Isn't it great that we can make math playful for kids and teach them at the same time?!