A fun 10-minute activity to do with your child!
Your child is learning about perimeter (the distance around a shape) and area (the space inside a shape) in math class. These are important skills for the Florida FAST test, and they're used every day in real life - from measuring rooms to building fences! Below are simple activities you can do at home to help your child succeed. No math expertise needed!
Choose a rectangular room, rug, or table to measure. Have your child measure the length and width (in feet or inches).
Ask: "If we wanted to put tape around the edges of this table, how much tape would we need?" Have them calculate the perimeter by adding all four sides.
Then ask: "If we wanted to cover this table with paper, how much paper would we need?" Have them calculate the area by multiplying length times width.
Compare the two answers. Discuss why perimeter is in regular units (feet) but area is in square units (square feet).
"We use perimeter when we need to go AROUND something - like putting a fence around a yard or a frame around a picture. We use area when we need to COVER something - like carpet for a floor or paint for a wall."
Say: "Let's design a garden! You have 24 feet of fencing. That's your perimeter. What size rectangle can you make?"
Help your child try different combinations: 10x2, 9x3, 8x4, 7x5, 6x6. (All have perimeter = 24 feet)
Calculate the area of each garden. Ask: "Which garden shape gives you the MOST planting space (area)?"
Discover together that the 6x6 square gives the most area (36 sq ft). Squares are special!
"Same perimeter can give different areas! A shape that's more square-like has more area than a long, thin rectangle with the same perimeter."
Just 10 minutes of hands-on practice at home builds confidence and real understanding. Perimeter and area are everywhere - from planning a room layout to estimating how much paint to buy. Thank you for being part of your child's learning journey!
Su hijo esta aprendiendo sobre perimetro (la distancia alrededor de una figura) y area (el espacio dentro de una figura). Para el perimetro, sumamos todos los lados. Para el area, multiplicamos largo por ancho. El perimetro usa unidades regulares (pies, metros). El area usa unidades cuadradas (pies cuadrados). Las actividades de arriba usan medidas de habitaciones y disenar jardines para practicar. Gracias por apoyar el aprendizaje de su hijo!