Introduce students to the idea that units are somewhat arbitrary. That is, the units used in the United States are not the same as those used in Europe or Asia. Students should understand that measurement does not rely on predefined units. Customary games or activities that emphasize this fact tend to have students create their own nonstandard units, and then use these units to measure objects. For example, students can use their hands, chopsticks or pencils as rules, measuring things around the classroom.
Familiarize students with estimation, which is an important part of measurement. Students will find that as they become more accustomed to measuring and more familiar with the units used in measuring, they will improve their estimation abilities. Many common games and activities give students opportunities to practice their estimation skills. For example, the teacher might conduct a lesson in which she holds up various items, eliciting the estimated measurements from students.
Work with students to compare objects. In many practical situations, the purpose of measuring objects is to compare them. There are a variety of customary activities and games that allow students to compare items through measurement. One simple and energetic activity is to have students choose an arbitrary item with which to compare other items. The students then move about the classroom, comparing their items with other items. In the end, students could each create a Venn diagram that shows which items were larger and which were smaller than the chosen object, and which were the same size.
Introduce more advanced forms of measurement as students become more familiar with the basic types of measurements and units. For example, after students are familiar with the measurements of length and area, educators should begin teaching volume. To solidify all that has been learned, the educator can enact an activity or game in which students must determine how to measure an object. For younger students, this activity might be a simple quiz game, with the educator asking basic measuring questions, such as “What should I use to find my weight?”, and the students answering.