Measuring
Grade 4 · Math
Explore numbers, spot patterns and explain how you worked it out.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
Area of rectangles
Different rectangles can have the same area. Sort rectangles and squares by area in cm² in this
Play Area of rectanglesConverting units of time
3 minutes is 180 seconds and 5 weeks is 35 days. Match units of time in this
Play Converting units of time
Learning about measuring
These Grade 4 Math games practice Area of rectangles, Converting units of time. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Use counters, a drawing or a number line before moving to a mental method. Ask your child to explain a choice, then change one number and try the method again.
Ask: “How could you show the same answer another way?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Area of rectangles
In this game children work out the area of rectangles and sort them into groups with the same area. A 12 cm by 1 cm strip and a 4 cm by 3 cm rectangle look very different but both cover 12 cm², so the game shows that shapes with the same area can have very different perimeters.
Try an example: What is the area of a rectangle 9 cm by 4 cm?
9 × 4 = 36.
Show the answer
36 cm²
What to look out for
Adding the sides instead of multiplying. Adding the sides gives the perimeter. Area counts the squares inside, so multiply.
Converting units of time
In this game children match times in one unit to the same time in another, such as 3 minutes and 180 seconds. Knowing the key facts, 60, 60, 7 and 12, and multiplying or dividing by them, is the whole skill.
Try an example: 2 hours
2 × 60 = 120.
Show the answer
120 minutes
What to look out for
Using 100 instead of 60 for minutes and seconds. Time is not decimal. There are 60 minutes in an hour.
Practice away from the screen
- Measure a tablemat or a book and work out its area.
- Ask how many minutes until bedtime, then how many seconds.
Curriculum connections
Area of rectangles
Supports part of Common Core 4.MD.A.3: the area formula for rectangles. This focused game does not cover the entire standard.
Common Core connection: 4.MD.A.3. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Converting units of time
Supports part of Common Core 4.MD.A.1: hours, minutes and seconds within one system of units. Weeks, days, years and months are added for practice. This focused game does not cover the entire standard.
Common Core connection: 4.MD.A.1. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with measuring?
Start with Area of rectangles. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. These games provide focused practice. Grade suggestions do not replace your school’s curriculum, and any Common Core connection applies only to the skill described.