Longer or shorter, taller or smaller, which holds more: measure snakes with blocks, read a ruler, walk an ant around a playground and tile a rug.
The big ideas
What the levels teach, in grown-up words.
Compare from the same starting line. Two things can only be compared fairly when they start at the same place. Then the one that reaches further is longer.
Measuring is counting units. Blocks laid end to end with no gaps tell you how long something is in blocks. A ruler is just blocks that are all the same size, with numbers printed on.
Start at zero. On a ruler the length is the difference between the start and the end. If something starts at 3 and ends at 10, it is 7 long, not 10.
Tall is not always more. How much a container holds depends on its width as well as its height. Pouring cups is the way to find out.
Perimeter goes around; area covers. Perimeter is the distance all the way around the edge. Area is how many squares it takes to cover the inside: rows times columns.
Try it at home
Quick experiments that match the game.
Foot ruler. Measure a room in footsteps, heel to toe. Does a grown-up get the same number? Why not?
Block measuring. Measure a book, a shoe and a spoon with building blocks or paper clips. Order them from shortest to longest.
Pouring test. Pick a tall glass and a wide bowl. Guess which holds more, then fill each with a small cup and count.
Walk the perimeter. Walk around the edge of a rug or a table counting steps. Then cover the rug with sheets of paper and count the area.
Ask after playing:
If a crayon starts at 2 on the ruler and ends at 9, how long is it?
Why did the wide bowl hold more than the tall glass?
What is the difference between perimeter and area?