Tellus Science Museum opens interactive exhibit teaching children how to measure

Measuring might feel like math in the classroom, but at the Tellus Science Museum, it looks a lot more like playtime.

A new hands-on exhibit is helping children learn how to measure by using their own hands, feet, and imagination, turning an everyday skill into an interactive experience that feels more like fun than homework.

Ever wondered how tall you are in your own feet? At the museum, kids can find out. Measuring themselves with their hands or feet is just one of the ways young visitors are learning basic measurement skills without even realizing they are doing math.

"Measurement is something you use every day," said Amy Gramsey, director of curatorial services at the Tellus Science Museum. "You're measuring something to put on a wall. You want to know how long it is and how wide it is."

The traveling exhibit, "Measurement Rules," replaces rulers and worksheets with movement and creativity. Instead of memorizing numbers, children use their bodies to explore how heavy, how tall or how long something really is.

"If you put your foot in here and slide it up and down, it measures your foot size," Gramsey said. "Then you stand against it and move the arrow, and it tells you how many feet tall you are — using your own feet."

The exhibit also introduces traditional tools such as tape and scales, along with creative alternatives. One station challenges kids to measure time by counting "Mississippis," then shows whether they were going too fast or too slow.

For educators and parents, it's a chance to see learning happen in real time.

"Anything they get to physically do themselves is a great learning opportunity for kids," said Macie Street, a first-grade teacher with Cobb County Schools.

For the kids, though, it's all about fun.

"They're already asking when our next field trip is," Street said. "It really brings learning to life and helps them understand what they're being taught."

Families can visit the Measurement Rules exhibit at the Tellus Science Museum through May 3.