How Far Can You Toss a Squishy Sponge Ball?
Young children use measurement in many of their everyday activities. They compare objects by weight, height, length or capacity and use words like “bigger,” “shorter,” or “longer” to make comparisons between objects. In this activity, you'll help your child compare and measure with an outdoor game that's fun for the whole family.
Materials
Directions
Cut each sponge into three long rectangular strips. Tip: Wet the sponges and squeeze the water out to make them easier to work with.
Lay three rectangular strips of different colors side by side. Stack another three rectangular strips on top. Repeat one more time. You should have three stacks of three rectangular sponge strips.
Next, use the rubber band to tie the stacks of rectangular sponge strips together on the center. Now, you have a sponge ball!
Fill your bucket with water. Take 10 steps away from your bucket, counting out loud each step. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 steps.” Mark this place as your starting point (you can use the chalk) and try to toss your sponge ball into the bucket.
Time to measure! How far did you throw your sponge bomb? Did it hit the water bucket? Mark your sponge ball’s location with a rock or stick and measure the distance with your footsteps. One step, two steps, three steps away? How many more steps would you need to take to hit the bucket?
Go again! Throw the sponge ball from the starting point and mark how far you tossed it. Now compare. Ask your child, "Did your sponge ball go farther or closer?" "Was this throw bigger or smaller?" "How do you know?" Repeat as many times as you want. You can mark your attempts with the chalk.
Explore Further
- Compete with friends and family to see who can throw the farthest and shortest and who can hit the target.
- Use a tape measure or a ruler to measure how far you can throw your sponge ball, then record your distance in a graph.
- For a more colorful time, use washable paint instead of water and measure your paint splotches.
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