What to do with this activity?
The standard units we use to weigh things in Ireland are kilograms (kilos for short) and grams. Children learn about them in first and second class on the Irish Primary School Curriculum.
There are 1000 grams in one kilogram. "Kilo" actually means "one thousand". So half a kilo is 500 grams, and a quarter of a kilo is 250 grams.
When you are shopping or cooking, show them how kilos and grams are written on food packages and in recipes. Kilos are usually written as "kg" and grams are shortened to "g".
At home, get out the kitchen scales and show them how to weigh different items that you find around the house. Experiment with different food items - tins, packets of sugar, fruit and vegetables. Notice how size is not always an indication of weight. Some items are very light, even though they take up a lot of space. If you have bathroom scales, discover what weight your child is in kilos.
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Why am I doing this?
Children learn numbers and maths in a natural way through play and everyday activities. It’s different to school and should always be fun and practical – that way your child will enjoy working with numbers.
Your child also develops a sense of patterns and what time means in everyday life. This is important for helping your child to manage everyday activities – going places, how long they have to wait and understanding when things will happen in the future.
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How can I do more?
Talking about numbers helps your child’s fluency in counting, estimating and understanding numbers and money in everyday life. It takes time for children to understand addition and subtraction so use objects when helping them understand this or when doing their homework.
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