How can you tell they’ve got it: Capacity and volume?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Measure capacity by counting how many cups fill a container; Begin to use litres as a unit of capacity; Record capacity measurements with a number and unit. Or just try it together: If your child fills a jug using a small cup, can they count how many cups it takes — and understand that this tells you how much the jug holds?

Mathematics Measurement Ages 5–6

Capacity and volume

Your child can measure how much a container holds, like counting how many cups fill a jug. They are starting to use litres.

In curriculum terms

Measure and begin to record capacity and volume using non-standard and standard units

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Measure capacity by counting how many cups fill a container
Begin to use litres as a unit of capacity
Record capacity measurements with a number and unit

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

If your child fills a jug using a small cup, can they count how many cups it takes — and understand that this tells you how much the jug holds?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Comparing Capacityages 4–6Measuring capacity with units requires first being able to compare capacities

Capacity and volumethis skill · ages 5–6

Unlocks

Choosing measurement unitsages 6–7Using standard units for capacity extends from beginning to measure capacity

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

Show candidate curriculum codes · 3 ACARA · 2 NSW · 1 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9M2M01medium confidenceYear 2 · Measurement

measure and compare objects based on length, capacity and mass using appropriate uniform informal units and smaller units for accuracy when necessary

AC9MFM01low confidenceFoundation · Measurement

identify and compare attributes of objects and events, including length, capacity, mass and duration, using direct comparisons and communicating reasoning

AC9M1M02low confidenceYear 1 · Measurement

measure the length of shapes and objects using informal units, recognising that units need to be uniform and used end-to-end

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

MA1-3DS-02medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 1

MA1-GM-02low confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 1

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2M2M01low confidenceMathematics · Level 2 · Measurement strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Coin Valuesages 5–6 Days, Weeks, Months & Yearsages 5–6 Measuring length and heightages 5–6 Measuring mass and weightages 5–6

All Measurement skills →