How can you tell they’ve got it: Comparing Lengths & Heights?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Stand two children back-to-back and say who is taller/shorter; Directly compare the heights of two towers and describe one as taller; Use 'longer' and 'shorter' to compare two ribbons placed side by side. Or just try it together: If your child stands next to the kitchen table and the front door, can they tell you which is taller — and whether they themselves are shorter or taller than each one?

Mathematics Measurement Ages 4–6

Comparing Lengths & Heights

Your child can compare two objects and say which is longer, shorter, taller or lower. They can stand back-to-back to see who is taller.

In curriculum terms

Compare two objects directly by length or height and describe the difference using language such as long, short, tall, longer, shorter, taller, double, half

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.

Stand two children back-to-back and say who is taller/shorter
Directly compare the heights of two towers and describe one as taller
Use 'longer' and 'shorter' to compare two ribbons placed side by side

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Try this together

If your child stands next to the kitchen table and the front door, can they tell you which is taller — and whether they themselves are shorter or taller than each one?

Where this sits on the map

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

Builds on

Measurable Attributes of Objectsages 4–6Comparing lengths/heights requires first identifying length as a measurable attribute

Comparing Lengths & Heightsthis skill · ages 4–6

Unlocks

Measuring length and heightages 5–6Measuring length with units requires first being able to compare lengths directly

Measuring lengthages 6–7Ordering 3 objects by length and indirect comparison extends direct length comparison

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 · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9M2M01low 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

AC9M1M01low confidenceYear 1 · Measurement

compare directly and indirectly and order objects and events using attributes of length, mass, capacity and duration, communicating reasoning

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

MAE-GM-02medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Early Stage 1

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

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2M1M01low confidenceMathematics · Level 1 · Measurement strand

VC2M2M01low confidenceMathematics · Level 2 · Measurement strand

VC2MFM01low confidenceMathematics · Foundation · 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

Comparing Capacityages 4–6 Comparing durationsages 4–6 Measurable Attributes of Objectsages 4–6 Measuring mass and weightages 4–6

All Measurement skills →