What Is Long And Short? When we say something is long or short, we assess its measurement. In simple words, we can say that when we measure an object or if we say that the object is long or short, it means that: We are talking about the length of the object. We are concluding that an object is longer or shorter than others.

Words such as long and short seem very simple, but actually they can be difficult for children to understand. This is because they are quite abstract words – the concept of “long” depends on what else is around it. So, a ruler might seem long if you compare it to a rubber and a pencil, but short if you compare it to a football pitch!

Show children how to indicate length with two hands in the air separated by some distance for long, more distance for longer, and even more distance for longest. Do the opposite for short, shorter, and shortest. If children have difficulty, help them make the indicated lengths.