Learning Measurement without Rulers

My first-grader just started learning how to measure recently in math class. The teacher said that the students will not being using rulers this year. I am definitely puzzled about how he can learn to measure without using a ruler. Do you have any activities that we can do to help him learn this concept? -- For Rulers
Answer: When people first measured objects, they used non-standard units of measure, such as the length of a king's foot or the span of a person's hand. When children measure all sorts of different things using non-standard units, they learn what measurement means. It is a meaningful way for them to learn this important concept.
Typically, children learn to measure length first, as it is the easiest of measurements for them to understand. Here are some activities that you can use at home to help your son truly understand this measurement. Ask your child questions like: "How many steps is it across the bedroom or dining room?" Have him pace the steps across the bedroom, counting them as he goes along. After he paces off two rooms, ask: "Which of the two rooms is longer?" Then you can ask him to count how many steps it is to the mailbox or even around the block. Your son also can measure length by using a paper clip chain. Ask him how many paper clips long such items as a pencil, carrot or magazine are.
Another measurement activity is to help your child make a thumb ruler. He will need a strip of paper about one foot long, a felt-tip pen with washable ink and a collection of items less than one foot long, such as a dinner knife, a spoon, a shoe and a book.
Next, have your child ink his thumb and make a line of thumbprints on the strip of paper to form a "thumb ruler." Have your child place the strip of thumbprints along an item such as a dinner knife. For example, how many thumbprints long is a dinner knife, a piece of spaghetti or a toothbrush? Mark the length of an item on the strip in pencil. Then have him count the number of thumbprints in the length of each item. Ask questions such as "Which item is longer?" and "How much longer is it?