What your child will discover
Help the child understand that temperature describes how hot or cold something is. Teach that a thermometer measures temperature more reliably than guessing by touch.
Lesson 169 of 300
What Is Temperature?
Understand temperature as a measure of how hot or cold something is and learn that touch alone may be unsafe or inaccurate.
3–4 yearsWorld, Shapes & CommunityAdult guided
World, Shapes & Community · KnowledgeForKids.com
Listen together · adult controls the audio
The spoken lesson
"Temperature tells us how hot or cold something is. A thermometer measures temperature. Different thermometers measure air, food, water, objects, or the body. Temperature may be shown in degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit. Touch can notice some differences, but touch cannot always tell whether something is safe. A caregiver checks bath water, cooked food, weather, and body temperature using the correct method. Normal body temperature can vary, and the measurement method matters. Never touch a stove, heater, hot pan, or unknown surface to test it. A thermometer measures temperature, and the caregiver decides what is safe." DESIGN REQUIREMENTS: Use generic digital thermometers and accurate scales. Do not use glass mercury thermometers, medical diagnosis, fever alarms, extreme-temperature stunts, or child-controlled testing.
Words to notice together
TEMPERATUREHOTWARMCOOLCOLDTHERMOMETERCELSIUSFAHRENHEIT
Make it real
Pause, point, name what you notice, and connect the idea to something familiar in your child's day. Repetition, a calm voice, shared attention and dependable care matter more than finishing quickly.