Sometimes children ask us questions like, “Mom, why can’t we touch stars?”, “Why can’t we fly to the moon?” We do not have to give the scientific answer to the child at the moment, but what we can do is teach them about objects that are far and near to us and clear their doubts. But how to teach near and far concept? Below, we have covered the concept of near and far for kindergarten children in detail, which will help them understand the concept easily.
Let’s begin!
Near And Far Concept With Examples
Let’s take a look at the concept of near and far for kids. In order to understand the two terms, here is the definition of near and far:
Near: It means that the object/person is at or a short distance away or nearby.
Far: It means that the object/person is at, to, or by a great distance.
Let us understand what is near and far with the help of near and far examples:
Take a look at the image given below:
In the image, the girl is near or at a short distance, and the boy is far or at a great distance.
1) Nearer And Farther Example
When we compare the distances of two objects from a third object, we compare it using the words nearer or farther. When the object is located at a shorter distance than the other object, the object is nearer than the other object. When an object is located at a longer distance than the other object, the object is farther than the other object.
Let’s understand this with the help of an example.
In the image given above,
The book is at a shorter distance from the lamp than the cup. So, the book is nearer to the lamp than the cup.
The cup is at a longer distance from the lamp than the book. So, the cup is farther from the lamp than the book.
Did you know?
The moon and the sun appear at the same distance from Earth, but the sun is farther away than the moon.
2) Nearest And Farthest Example
When we compare distances of three or more objects, we use the words nearest or farthest. When the object is at the shortest distance among all the objects, it is the nearest. When the object is at the longest distance among all the objects, it is the farthest.
Let’s understand this with the help of an example and pictures of near and far objects.
In the image given above,
Horse number 1 is at the shortest distance among all the horses. So, horse number 1 is nearest to the finish line.
Horse number 4 is at the longest distance among all the horses. So, horse number 4 is the farthest from the finish line.
Did you know?
The farthest object in space that we can see in the night sky is the Andromeda Galaxy.
Why Is It Important To Understand Near And Far Concept For Young Kids?
There are numerous benefits of teaching near and far concepts to kids. Let’s read about some of them.
- It helps them to identify the distance between two objects or people.
- It helps them to specify near and far objects in their surroundings.
Activities To Help Your Child Understand Near And Far Concept
Here are some near and far activity for kindergarten kids that will help them understand the concept easily.
1. Pick An Object
Ask your child to go and bring you the nearest and the farthest object in the room. This activity will help the kids to identify which object is near and which one is far, which will further help them to have basic knowledge about distance, a concept they will learn in detail in higher classes.
2. Circle The Objects
On a sheet, take a print of a few things far from us, like the moon, sun, stars, etc., and a few things near us, like a house, tree, phone, etc. Now give this sheet to your kid and ask them to circle the things that are far from us.
3. Hoopla Game
Arrange some sweet treats like toffees, chocolates, muffins, etc., on a table at a distance from each other. Make your child stand at some distance and hand them a hoopla ring. Ask them to throw the hoopla ring onto the nearest or the farthest treat, and they can have it.
We hope the ideas for teaching near and far mentioned above in the article helped you to teach your little one about this concept. Ensure that you make your child practice this on a regular basis so that they don’t forget the concept.
Also Read:
Concept of More and Less for Preschoolers
Inside and Outside Concept for Kindergarten Kids
How to Teach the Concept of Tall and Short to Preschoolers
