Area

Do you have a big, soft rug on your floor? I am the cozy space where you sit and play with your toys. Do you like to draw pictures on a smooth piece of paper? I am the space you fill with bright, happy colors, right inside the lines. When it rains, do you see a shiny puddle on the ground? I am the splashy space where your boots go splish, splash, splish. I am the flat part of everything, the part you can touch and feel. I am the space inside all the shapes you know, like circles and squares and triangles. I am the space inside things. My name is Area.

A long, long, long time ago, farmers needed to know about me. They had big gardens where they grew yummy carrots and sweet green beans. They wanted to make sure everyone had enough space to grow food for their families. How did they measure me? They used little squares, like tiny tiles on a floor. They would lay them down one by one. One square, two squares, three squares. They would count all the little squares to see how big their garden was. This helped them be fair and share the land so everyone could grow lots of food to eat.

Today, I am everywhere you play. I am the space on the warm baking sheet where you put your yummy cookies. I am the floor in your dollhouse where your little friends have a party. I am the special spot on the wall where you hang your beautiful paintings. I am all around you, helping you build, create, and imagine. I am the special space for all your wonderful ideas. Look around, can you see me everywhere?