Interactive and Engaging Ways to Teach Perimeter and Area

Perimeter and area are two of those math skills that sound simple on the surface, but they can leave students scratching their heads once they have to apply them to real-world situations. Is perimeter the outside or the inside? Why does one use addition and the other multiplication?

It’s easy to mix the two up, but with the right visuals, movement, and hands-on practice, these concepts can click in a really natural way! Let’s look at a few fun and interactive ways to help students understand and remember the difference between perimeter and area.

Plus, I’ll share how we use our Perimeter and Area Interactive Notebook Activities to reinforce what we learn.

Start with Something They Can See (and Touch!)

Before students jump into formulas, it helps to make perimeter and area real.

Start simple: grab some grid paper or square tiles and have students explore. Ask them to outline a shape with tiles, then count how many units go around (perimeter) and how many fill the inside (area). When they see it physically, the difference becomes more obvious.

You can also get them up and moving!

• Walk the Perimeter: Use string, yarn, or even painter’s tape to outline classroom objects like desks or rugs. Measure each side, then add up the total distance.

• Color the Area: On graph paper, have students color in shapes and count the number of square units that fit inside.

  
  

These kinds of simple activities make a great introduction before you show them the formulas. Plus, you can have students glue or draw examples right into their math notebooks so they have a visual reference later to look back on if they forget.

Bring It Together with Interactive Notebooks for Perimeter and Area

Once students understand the difference between perimeter and area and how to find each, it’s time to organize what they’ve learned. That’s where our Perimeter and Area Interactive Notebook Activities come in.

Interactive notebooks give students a hands-on way to sort, fold, and visualize math concepts while also creating their very own personal reference tool. Our perimeter and area interactive notebook activities include a notes section to break down the formulas step-by-step, then a practice foldable with space beneath each flap to use the formula to find perimeter or area. Once they’re finished, they can complete the short “Quick Check” to turn in as an exit ticket, a brief assessment, or they can also cut and paste this into their notebooks for more examples to look back on later!

I love using these after our hands-on lessons, because the kids can connect the tactile learning we did earlier with what’s now written in their notebooks. It’s a great way to transition from simply exploring concepts to confidently applying them, and the notebooks become super handy for review later in the year.

Add Some Movement and Creativity

But remember, math doesn’t have to stay inside the notebook! A little movement or creativity can go a long way in keeping students engaged. Here are a few of my favorite ways to practice perimeter and area once the basics are down:

• Perimeter Hunt: Have students grab rulers and measure different rectangular items around the room like books, whiteboards, desks, you name it. Then record and compare their findings. Add a competition angle by challenging students to find the smallest or largest perimeter/area in the room.

• Design a Dream Bedroom: This is one of my favorites because it brings in so much creativity! On grid paper, students draw a rectangle for their bedroom and calculate the area. Then, they “furnish” it using smaller rectangles for a bed, dresser, or rug, calculating those areas too. I encourage mine to really “dream big,” incorporating things like indoor swimming pools, basketball courts, dance floors, etc… As long as it’s a square or rectangle at this beginning point! (More complicated shapes come later).

• Chalk & Measure: Head outside and let students draw shapes on the pavement with chalk. Then, measure the sides to find perimeter and area. Learning and movement!

• STEM Connection: Challenge students to build rectangles with LEGO bricks or popsicle sticks. They’ll love seeing how the same number of pieces can form shapes with different perimeters or areas.

  
  

These kinds of lessons give students a chance to apply what they’ve learned in real-life ways, and they make math class feel more like an exploration!

Differentiate for All Learners

Perimeter and area are perfect for differentiation because there are so many ways to represent and extend the concepts.

For students who need extra support:

• Stick with hands-on visuals and skip formulas at first.

• Let them count tiles or squares until they can predict what the formula means.

  
  

For students who need a challenge:

• Have them design composite shapes and calculate the total area.

• Let them write their own real-world word problems. Students love being the “teacher” for a day.

  
  

You can even use the interactive notebook activities to group students. Some can work on visual foldables while others tackle multi-step problems using their notebook as a reference.

Make It Stick

By the end of your perimeter and area unit, students should be able to tell you not just what these terms mean but why they matter.

Have students write a short reflection in their notebooks:

“Where do we use perimeter and area in everyday life?”

“How might different careers need to use perimeter and area?”

This helps them internalize that math is a lifelong tool they use all the time, not just in math class.

Ready to Try It in Your Classroom?

If you’re looking for ready-to-use visuals, foldables, and hands-on practice pages, click the images below to learn more about each Interactive Notebook Activity!

They’re simple to prep, easy for students to understand, and pair beautifully with any of the hands-on ideas above.