An animal-inspired mural that brings height and length to life through hands-on comparison
How Tall Am I?
As part of the Playful Learning initiative in Santa Ana, “How Tall Am I / How Long Am I” at Angels Park is an interactive measurement installation that invites children to compare their height and length to different animals. One side encourages children to stand and see how tall they are relative to illustrated animals, while the reverse invites them to lie down and compare how long they are.
By measuring themselves against animal figures, children explore mathematical concepts such as height, length, scale, and magnitude in a playful and relatable way. The installation encourages comparison and contrast, prompting conversations about who is taller, longer, or shorter, while reinforcing early math language and reasoning through active, embodied exploration.
The Learning Goals
The “How Tall Am I / How Long Am I” installation strengthens STEM content knowledge by introducing foundational measurement concepts such as height, length, scale, magnitude, and comparison through animal-based visuals. As children physically measure themselves against different animals, they engage with mathematical ideas in a concrete and embodied way.
It also supports critical thinking by encouraging children to compare and contrast sizes, estimate differences, and reason about relationships such as taller, shorter, longer, and equal. Through caregiver-child conversation and active exploration, the installation reinforces early math language while making measurement meaningful and engaging.
The Team
The “How Tall Am I / How Long Am I” mural was created through a collaboration between City of Santa Ana, University of California, Irvine, Santa Ana Early Learning Initiative, Temple University, and Playful Learning Landscapes.
Supporters
The “How Tall Am I / How Long Am I” mural was generously supported by the National Science Foundation through the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program.
