The Five Senses - Touch
Our sense of touch helps us in our day-to-day world. It tells us right away if something is too sharp, too hot, or too cold. It tells us right away if we have hurt ourselves, so that we can get help if we need it.
Our skin is the largest organ our body has, and we are able to feel with any part of our body that has skin. Our hair and fingernails do not have "feeling sensors". That is why it doesn't hurt to have our hair or fingernails cut.
Look for opportunities to find children using their sense of touch. Plan some activities to make them more aware of how their senses work. Here's some ideas...
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Make a sensory board of several types of textures. Use items that are opposites of each other. Examples - hard/soft, rough/smooth, wet/dry, etc. Some suggestions: velvet, feathers, bubble wrap, sandpaper, wood, sponge, leather, silk, cotton balls, tin foil, etc. Let the children examine the board and tell you what each item feels like. When touching objects, make your words as descriptive as possible. Examples, slimy, bristly, silky, course, firm, spongy, etc.
Ways to Experience Touch
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Give each child a small feely bag with one object inside. Have them take turns reaching into their bag (by feeling only, no peeking) and see if they can identify the object. Suggestions for items - potato, sponge, cotton balls, wooden block, etc.
OR… Create matching feely bags. Fill two bags with matching items. Let the child choose one item from the first bag (without looking) then… using feel alone (no peeking) find the matching item in the second bag.
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Make individual sensory pictures. Print out the picture on light blue paper. Glue or staple the paper to light cardboard. Add yellow felt for the sun, green crumpled tissue paper for treetops, sandpaper for the tree trunks and cotton balls for snow.
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Place 3-4 apples in a non-see-through bag. Ask the children if they can figure out how many apples are in the bag without opening the bag.
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Can you feel with your feet? Lay a large length of paper along the driveway or sidewalk. Encourage the children to remove socks and shoes, roll up any pants, and dip their feet in paint. Have them walk along the paper creating footprints. How does the paint feel? How does the paper feel? Ask them to try again walking only on their tip-toes (hold the hands of little ones; paint can be slippery). Expect this activity to continue for some time, the kids love it.
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More Five Senses Fun
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Fun Activities for Kids
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