EHS Five Senses

Interest Area Changes to Environment

Feely box / bag

Texture books

Carpet samples

Bristle blocks

Telephone / old cell phone

Dress up clothes with different textures (silk, fur, wool, etc.)

Books on tape

Masking tape

Smelly jars (plastic baby food jars and items to smell)

Sound jars (same as above, just cover the jar with paper so the children cannot see what is inside) Encourage children to shake the jars and guess what is inside.

Sand paper

Magnify glass

Braille samples

Flowers (fake and real- refer to Poisonous Plants Form)

Mr. Potato Head

Scented markers

Scented playdough

Scratch and sniff stickers

Fake glasses

Jingle bells

Magazine cut outs of eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands

Feathers

Toilet paper tube (binoculars)

Eye Patch

Create an Eye Doctor’s Office (Optometrist) in Dramatic Play this week! Add an eye chart, mirrors, doctor kit, clipboards, play glasses, etc..

Create a Florist Shop in the Science Center. Put fresh and fake flowers, which senses do you use to distinguish the two.

Water: blue water, droppers, cups, legos, people sorter, sponge, foam blocks, shells, 

Sensory Table: Mr. Potato Head, Shredded paper, texture items-smooth, rough, bumpy, etc., large POM POMs, egg shakers, magnifying glasses, texture stones, tissue paper, sensory bottles, sensory sorting pictures

Teaching Concepts for Large Group

1. What are the 5 senses?

2. Go into more detail about each individual sense.

3. How can we take care of our senses?

4. Who helps us take care of our five senses?

5. Do all children and people have the same 5 senses? What if they can't see? Can't hear? Discuss eye color. Chart children's eye color.

6. How do things taste? Bitter, sour, sweet, salty.

7.  How do hear? What makes us hear? Play a copy clap game or use rhythm sticks for children to copy you. This works on patterns as well!

8. How can things feel different? Discuss and show texture board. Example below:

Teaching Concepts for Small Group

1. Finger paint (sense of touch)- you can always add sand to change the texture and discuss differences.

2. Use the smelly jars mentioned above (sense of smell).

3. Use the sound jars mentioned above (sense of hearing).

4. Sand paper rubbings (sense of touch).

5. Finger print names – in advance have the children’s names wrote on a piece of paper (if they can write their name, even better!!), have them use a stamp pad and trace their name with fingerprints.

6. Play “I Spy” with binoculars

7. Sound Bingo

8. Listen to music while painting.

9. Texture collage.

10.  Discuss and feel texture boards.

11.  Classify items (sense of touch) based on textures.

12.  Use magazine cutouts to make a silly face.

13. Blindfold children (if they want) and let them draw, paint, and follow simple commands.

14. What's different? Have the children look at you or a small grouping of toys. After a minute or so, have the children close their eyes and either remove something or change something. Can they spot the difference?

Teaching Concepts for Music Movement Wellness IMIL

1. I’ve Got 5 Senses by Shawn Brown

2. Head Shoulders Knees and Toes by Dr. Jean

3. Freeze dance:

Play a song while children dance. Occasionally pause the music. Listen carefully because when the music stops, you freeze! When the song plays again you are free to dance!

Teaching Concepts for Finger-plays

1. I have two eyes to see with,

(point to eyes)

I have two feet to run with,

(point to feet)

I have to hands to wave with,

(wave)

And nose, I have but one,

(point to nose and hold up one finger)

I have to ears to hear with

(point to ears)

And a tongue to say “good day!”

(point to tongue)

And two red cheeks for you to kiss,

(point to cheeks)

And I will run away!

(turn around and run in place)

2. Senses (Come up with your own movements)

With our eyes we see

With our ears we hear

With our fingers we can touch

With our nose we can smell

With our mouth we can taste

Now, thank you very much!

I am an eye

Yes, an eye is what I am

Sometimes I need glasses

To see the best I can

You know me

I’m a finger that lets you touch

I can tell if it’s hot or cold

Or tell if it’s smooth or rough

I am a nose

On an elephant I am a trunk

With me you’ll sense the difference

Between a flower and a skunk

I am an ear

If I am working you can hear

Please don’t put things inside me

I’d like to make that clear

I am a mouth

I’m the one that lets you taste

With me you will enjoy your dinner

So it won’t go to waste

3. My Senses

Teaching Concepts for Outdoor Experiences

1. Name the sense beanbag game. Enlarge pictures of an eye, a hand, nose, tongue, and an ear and tape them together side by side. Have the children toss the beanbag to the pictures. Then have the children name the sense and something that goes with it. For example: Nose – the sense of smell – I like the smell of popcorn.

CLASS Concepts

Encourage children to smell items such as spearmint leaves, cinnamon sticks, orange peels, etc. and ask them what the smell makes them think of. Tell them what it reminds you of…”Smelling this spearmint reminds me of when I brushed my teeth this morning. The toothpaste was mint flavored”.

Advanced Language: Braille