by Bobby Coles

Created on: September 18, 2010   Last Updated: May 02, 2012

Preschool children tend to love sensory activities. Preschool teachers should encourage this by offering forth myriad activities that accentuate the different senses, and allow the preschoolers to experience their senses in many different manners. With sensory activities, preschoolers can learn about their environment, and how to manage with or without the aid of one or more senses. This can also be used to teach preschool children what it would be like to not have use of one of their senses, which some classmates may experience on a daily basis.

When coming up with sensory activities for preschoolers, teachers should make sure to take the opportunity to illuminate the mind and intoxicate the imagination. Different centers should be placed around the classroom that take advantage of the different senses. As the children move about through the centers, they can become more understanding of the world around them, and their participation inside of this world.

For the sense of touch, tactile activities are the best. Aiding the kinesthetic learner, the sense of touch is of paramount importance in the world. A great activity for sense of touch is to have small containers (such as margarine tubs) filled with a wide variety of materials, ranging from smooth and shiny to rough and bumpy. As the children touch the objects, they can try to name what the object is, or try to figure out what it might be used for. The child should be encouraged to describe the feeling of the object, being as descriptive as possible, which will also aid their vocabulary skills.

The sense of sight is something that is often taken for granted, but without the sense of sight, our perception of the world would be vastly different. A great activity for sense of sight is to have the children wear a blindfold, and then describe the smells and sounds that they experience, teaching them another way to associate objects without sight. Other sight activities could include using binoculars or microscopes to see things that may not ordinarily be seen, and teaching the child that there is often more hidden underneath the surface (which is a great lesson for teaching respect and tolerance).

Hearing can be challenged by playing soft classical music while the children relax. This can allow them to become lost in their own mind, and think about things without distractions. As the music plays, the children can feel a sense of peace and serenity. To otherwise challenge their hearing, the teacher could play silly

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