Activites For The Five Senses in Early Childhood Education

"There are children playing in the streets who could solve some of my top problems in physics, because they have modes of sensory perception that I lost long ago."

~J. Robert Oppenheimer

Listen! Do you smell that?
No…not really. Actually my nose doesn’t work like it used to. I think it needs more chocolate to function, but children' senses have always been another story.
To see, hear, smell, taste, and touch, I can’t imagine going without any of my five senses…even though some seem to be going….ahem. The only preschool activity I can really think of that include all the senses in early childhood education would be cooking with kids. I love that!
One of my favorite things to do is Rainbow Toast:
Materials
*Toaster
*4 Small cups (per child) of water or milk with food coloring (various colors)
*White bread (is best). Get a few loaves they usually make 2.
*1 plate per child
*Q-tips for painting on bread
*Butter/Jam/spreading knives or popsicle sticks

Procedure
Allow four children at a time to freely paint on bread with colored water or milk mixture. Let them know painting softly will not put a hole in the bread. Write name on individual plates as child works. Pop them in the toaster and when the rainbow toast is done I have them eat it at a separate designated table where they can socialize near by. I mark on their plate how many they have made but it is up to you of course.
(It’s best in the morning, but hey…who doesn’t like toast anytime?)
What are some wonderful sensory experiences you enjoy with your children?
I have found we all have our personal preferences, some of us don't like to get messy or cook. Either way, kids still manage to get into things don't they, lol!