Young children are drawn to activities that involve the senses; taste, touch, see, hear, and smell. Often these senses are combined to create an activity, but what if they were not. Here are three fun ideas that involve smelling only and hearing only. Try them.
Smelling Matching Game |
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Gather:
- New pill organizer
- Cotton balls; one for each day of organizer
- Clear extracts; i.e., vanilla, mint, almond, lemon
Instructions:
- Add drops of extracts to cotton balls.
- Place cotton balls in each of the pill organizer compartments.
- Ask children to smell each cotton ball separately and match the smells.
Optional: numbered or colored stickers
Slinky’s Secret Sound |
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Gather:
- Metal slinky
- String
Instructions:
- Tie the string to both ends of the slinky.
- Place one person on one end, and another person at the other end of the slinky.
- Have the two people wind the string around their index finger.
- Both touch the string finger to their ear and tap the bottom of the slinky to bounce.
- Ask them to describe the sound they hear.
Colored Eggs Matching Sounds |
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Gather:
- Tape
- Plastic eggs
- Variety of fillers; i.e., gravel, rice, beans, soil, jingle bells, etc.
Instructions:
- Fill two eggs of different color with the same filler.
- Tape the eggs closed.
- Invite the children to shake and listen to match.
Optional: Place the eggs in an egg carton so they do not roll around too much. Challenge the children to shake only one at a time to make it harder. Mix them up and play again.
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