p r e S c h o o l ac t i v i t i e S
› touch and hold preschoolers appropriately and often.
hug and cuddle them and provide lots of lap time. describe the feel of the child’s skin as you rub her
face or arm. › add varied textures to the environment. Smooth and
rough materials as well as hard and soft toys teach concepts as the children play with them. provide
plastic, metal, wood, corduroy, velvet, and burlap to compare the textures. use descriptions to help
children move the information into memory. › provide a feely box so children can identify objects
by touch not sight. › connect words to the surfaces of objects as children
touch and feel. increase descriptive words as children get older. play matching games based on the
textures and shapes of different objects. › teach young children to touch, hold, and cradle dolls
and stuffed animals. these skills will translate into empathy with peers and younger children and later
on into parenting skills. › paint with warm fi ngerpaint and add ice to the water
table for a different experience. › place rounded pebbles, sand, potting soil, and water
in individual tubs that children can walk in. help children walk barefoot through this maze of textures.
this “feely walk” is best done outdoors near a hose to wash off feet.
› help young children learn how to touch other
children in a socially acceptable manner. use songs and games to teach good touches.
the Kinesthetic Sense Kinesthetic knowledge allows preschoolers to race
around the playground, participate in creative
movement exercises, and dance. They learn how
to balance their bodies and know the positions of
their bodies in the surrounding area. Young chil-
dren find pleasure in moving their bodies and have
a difficult time being still. Moving feels good and
is enjoyable. As they gain control of their arms,
hands, fingers, legs, and feet, they strengthen their
understanding of their bodies in space. Give them
the freedom to move by eliminating time sitting in
chairs or on rugs on the floor. Expect the children
to be moving so they feel good about not sitting for
long periods. Children often learn best when they
can move and interact with both people and objects
in their immediate vicinity.
› play with cornstarch dissolved in water to excite the
touch modality. experiment with getting the correct consistency by adding a little water at a time to a
box of cornstarch. it can be picked up and then dripped back into the pan. this is fun, and cleanup
is easy. › vary the contents of the water and sand table. add
potting soil and containers to fi ll. talk about the difference in the feel of sand and water. on another
day, add water to the soil to create mud. talk about the feel compared to the dry dirt. place gravel or
small rocks for a different feel. d e v e l o p M e n t o F t h e S e n S e S 23