Learning about the five senses is a classic preschool and kindergarten unit. Yes, it’s fun to watch students taste something super sour, or take a listening walk around the school, but why do we teach the five senses? Here’s everything you need to teach the five senses, including rationale, books, songs, and activities.
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What are the five senses?
The five senses are the primary ways that we experience the world around us.
- Sight: how we see light and color
- Sound: how we hear frequencies of sound
- Taste: how we taste sweet, salt, sour, bitter, and umami
- Smell: how we identify chemicals in the air and flavors of food
- Touch: our skin identifies pressure, vibrations, and other types of touch
Why do students need to learn about the five senses?
When we teach students about the five senses, we teach them about their bodies and how they experience the world around them. That’s just the beginning. The five senses are foundational, and spending time examining, experimenting, and understanding the five senses helps students:
- Focus on one thing at a time: When we ask students to just taste or just listen, they are training themselves to focus and attend.
- Learn the scientific method: The process of asking questions and experimenting to learn more about the five senses is often students’ first opportunity to put the scientific method into action.
- Learn how humans take in information from the environment: Kids are learning how they work, and an important part of that is how we take in information and use it. Students will use their five senses throughout school and their lives to understand the world around them.
- Connect with other ideas: Talking about senses also exposes students to vocabulary and concepts that they’ll use in other areas. For example, talking about differences between tastes, or opposites like loud and quiet.
Activities To Teach the Five Senses
Here are our favorite ways to teach the five senses.
1. Head out for a five senses scavenger hunt
![Printable outdoor scavenger hunt with activities for the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/five-senses-activities-scavenger-hunt.jpg)
Childhood 101/Nature scavenger hunt via childhood101.com
A nature walk is one of the best ways to engage all five senses and introduce the concept to kids. Try it in different seasons for a new adventure each time!
Learn more: Nature Scavenger Hunt at Childhood 101
2. Hang a five senses anchor chart
![Anchor chart with an illustration of a young girl, showing the five senses and corresponding body parts to teach the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Kindergarten-Smiles.jpg)
Kindergarten Smiles/Five senses poster via KindergartenSmiles.blogspot.com
Post an anchor chart and fill it in as you discuss each of the senses and the body parts related to them. (Tip: Laminate your anchor charts so you can reuse them from year to year.)
Learn more: Five Senses Poster at Kindergarten Smiles
3. Make oobleck
![oobleck activity for teaching the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/oobleck-sensory-activity-800x837.webp)
Raising Dragons/Oobleck via RaisingDragons.com
Create oobleck with corn starch, water, and food coloring and see what words you can use to describe how it feels to touch, to drop, and to smush in your hands.
Learn more: Oobleck at Raising Dragons
4. Break out Mr. Potato Head
![Mr. Potato Head chart and spinner to use with five senses activities for kids](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Potato-Head.jpg)
Fun With Firsties/Mr. Potato Head poster via NorthwesternKiddies.blogspot.com; A Little Pinch of Perfect/Mr. Potato Head activity via ALittlePinchofPerfect.com
Mr. Potato Head toys are perfect for teaching little ones about the five senses. Learn how to make a Potato Head poster from Fun With Firsties, then grab the free printable spinner from A Little Pinch of Perfect and use it to play a fun senses game.
5. Make a set of finger puppets
![Finger puppets on sticks of an ear, eye, mouth, nose, and hand to use for five senses activities](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Simple-Everyday-Mom.jpg)
Simple Everyday Mom/Five senses puppets via SimpleEverydayMom.com
Get your free body-parts printable at the link below, then have kids color them, cut them out, and glue them to wood craft sticks. Use them for all sorts of five senses activities!
Learn more: Five Senses Puppets at Simple Everyday Mom
6. Sort objects according to senses
![Muffin tin with labels reading I can taste, hear, touch, see, and smell, with small items in one of the cups to teach the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-The-Preschool-Toolbox-2.jpg)
Preschool Toolbox/Senses sorting activity via ThePreschoolToolboxBlog.com
Sorting games are always fun for kids. Use a muffin tin to sort smaller items, or try Hula-Hoops for sorting larger items.
Learn more: Senses Sorting Activity at The Preschool Toolbox
7. Set up Five Senses Stations
![Set of 5 cubbies set up as five senses stations](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-We-Have-Kids.jpg)
We Have Kids/Five senses stations via WeHaveKids.com
Allow kids to explore each of the senses on their own with these stations. Visit the link for plenty of great ideas for what to include at each one.
Learn more: Five Senses Stations at We Have Kids
8. Use all your senses to explore popcorn
![Ziplock bag of popcorn with a label describing how it was used for five senses activities in class](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Play-to-Learn-Preschool.jpg)
Play to Learn Preschool/Popcorn senses activity via PlaytoLearnPreschool.com
Popcorn is a terrific food for senses activities, especially if you can use an air popper to make it fresh while kids watch. Plus, you get a yummy, healthy snack when you’re done!
Learn more: Popcorn 5 Senses Activity at Play to Learn Preschool
9. Or try Pop Rocks instead
![Plastic cup of red Pop Rocks with a small spoon and Pop Rocks Science worksheet to teach the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Little-Bins-for-Little-Hands.jpg)
Little Bins for Little Hands/Pop Rocks activity via LittleBinsforLittleHands.com
If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, tear open a few bags of Pop Rocks candy and use your senses to experience them to the fullest. Kids will go wild for this one!
Learn more: Pop Rocks Activity at Little Bins for Little Hands
10. Solve the case of salt vs. sugar
![Anchor chart for an activity helping kids tell the difference between salt and sugar](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Kindergarten-Kindergarten.jpg)
Kindergarten Kindergarten/Salt vs. Sugar activity via KindergartenKindergarten.com
Guide kids as they try to determine which jar has salt and which has sugar. The catch? The sense of taste is the last one they get to use!
Learn more: Salt vs. Sugar Activity at Kindergarten Kindergarten
11. Put on a pair of lookers
![Child wearing toy glasses to examine a twig from a tree](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Mrs-Jones-Creation-Station.jpg)
Mrs. Jones’ Creation Station/Lookers activity via MrsJonesCreationStation.com
In the clever story The Looking Book (Hallinan/Barton), two boys discover the world around them after their mom gives them each a pair of “lookers”—which are really just toy glasses. Pass out pairs to your students and send them out to use their sense of sight.
Learn more: Lookers Activity at Mrs. Jones’ Creation Station
12. Explore up close with a magnifying glass
![Child using a magnifying glass to examine some flowers](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Stay-at-Home-Educator2.jpg)
Stay at Home Educator/Magnifying glass activity via StayAtHomeEducator.com
Take the sense of sight even deeper with a magnifying glass. Show kids the tiny details their eyes can see with that bit of extra help.
Learn more: Magnifying Glass Activities at Stay at Home Educator
13. Take a listening walk
![Child holding a clipboard and checking off sounds as they hear them (Five Senses Activities)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Teach-Preschool.jpg)
Teach Preschool/Listening walk via TeachPreschool.org
Inspire kids with a reading of The Listening Walk (Showers/Aliki), then head outside to take one of your own! Make a list of the sounds you hear, or give kids a checklist (get a free printable one at the link below) of sounds to listen for.
Learn more: Listening Walk at Teach Preschool
14. Learn how sounds help you make decisions
![Anchor chart showing how ears help us make decisions based on the sounds we hear](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Completely-Kindergarten.jpg)
Completely Kindergarten/Sound activity via CompletelyKindergarten.blogspot.com
This is a cool activity to help kids understand that while our five senses collect information, it’s our brain that helps us interpret information and make decisions. You can use this idea with hearing or any other sense.
Learn more: Sound Activity at Completely Kindergarten
15. Play a sound-matching game
![Purple plastic eggs filled with a variety of small items](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Play-to-Learn-Preschool2.jpg)
Play to Learn Preschool/Matching eggs game via PlayToLearnPreschool.com
Fill plastic eggs or medicine bottles with a variety of small items. Ask kids to shake them and see if they can figure out what’s inside based on sound alone. It’s harder than they think!
Learn more: Sound Eggs at Play to Learn Preschool
16. Decide which flower smells the best
![Roses and a gerber daisy in mason jars, next to a chart reading What flower smells the best?](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/five-senses-activities-flowers.jpg)
No Time for Flash Cards/Smell activity via NoTimeforFlashCards.com
Let kids use their sense of smell to decide which flowers smell the best. You can try this with all sorts of items, and remind kids that sometimes there’s no one right answer!
Learn more: Smell Activity at No Time for Flash Cards
17. Write scratch-and-sniff names
![The name Sarah spelled out in textured letters](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/five-senses-activities-scrach-and-sniff-names.jpg)
Fun-a-Day/Scratch-and-sniff names via Fun-a-day.com
Write the letters with glue, then sprinkle them with Jell-O powder. When it dries, kids can feel the texture and sniff the scent!
Learn more: Scratch-and-Sniff Names at Fun-a-Day
18. Sniff a collection of scent bottles
![Small glass spice bottles labeled with pictures of various scents](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Things-to-Share-and-Remember.jpg)
Things To Share and Remember/Scent bottles via Thingstoshareandremember.com
Add a few drops of essential oils to cotton balls and drop them into spice jars. Ask kids to sniff them without looking, and see if they can identify the smells.
Learn more: Scent Bottles at Things To Share and Remember
19. Go on a scent hunt
![Cards with outlines of animals and cotton pads](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Prekinders.jpg)
PreKinders/Scent hunt via Prekinders.com
This activity also uses essential oils, but this time you hide the scented cotton pads around the room and see if kids can sniff their way to the right locations!
Learn more: Scent Hunt at PreKinders
20. Test your sense of taste with jelly beans
![Small bowl of jelly beans. Text reads What flavor is it? (Five Senses Activities)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Stay-at-Home-Educator.jpg)
Stay at Home Educator/Jelly bean tasting activity via StayAtHomeEducator.com
Looking for five senses activities for students with a sweet tooth? Jelly Belly Jelly Beans are known for their true-to-life flavors, which makes them perfect for a blind taste test. Want to make it even more interesting? Add some Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans into the mix!
Learn more: Jelly Beans Activity at Stay at Home Educator
21. Do an apple taste test
![Wood tray with plates of apples, next to a Mr. Potato Head toy and a sign reading I taste with my tongue.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Play-to-Learn-Preschool3.jpg)
Play to Learn Preschool/Apple taste test via PlayToLearnPreschool.com
Our sense of taste is more subtle than kids might realize. It’s easy for them to recognize the taste of an apple, but they’ll be surprised to discover they can actually tell different kinds of apples apart too.
Learn more: Apple Taste Test at Play to Learn Preschool
22. Stroll down a sensory walk
![Toddlers walking through plastic tubs filled with different substances to teach the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/five-senses-activities-sensory-walk.jpg)
Teaching Mama/Sensory walk via TeachingMama.org
Fill up a series of plastic tubs with different items like beads, sand, shaving cream, and more. Then let kids take a walk through them, experiencing all the different sensations.
Learn more: Sensory Walk at Teaching Mama
23. Build a texture board
![Wood cutting board with fabrics of different textures glued to it (Five Senses Activities)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/five-senses-activities-texture-board.jpg)
Pre-K Pages/Texture board via Pre-KPages.com
This is such an easy DIY project! Just pick up an inexpensive cutting board, then attach fabrics and papers with different textures. Little fingers will love to explore them.
Learn more: Texture Board at Pre-K Pages
24. Describe how different things feel
![Sign reading It Feels with outlines of hands with various objects attached to teach the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Mandee-and-Brandy.jpg)
Some of This & Some of That/Touch board via MandeeandBrandy.com
The sense of touch gives us some of the best descriptive words. Ask kids to feel a variety of items and list the adjectives they’d use to describe them.
Learn more: Touch Board at Some of This & Some of That
25. Make mystery touch boxes
![Tissue boxes with large questions marks on them, next to scraps of cloth and a cotton pad to teach the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-Prekinders2.jpg)
PreKinders/Touch boxes via PreKinders.com
Turn empty tissue containers into mystery boxes! Drop an assortment of items into them, and ask kids to reach in and identify what they are using only their sense of touch.
Learn more: Touch Boxes at PreKinders
26. Make and use Whisper Phones
![whisper phones made of pvc pipe for five senses activities](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/whisper-phones.webp)
Oz Lit Teacher/Whisper phones via OzLitTeacher.com.au
Kids can hear their voices in their head, but what do they really sound like? Create whisper phones out of PVC pipe and put them in the reading area. Have students read stories to themselves, either by reading the words or reading the pictures.
Learn more: Whisper Phones at Oz Lit Teacher
27. Tasting bottles
![tasting bottle example for teaching the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/tasting-bottles-sensory-activity.jpeg)
Gift of Curiosity/Tasting bottles via GiftofCuriosity.com
Use little bottles with droppers to create taste bottles. Fill each bottle with a different taste. Some ideas:
- Sugar water or juice (sweet)
- Salt water (salty)
- Lemon or lime in water (sour)
- Cocoa powder dissolved in water (bitter)
Have students put a drop of each on their tongue (or in a spoon to taste) and record which taste they experience.
Learn more: Tasting Bottles at Gift of Curiosity
28. Create a flip-book
![flip book to teach the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/flip-book-800x955.jpeg)
Mrs. Richardon’s Class/Flip book via MrsRichardsonsClass.com
A flip-book that combines images and words gives students a reference to prompt vocabulary as they’re working on other five senses activities.
Learn more: Flip Book at Mrs. Richardson’s Class
29. Peg the sense
![peg the sense activity for teaching the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/peg-the-sense.jpeg)
Big World Teaching/Peg the sense activity via TeachersPayTeachers.com
An activity like this, where students look at a card and identify the sense that you use to experience each, could be a good practice activity for centers. It could also serve as an assessment that students can complete on their own.
Buy it: Peg the Sense Activity at Teachers Pay Teachers
30. Learn what it’s like to live without a sense
![activity about how to feel braille to teach the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/helen-keller-activity-800x777.jpeg)
Saddle Up for 2nd Grade/Helen Keller activity via SaddleUpforSecondGrade.com
Once students have a feel for the five senses, teach them about how people who are blind or deaf use their other senses. Show students how to read a braille book (public libraries often have collections of braille books to check out), or put headphones on and watch a subtitled movie. This is a good time to read about Helen Keller and how she learned language through touch and smell.
Learn more: Hellen Keller Activity at Saddle Up for 2nd Grade
Read more: Helen Keller books for young readers
31. Sing songs about the five senses
If you’re looking for activities to teach the five sentences that include music and movement, try adding a five senses song to morning meeting to reinforce the vocabulary.
What is a morning meeting without Jack Hartman?
Another five senses song students will love!
32. Read books about the five senses
Read alouds are perfect activities to teach kids about the five senses. Picture books show students all the ways they use their senses, and some silly ways too.
My Five Senses by Aliki
![my senses book by aliki](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/my-senses-book.jpeg)
Amazon
This classic book is a straightforward informational text about our senses and what we do with each.
Buy it: My Five Senses on Amazon
I hear a Pickle by Rachel Isadora
![i hear a pickle book for teaching the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/i-hear-a-pickle-book.jpeg)
Amazon
This book puts a clever spin on the five senses with information about the various ways we can experience everyday items through our senses, like hearing a pickle (crunch!).
Buy it: I Hear a Pickle on Amazon
How Do Animals Use Their Five Senses by Alejandro Algarra
![how do animals use their five senses book cover for teaching the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/how-do-animals-use-their-five-senses-book.jpeg)
Amazon
An overview of how animals use the five senses, and a starting point for a discussion about how the five senses shape who we are.
Buy it: How Do Animals Use Their Five Senses? on Amazon
Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli
![yummy yucky book](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/yummy-yucky-book.jpeg)
Amazon
The board book is simple but effective. A little boy tastes all kinds of things, some are yummy and some are yucky.
Buy it: Yummy Yucky on Amazon
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
![duck rabbit book for teaching the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/duck-rabbit-book.jpeg)
Amazon
In this book, students can point out what they see—it’s all about perspective. This reinforces the idea that we can all see things slightly differently.
Buy it: Duck! Rabbit! on Amazon
The Blind Men and the Elephant retold by Karen Beckstein
![The blind man and the elephant cover for teaching the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/the-blind-man-and-the-elephant-book.jpeg)
Amazon
In this classic story, a blind man has to use his sense of touch to figure out what an elephant is.
Buy it: The Blind Men and the Elephant on Amazon
Ten Ways To Hear Snow by Cathy Camper
![ten ways to hear snow book for teaching the five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/ten-ways-to-hear-snow-book.jpeg)
Amazon
A little girl goes on a walk to her grandma’s house and along the way counts all the ways she hears the newly fallen snow. Such a great book to introduce the idea of listening intently and creatively.
Buy it: Ten Ways To Hear Snow on Amazon
Llama Llama Yum Yum Yum! by Anna Dewdney
![llama llama yum yum yum book cover for teaching five senses](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/llama-llama-yum-yum-book.jpeg)
Amazon
A Llama Llama book with scratch-and-sniff … yes, please!
Buy it: Llama Llama Yum Yum Yum! on Amazon
Love these five senses activities? Check out Inspiring Science Books for Kids in Elementary School.
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![Our definitive guide to teaching the five senses with books, songs, and activities that hit all five senses (sometimes all at once!)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Five-Senses-3-683x1024.jpg)
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