The five senses are a key element of the Kindergarten curriculum, so it is not too early to learn about the Five Senses in preschool. This simple science subject is great for the “Fizz Boom Read!” summer program, or for anytime. For a hands-on project, set up stations that help a child explore each of the senses. One station could be something “slimy” to touch, like peeled grapes, or cold spaghetti. Another could be to hear something unusual, like a sound effects recording of birds, crickets, or other sounds in nature. For more ideas, visit the learning4kids website.
Aliki. MY FIVE SENSES. Colored pencil cartoon illustrations and a clear brief text describe the five senses.
Brocket, Jane. COLD, CRUNCHY, COLORFUL: USING OUR SENSES. Large color photos are captioned with a sentence that explains how the pictured object is explored with one of the five senses.
Harris, Marie. THE GIRL WHO HEARD COLORS. Along with the five senses, many people also have Synesthesia – the ability for one sense to trigger another.
Kubler, Annie. WHAT CAN I SMELL? This and the four other titles in the Small Senses series of board books match charming colorful cartoon illustrations to each of the senses.
Miller, Margaret. MY FIVE SENSES. A simple text and distinctive color photos introduce readers to the five senses.
Raschka, Christopher. FIVE FOR A LITTLE ONE. A bunny presents the five senses in this rhyming story.
Ryan, Pamela Munoz. HELLO OCEAN. A child describes experiencing the ocean with her five senses in this rhyming book with realistically painted illustrations. Also available in Spanish.
Slegers, Liesbet. KEVIN’S BIG BOOK OF THE FIVE SENSES. Saturated color illustrations paired with an enthusiastic text shows a toddler exploring his senses.
Stojic, Manya. RAIN. Animals of the African savanna use their senses to predict the rain.
Wallingford, Stephanie. A DAY AT THE LAKE. Three siblings use all five senses to explore the nearby lake.
Also see the previous Five Senses storytime ideas page from December 2006.