My Senses
Social-Emotional Development
Feather Breathing
Practice this strategy with your child, become grounded and become aware of their breathing. Find some coloured feathers – or something lightweight like a leaf, handkerchief, or tissue paper. As a suggestion perhaps choosing a colour your child favours to help them feel calm.
Rest the feather or lightweight object in the palm of your hand, bring your hand just below your chin. Breathe normally. And notice how the feather moves on the palm of your hand. As the feather moves, tell your child that they are noticing their inhale and exhale as the feather moves.
To add have your child gently toss their feather up in the air and as they breathe out encourage them to try and keep it up in the air.
Remember to reinforce gentle and slow controlled breathing.
Cognitive Development
Sense of Sound Matching
Senses are all around us and children are still trying to master all these skills. Learning about senses are children’s natural inclination. Try this easy sound matching game to support your child in identifying similar sounds.
Step 1 – Gather 12 plastic Easter eggs – 6 of each in 2 different colours.
Step 2 – Using household items, fill the Easter eggs with different items. The objective is to have 1 of each coloured eggs to be filled with the same noisy object.
Here are some examples you can use:
• Buttons
• Coins
• Paper clips
• Dry beans
• Rice
• Cotton balls
• Small rocks
• Broken crayons
• Marker caps
• Water – if using water make sure you seal it completely!
Step 3 - Once you have filled all your eggs, seal it by using tape. Make sure to tape those tiny peeking holes and make a note for yourself so you remember which eggs match.
Step 4 - Do a trial with your child and shake the eggs together identifying if they sound similar or not, letting them know that they will be trying to match it.
Step 5 - After teaching the game, place the eggs in a container, basket, or bin. Shake it up to make sure it is all mixed in, and let the games begin!
Photo Source: http://www.sweetpeasandabcs.com/make-your-own-musical-egg-shakers/
Language Development
What do you feel?
Children are naturally curious, always exploring, always experimenting. Learning about their senses is important as it allows them to get all the information they need about objects, foods etc. to their growing brains. Try this activity to help them build their vocabulary skills.
You will need to do some pre work to get this started – but its always an enjoyable moment when you work with your child to complete it!
Materials needed:
- Cardboard or something sturdy to glue materials on
- Glue
- And various textures you may have around the house to glue on to the board
Once all the materials are gathered, glue them onto the board. Once dry, begin your conversations with your child about the various textures they feel. You can ask them questions such as:
- “How does this feel?”
- “Do you think its rough, hard, soft, smooth, or bumpy?”
- “What kinds of noise does it make when you touch it?”
- Have them describe the textures they feel by having them close their eyes
- Ask them if they can think of various textures they feel everyday
- Ask them what their favourite texture is to touch
The goal is to get your child to describe the various items using as much descriptive vocabulary as possible!
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO64F15OVdc
Physical Literacy
Textured Walk
When we think of our sense of touch, we think of our hands, try this activity with your child to help them master the skill of touch using the soles of their feet.
Steps
Lay out a few textured pieces on your floor such as bubble wrap, sandpaper, cotton balls or outdoors – the grass can be one of them! Have them walk over the path with their feet. They can go fast, slow, hop, skip, crawl etc.
Creative Activity
Painting with Seasoning and Spices
Here is an exciting way you can be creative with your child, while using their sense of smell.
You will need:
- Spices and Seasonings
- Water
- Paintbrush
- Paper
Before you add water to any of the seasoning and spices, have your child smell them and talk about what they smell, if they like it and if they want to use it.
- Place a small amount of each spice or seasoning in container.
- Mix a small amount of water in each spice or seasoning and mix it altogether. Tip – less water gives you stronger colours.
- Now your ready to paint!
Additional Resources
https://www.cosmickids.com/category/watch/?duration=short&changed=duration – Website for kids yoga, and mindfulness. Videos range from 10 minutes to over 15 minutes.
https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne - Visit the museum's exhibition rooms and galleries, contemplate the façades of the Louvre...Come along on a virtual tour and enjoy the view
Learning at Home Preschool Week 3
Learning at Home Preschool Week 23
