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Volume 3, Issue 22
December 5, 2005
Our Five Senses and the Holidays
WELCOME! to Education World's Early Childhood Newsletter. Every other week, I'll share some
ideas on a familiar teaching theme. Hopefully you will find a new activity idea or two -- or a new
twist on one of your old favorites! Since I know you are very busy, I'll be short and sweet -- like
most of activities I suggest.
Tell a friend about us! Invite them to sign up for their own FREE subscription at http://www.educationworld.com/maillist.shtml#childhood
 Holidays are
coming, what do we hear?
Songs and bells ringing -- they sound loud and clear.
Holidays are coming, what do we smell?
Latkes that sizzle; sweet figs as well.
Holidays are coming, what do we feel?
Warm woolen mittens; an orange to peel.
Holidays are coming, what do we taste?
Sweet sparkly cookies, not one goes to waste!
Holidays are coming, what do we see?
Bright smiling children just like you and me!
We hope this issue's suggestions and ideas will help make your classroom activities "scent...sational!"
Susan LaBella
Editor, Early Childhood Education Newsletter
NOSY NICK
Tell your children a story about Nosy Nick the reindeer (or another animal) who loves to smell.
Explain that he especially loves holiday smells. Bring in a toy reindeer or other animal to enhance
your story. Ask children to bring in something for Nosy Nick to smell such as pine needles in a
plastic zip-lock bag or cinnamon placed in a glass jar. Let children and Nosy Nick sniff each item.
Then invite students to identify each smell. Finally, create a group story that tells about Nick's
(and children's) smelling experience. "First, Nosy Nick smelled _________________. Next, he
smelled _____________. Nosy Nick did not like to smell __________________, and so on.
ORANGE DELIGHT
Give each child an orange and invite him or her to poke holes in it with a blunt needlework needle.
Invite children to push cloves into the holes of their oranges. Then help children wrap their oranges
in a piece of cheesecloth and tie the cheesecloth with a ribbon. Let children smell the wonderful
scent!!
DO YOU SEE IT?
Read the book Your Five Senses, by Bobbi Katz. Tell children you will investigate the sense
of sight with this game. Place five different holiday ornaments in front of children for them to
observe. Discuss with children how each one looks. Next place a towel over the five ornaments and
have children close their eyes. Remove one ornament and uncover the rest. Invite children to guess
which ornament is missing. Continue by replacing the missing ornament and removing another (while
children's eyes are closed) until you have removed each ornament. When finished, help children understand
that if they did not have the sense of sight they would be unable to play the game. Ask what other
holiday things do our eyes help us see?
HOLIDAY BELLS
At circle time, play a holiday song as children pass around a bell. Stop the music at intervals
and ask the child holding the bell to follow your directions. "Ring the bell three times"
or "Hold the bell over your head" or... As students become more proficient, try offering
some two-step directions such as "Walk to the wall and ring the bell one time." Reinforce
with students how important it is to have the sense of hearing.
HOW DOES IT FEEL?
Let children make texture collages to give as holiday gifts. Provide glue and scraps of fabric,
sandpaper, or wallpaper that have been cut into circles, squares, triangles, stars, and so on. Give
each child a piece of mat board. To get children started, ask them to find and glue a circle shape
onto their mats. Continue until children have glued one of each shape onto their mats. Then let
them add other pieces until they have completed their collages. Invite children to run their fingers
over the different textures in their creations and to describe what they feel.
FRENCH TOAST TREATS
Gather cookie cutters that are representative of various holidays (a dreidel, a wreath, a bell,
a piñata, and so on). Invite children to choose a cookie cutter and to cut a shape from a
piece of bread. Mix together 2 eggs, 1/2-cup milk, a dash of cinnamon, and a dash of salt. Dip each
shape into the egg mixture and cook it in a greased frying pan or griddle until golden brown. Serve
to children with warm maple syrup. Yum!!
Check out the following Web sites for more background and activities.
 Ten
Activities for Teaching the Five Senses
A collection of activity ideas -- some of which are great to use with young children.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson183.shtml
The Fabulous Five Senses
Children investigate the five senses in this lesson plan that incorporates using the computer.
http://www.valdosta.edu/~dkcullen/topiclesson.html
The Five Senses
Let children take part in a scavenger hunt to learn about the five senses. Activities are differentiated
by level of student readiness.
http://www.manhattan.k12.ca.us/staff/pware/diff/files/5Senses.pdf
The Senses Working Together
You'll find a variety of hands-on activities to discover how our senses work together.
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chtoget.html
Teaching Children About the
Five Senses
This summary of ways parents can teach their children about the five senses would provide a nice
take-home page.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/nibbles/succeed-senses.html
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