5 Senses Activities for Kindergarten: Exploring Our Senses

This free 5 senses activities lesson helps kindergarten students investigate how they learn about the world. Through hands-on observation, movement, and simple experiments, children use sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch to describe objects and experiences.

Overview

Students explore the five senses through structured daily activities. Each session focuses on a different sense while reinforcing vocabulary, observation, and communication skills. Children compare experiences, record simple findings, and create a final class book describing how they use their senses.

Subject Connections

Science: observing and describing objects
English Language Arts: speaking, listening, and labeling
Art: drawing observations
Math: sorting and simple class graphs

Learning Goals

• Identify the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch
• Match body parts to each sense
• Describe observations using simple words
• Compare experiences using basic categories
• Explain how senses help people stay safe and learn

Materials

• Paper bags or boxes
• Small classroom objects
• Cotton balls
• Safe food samples (crackers, fruit, pretzels)
• Plastic cups
• Blindfolds
• Mirrors
• Chart paper and markers
• Drawing paper and crayons

Preparation

• Place mystery objects into a covered box
• Prepare safe food samples and label allergies
• Prepare scented cotton balls (vanilla, lemon, soap, mint)
• Arrange texture cards or classroom materials (fabric, sandpaper, sponge)

Teaching Procedure

Each session fits a standard class period of 30–40 minutes.

Session 1 – Introduction to the Five Senses

1. Teacher shows a closed mystery box and asks students how they might figure out what is inside without opening it. Students discuss possible methods and list senses used.
2. Activity: Teacher places a hidden object inside a box with a hand opening. Materials: mystery box and safe classroom objects. Students reach inside without looking, describe what they feel, and tell the class their guess. Students demonstrate understanding by explaining which sense helped them.
3. Teacher introduces the five senses chart. Students help label eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin.

Session 2 – Sight and Observation

1. Teacher provides mirrors. Students look carefully at their eyes and describe color and shape.
2. Students draw something they can see in the classroom and label it verbally to the teacher.
3. Teacher leads a class discussion about why sight helps people stay safe.

Session 3 – Hearing

1. Activity: Teacher plays recorded classroom and everyday sounds. Materials: audio clips and paper. Students listen quietly, identify the sound, and draw what they heard.
2. Teacher reviews answers and students explain which clues helped them recognize the sound.
3. Students sort pictures into “can hear” and “cannot hear” groups.

Session 4 – Smell and Taste

1. Activity: Teacher provides scented cotton balls in covered cups. Materials: cotton balls and safe scents. Students smell without looking and describe the scent, then match to picture cards.
2. Teacher discusses how smell warns people about danger such as smoke or spoiled food.
3. Students taste small safe samples and sort them into sweet, salty, or sour.

Session 5 – Touch

1. Activity: Students wear blindfolds and feel texture cards. Materials: soft fabric, sponge, sandpaper, and plastic. Students describe texture using words such as smooth, rough, hard, and soft and record drawings.
2. Teacher explains how skin helps people feel temperature and pain.
3. Students complete a class chart listing textures found around the classroom.

Session 6 – Combining the Senses

1. Teacher asks students to hold their nose while tasting a small food sample and then taste again normally.
2. Students discuss how smell affects taste and explain differences.
3. Students create pages for a class book titled “Our Five Senses,” drawing and dictating one example of each sense.

Assessment

Teacher observes participation, listening, and ability to identify senses. Students demonstrate understanding by matching senses to body parts and describing at least one observation for each sense.

Differentiation

• Allow verbal responses instead of writing
• Provide picture cards for vocabulary support
• Offer partner assistance during activities
• Allow students to record responses with drawings

Grade Adaptation

Kindergarten students focus on naming and identifying senses. Grade 1 students can write short sentences describing observations. Grade 2 students can compare senses and record simple data charts.

Extension Ideas

• Create a sensory walk outside
• Graph favorite smells or tastes
• Make a classroom sensory center
• Interview family members about how they use their senses at work