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NINE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES INVOLVING MUSIC-Part 7

7.  5 Senses  

Young children learn through their 5 senses; therefore, providing hands-on experience allows children to touch, see, smell, taste, and hear become important to develop.  It takes an intricate interchange between brain and the five senses.  Although babies have been using their senses before birth, a new era begins entering the world.  The sights, smells, textures, sounds and tastes have now changed.  Children naturally use their senses to gain information and explore the world.  One of the things that make each of us unique is how we perceive through our senses, with resulting feelings, thoughts and responses to stimuli.

As teachers and parents, do we think about the ways children can use their 5 senses?   With this in mind, hear are a few hands-on learning experiences. 

  • Five Senses Song   Children point to the parts of the body as they sing this song.  Children love it as it teaches their 5 senses and their parts of the body that correspond to each sense.  (Tune: Where is Thumbkin)   Five senses, five senses.  We have them. We have them.  Seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. There are five. There are five. 
  • Eggs Filled with Sounds  (Use Plastic Eggs)  Put a small object in the eggs like a bell, coins, etc. and shake it to see if they know it.  This helps build up their auditory perception.
  • I Use My Five Senses 
(Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)
 Author Unknown

I use my eyes to see, I use my eyes to see, 
And when I want to see a star, I use my eyes to see.

I use my nose to smell, I use my nose to smell, 
And when I want to smell a flower, I use my nose to smell.

I use my tongue to taste, I use my tongue to taste, 
And when I want to taste a peach, I use my tongue to taste.

I use my ears to hear, I use my ears to hear, 
And when I want to hear a bird, I use my ears to hear.

I use my hands to touch, I use my hands to touch, 
And when I want to touch a cat, I use my hands to touch.

  • Repeat the Rhythm  Tap out a simple rhythm and have the children repeat it back to you.  Alternatively, you can clap the rhythm or use musical instruments.
  • Humming a Tune  Hum only a familiar tune like “Old MacDonald,” “Mary Had a Little Lamb” without singing any words.  Divide the group into teams and have one team guess the hummed song to win a point. 
  • Scent of…….?  What is more inviting than by using our noses to smell different kinds of foods?  Use a variety of foods that do not smell good and items that do smell good.  Have each item placed in a box and covered.   You can use items such as a cookie, orange, lime, onion, peanut, a vegetable, etc. and have the child guess at what is in the boxes.
  • What’s in the Bag
   Place several familiar objects in a sack.  Have each child reach in to pull out an object, and using only the sense of touch, name the object before pulling it out. (For example, the sack could contain several of the following items: plastic spoon, plastic fork, small ball, toothbrush, cup, small plate, pencil, small book, marble, cotton ball, paper clip, sock, shoe lace, magnifying glass, block from a Lego set, candle, etc.).
  • Draw the Other Half  The child is given a half a picture and must draw the other half.

Come back next week for Part 7!

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