Preschool Activities - Sense of Smell

Winter time is a wonderful time to introduce preschool activities about the sense of smell. There are several ways to use this theme for art, science, fine motor and literacy activities.

Preschoolers enjoy learning all about themselves. start this theme with a circle time activity to discuss our five senses. Then tell them that this day will focus on the sense of smell. Ask for their input--what do they think smells good or bad, what foods do they think smell good, what smells are warnings for us, etc.

Art
Provide magazines to your preschoolers to look through magazines and cut out pictures that have scents. Next allow them to make collages of the pictures they have found. You can hang their collages of scent around the room.

Science
Fill separate small brown or opaque paper bags with different items that have scents such as cinnamon sticks, lemon slices, cut garlic cloves, chocolate bits, flower petals, etc. Allow them to hold a bag, smell it, and then tell you what they think is inside. Record their answers on the board.

Next have them close their eyes and let them now smell them without looking and say what they think is in the bag. Record these answers and compare the ones with eyes open and closed and talk about the differences.

Fine Motor Skills
Provide 2 small squares of fabric to each of your preschoolers. Let them glue 3 of the sides together with fabric glue and set aside to dry. After the glue is dry, provide some potpourri for them to put inside their fabric and glue it shut. These can be seasonal potpourri scents to fit the time of year and then ask them what the scent reminds them of--spring flowers, holiday scents, candy, etc.

These discussions allow them to talk about themselves, the smells they recognize and introduce new scents as well.

Have fun and enjoy these preschool activities on our sense of smell.

If you like these preschool activities, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.


Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them on my Blog.

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


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