My Body

The Hook:
Play Twister with your child!  Explain that they are having to move their body to play.  Ask them to name some of their body parts.  See how many body parts they can come up with.  Then read the two selections below.

Reading Skills:
Me and My Amazing Body by Joan Sweeney and Annette Cable

My Five Senses by Aliki

Smell/Fine Motor Skills:  
Have your child lie down on a sheet of butcher paper and trace around their body (this idea is courtesy of my dear friend Susan K.).  Give your child scented markers (e.g., Mr. Sketch Scented Markers) to add a face, clothes, and hair to their butcher paper body drawing.  Ask your child what each marker smells like.  Remind your child that it's only okay to smell the special non-toxic scented markers.

Photo:  www.Amazon.com

Sight/Gross Motor:  

Create an I-Spy Bottle by inserting several small I-Spy type items (e.g., a key, dime, marble, button, Lego brick, paper clip, etc.) into a 2 liter plastic bottle. Make an I-Spy list of the objects you include.  Fill the bottle half way to three-fourths full with rice.  Secure the bottle with a lid.  Have your child turn the bottle until they find all of the hidden objects.  Source:  http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/preschool_activities.htm#MrsD

Taste/Science Experiment:
Set up a blind taste test for your child.  Make sure to include edible samples that fall under the different categories of sweet, salty, sour, bitter.  For example, include sweet vanilla pudding, a salty pretzel, a sour lime, and bitter unsweetened cocoa.  Let your child describe each taste to you.  

Photo:  http://agoosa.com

Snack:
Offer your child more of the foods they tasted during their taste test.  Most likely they will want more pudding and/or pretzels but they may surprise you!

Touch/Fine Motor Skills:
(1) Set out a tray with and handful of items (e.g., sand paper, a swatch of silk, a cotton ball, a piece of double-sided tape, a rock, etc.).  Ask your child to touch each item and then describe how they feel (i.e., Does it feel rough, smooth, soft, sticky, hard, etc.?) 
(2) Give your child Braille flash cards, book, or game (e.g., ENI cylindrical puzzle with Braille markings) and encourage them to run their finger over the embossed dots which represent words.  Explain that those who are not blessed with the sense of sight often rely on Braille for reading.  Point out that elevator buttons include the number or word both written in English and in Braille.

Photo:  Amazon.com

Hearing/Nature:
Head outdoors with your child and find a comfortable place to sit and listen.  Let your child tell you all of the different sounds they hear (e.g., bird chirping, rustling leaves, a truck driving down the road, a dog barking, children playing, etc.)  Record your child's sound observations and read them back when they're done observing.  Sing "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" with body motions to round out the session.