How to Make a Preschool File Folder Game Using the Five Senses

Teaching children about their senses can be a rewarding experience for teachers.

There are five senses: vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch. While most people are aware that they use their senses every day to understand the world around them, one group of people doesn't necessarily know that their senses even exist. That group is preschoolers. One of the best ways to teach preschool-age children about their senses is through a game, so they can have fun while they are learning about themselves and the world around them.

Things You'll Need

• File folders in five colors
• Paper
• Pictures of nose, eyes, ears, tongue, fingertips/skin
• Pictures of different things
• Scissors
• Glue
• Masking tape

Instructions

1. Cut and paste the pictures of different items that require the use of the senses (rock, ice, fruit, textures, fire, for example) on paper. Put masking tape on the back of each picture and post them on the blackboard.

2. Glue a picture of the part of the body that corresponds to one of the five senses onto each of the different colored folders. Tape the folders on the board or put them in different parts of the room.

3. Explain the five senses to your students. Play the "Return to Base Game" using the pictures on the board and the file folders to test their apprehension of the subject matter. To play the game, randomly choose five students to take one picture each from the board and put it in the appropriate folder.

Tips & Warnings

• For the first game, make sure that the classroom is not cluttered, so that the students will not run into each other or trip on chairs or toys.

References

• Preschool Lesson Plans
• File Folder Fun