DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET p r e S c h o o l  ac t i v i t i e S support touching ›   touch and hold preschoolers appropriately and often.  hug and cuddle them and provide lots of lap time.  describe the feel of the child’s skin as you rub her  face or arm. ›   add varied textures to the environment. Smooth and  rough materials as well as hard and soft toys teach  concepts as the children play with them. provide  plastic, metal, wood, corduroy, velvet, and burlap to  compare the textures. use descriptions to help  children move the information into memory. ›   provide a feely box so children can identify objects  by touch not sight. ›   connect words to the surfaces of objects as children  touch and feel. increase descriptive words as children  get older. play matching games based on the  textures and shapes of different objects. ›   teach young children to touch, hold, and cradle dolls  and stuffed animals. these skills will translate into  empathy with peers and younger children and later  on into parenting skills. ›   paint with warm fi ngerpaint and add ice to the water  table for a different experience. ›   place rounded pebbles, sand, potting soil, and water  in individual tubs that children can walk in. help  children walk barefoot through this maze of textures.  this “feely walk” is best done outdoors near a hose  to wash off feet. ›   help young children learn how to touch other  children in a socially acceptable manner. use songs  and games to teach good touches. the Kinesthetic Sense Kinesthetic knowledge allows preschoolers to race around the playground, participate in creative movement exercises, and dance. They learn how to balance their bodies and know the positions of their bodies in the surrounding area. Young chil- dren find pleasure in moving their bodies and have a difficult time being still. Moving feels good and is enjoyable. As they gain control of their arms, hands, fingers, legs, and feet, they strengthen their understanding of their bodies in space. Give them the freedom to move by eliminating time sitting in chairs or on rugs on the floor. Expect the children to be moving so they feel good about not sitting for long periods. Children often learn best when they can move and interact with both people and objects in their immediate vicinity. ›   play with cornstarch dissolved in water to excite the  touch modality. experiment with getting the correct  consistency by adding a little water at a time to a  box of cornstarch. it can be picked up and then  dripped back into the pan. this is fun, and cleanup  is easy. ›   vary the contents of the water and sand table. add  potting soil and containers to fi ll. talk about the  difference in the feel of sand and water. on another  day, add water to the soil to create mud. talk about  the feel compared to the dry dirt. place gravel or  small rocks for a different feel. COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL d e v e l o p M e n t   o F   t h e   S e n S e S   23