Children (and adults) learn with ALL their senses!
Studies
show, that when children have enough opportunities to engage in sensory
based play & activities, it enhances imagination, increases
attention span, decreases aggression and boosts classroom performance!
This week, we took the time to help the children really connect, pause and be MINDFUL of how incredible EACH of their 5 senses are, and how much they benefit from each of them. (along with a whole lot of fun sensory opportunities ;)
Angie Dorrell, a NAEYC accreditation validator and former commissioner,
puts this in perspective when she says, “Imagine trying to teach a group
of four-year-olds about melting without allowing them to hold an ice
cube as it melts in their hands or to watch cheese on bread in the
microwave. As a grownup, imagine learning how to use a computer without
actually sitting in front of a computer!” Ultimately and without a
doubt, we need to experience certain properties with our own senses in
order to comprehend and communicate important properties.
As a Jewish
school, we take note of how the Torah's traditions engage all our
senses! There's no doubt G-d made it this way to enrich our lives and
help us appreciate all that He does for us!
From
squishing and poking Challah dough, to its delightful aroma as it comes
out of the oven, from the warm glow of the Shabbat Candles, to the
smell of Besamim (fragrance) at the conclusion of Shabbat. From the
Sound of the Shofar on Rosh Hashana to the shaking of the Lulav &
Etrog on Sukkot. Every Holiday and mitzvah we have is FILLED with all
sorts of SENSORY experiences!
5 Senses Wheel: Look, touch, taste, feel, listen!
Each compartment of this wheel represented another of the 5 senses. This activity center was out all week, for the children to interact with and learn from.
One section was TASTE. Every day we put out different food items to wake up the taste buds! The little portion cups (labeled for each child) contained sour Lemon slices one day, spicy pickles another day, tart plums on another, and sweet raisins on another!
After tasting their portions- it was a springboard for discussion on what it feels like to taste sweet, salty or sour foods! Some children loved the lemon, while others did not!
At circle time one day we made ICE CREAM (see pics at the end of this post). It was a great opportunity to discuss the CONTRASTING taste of the sweet to the sour!
This was the SMELL section! fabric wrapped cinnamon sticks, along with fresh herbs like garlic, fennel, rosemary and more!
This was the TOUCH section. Each row had a different fabric to feel. Spikey, furry, bumpy, soft, smooth and more! So many language opportunities as the children articulate their descriptions of each of the fabrics!
LISTEN! This audio center brought most of the moms back to their childhood! A good old record player with a choice of records to play! The children had to WIND up the handle to make it go round, and LISTEN carefully to some familiar songs like twinkle little star and humpty dumpty!
We also put out some toys that made different sounds when poked or shaken up!
SEE---> The SIGHT center had a fun "FIND IT" Jar filled with rice. We printed pictures of each item that was hidden in the rice. Using their EYES and lots of turning the Jar in all directions, the children had to find each of the items! The items were all Jewish items that engage the senses....like a SHOFAR that we LISTEN to its sound, and MATZAH that we TASTE its CRUNCH, and a Hebrew letter SHIN.
This was a fun and engaging center that engaged not only the sense of touch, but their critical thinking skills & Object permanence too. Each balloon was filled with something else.
By squishing and feeling the balloons, the children had to match the balloon to the picture of what they thought was in it. For the little ones, who are still learning object permanence, it was an opportunity for them to appreciate that there was something INSIDE, even though it was not VISIBLE!
LISTEN: (and dance and sing ;-)
Thank you Rabbi Yosef for coming in one day this week to play LIVE MUSIC on the keyboard for us!
We put out SCENTED PAINT one morning! Brown cinnamon scented and Orange Pumpkin spice scented!
Science made tasty & Fun --> Ice Cream Making!
Step 1.
First we placed milk, sugar and a bit of vanilla into a ziplock bag.
Using our sense of touch, we felt if it was LIQUID or SOLID (like an ice cream texture.)
Step 2:
Children placed the ice into a BIG zip lock bag.
Step 3: Place the small Ziplock bag into the large ziplock.
Step 4: Shake shake shake the bag! (This process turns the liquid milk into solid Ice cream!
Our hands got quite cold shaking it up and down! It was almost too cold to touch! So we came up with a solution:
Make a parachute with a towel to help us shake it without touching it! We needed to time this for 5 whole minutes!
We Even played catch with it!
 |
| Caleb catching the Ice bag! |
 |
| Rochel Loving the sensation! |
 |
| She couldn't help but taste the ice cube! ;) |
Step 5: Tasting the yummy ice cream!
Mmm.....Delicious!
with sprinkles on the top!
Sense of Touch...Feel...Body Painting! followed by Water Play!
Eeewww...some of you might say! But for these healthy children, it was a most enjoyable and RELAXING experience!
You can be sure these children were SO relaxed after they were washed up from this!
Luckily for our fantastic JC's, who helped the children truly enjoy the moment!
 |
| Sivan being tickled by the campers painting her! |
 |
| Mushka letting Victoria and Rochel display their art on her! |
