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Sensory Table Activities for Preschoolers With Teddy Bears

Teach preschoolers about their senses -- sight, smell, touch and sound -- by having them participate in a variety of hands-on activities. Incorporating something young children love into the activities, such as teddy bears, will grab their attention and keep them involved. Encourage the children to try their best by rewarding them with teddy bear stickers and small plush teddy bears for a job well done.

Sight
- Make a game of Memory by printing several pictures of teddy bears, two of each, for the preschoolers. Place the pictures face down and select one child to go first. Have her flip over two pictures. If the teddy bears match, she keeps them and draws again. If they do not match, the turn moves to the next child. The player with the most matches at the end of the game wins. Another idea is to print different-colored teddy bears and hang them on a wall. Tell the preschoolers to look at the bears and then close their eyes. Remove one teddy bear, and the first child to tell you what color teddy bear is missing wins a small prize.
Smell
- Cover small, clean baby food jars with teddy bear-themed stickers. Place different food items in each jar for the preschoolers to smell. Some examples of food items to put in the jars include chocolate, lemon, peppermint, coffee beans and cinnamon. Have the children smell the items in the jars and try to guess what is in each jar. Award small prizes to children for a job well done. Before the activity, allow the children to smell all the items and learn the different scents.
Touch
- Place several teddy bears on a table. Use teddy bears of all shapes and sizes. Give each preschooler a chance to feel the teddy bears. Tell the children to squeeze the teddy bears and notice how soft they are. Have the children sit in a circle and pass the teddy bears around the circle. Ask each preschooler to name something else that is soft like a teddy bear, such as a pillow or a blanket.
Sound
- Play sounds of a bear on the computer or an animal soundtrack. Tell the children to listen carefully to the bear sounds and have each child give his own impression. Ask the preschoolers to give their loudest, softest, silliest and scariest bear impressions. Award prizes for a job well done. After the children give their best impressions, ask them if they think teddy bears make the same noise. If they say no, tell them to give you their best teddy bear impression. Preschoolers can use their creativity and imagination while giving teddy bear impressions.

Kids Games