Maria Montessori developed a set of beautiful materials to develop and refine the five senses of children in the early childhood classroom. A few examples of these materials include the pink tower, the knobbed cylinders, or the color tablets. In our homes, we currently don't have access to these materials; however, we do have access to other materials that enhance the senses. In today's lesson, I focused on the sense of touch. The bucket of rice that is pictured in this post has been in our house since my oldest was little. Often I use it as a spooning, pouring or scooping lesson. Today I decided to combine two lessons. I took our number puzzle and hid the pieces in the tub. Then our youngest searched through the rice to find each number and return it to the puzzle. She repeated the lesson over and over, often finding a new person to hide the puzzle pieces for throughout the day. Enjoy!
A resource that I have used throughout the years for sensory experiences and science experiments is the book "150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids," by Asia Citro, MEd. She has a second book written for children who are ages 4-8 titled, "The Curious Kid's Science Book". Both have been exceptional resources for our family.