Talk About It: Our Senses Give Us Clues

The big idea: Our senses are like detectives. They give us clues about what's around us.

We've spent the week trying each sense. Today we put them together. Before we even see something, our senses can give us clues: we smell cookies baking, we hear the bath running, we feel rain on our skin. Each clue helps us figure out what's happening.

Questions to ask

• "I smell something yummy. What do you think is cooking?"

• "I hear water running. What could it be?"

• "Close your eyes. What can you hear right now?"

• "How do you know it's raining without looking outside?"

• "Which sense helps you know if soup is too hot?"

Show it in one minute

Put a familiar object in a bag, like a spoon, a sock or a toy car. Let your child reach in without looking and feel it. Ask, "What clues do your fingers give you? Is it hard? Soft? Round?" Then let them guess and pull it out.

Keep it going

Play "Sense Detective" all day. When something happens, ask, "Which sense gave you the clue?" The doorbell (hearing), dinner cooking (smell), a cold drink (touch).

Want to learn more?

• Play a Senses Discovery Game, from PBS KIDS for Parents

• Exploring Nature With Your Five Senses, from PBS KIDS for Parents

• A Toddler's Guide to Sensory Activities in the Home, from NAEYC

Shop these items

Find the books and supplies from this week in one place. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

• Today's book: Mice Squeak, We Speak by Arnold Shapiro

• Goes with this lesson: Jumbo magnifier and tweezers set

• Shop everything for Week 4: My Senses

• Starter supplies: the basics we use most weeks

• See every week in our Amazon storefront

More for this week: see all our Five Senses activities, Letter D activities and Number 4 activities.