15 Creative 5 Senses Crafts for Preschool

Here’s the truth: teaching the five senses can feel repetitive fast—same old “smell the spice jar” routine. But preschoolers learn best when their hands are busy and their eyes light up. These easy crafts look like “Pinterest-level” projects, but they’re simple to set up and quick to clean.

Each one spotlights a sense (or two), uses budget supplies, and ends with something kids are proud to show off.

1. Scented Rainbow Sand Shakers

A bright, layered shaker that sounds like gentle rain and smells like a fruit stand. Kids love choosing colors and scents; the finished bottle doubles as a calm-down tool.

Materials Needed:

1. Table salt or play sand
2. Liquid watercolors or food coloring
3. Extracts (vanilla, lemon) or Kool-Aid powder

How to make it:

1. 1. Tint small bowls of salt with a few drops of color; let dry on a tray.
2. 2. Mix a tiny amount of extract or Kool-Aid into each color for scent.
3. 3. Funnel layers into a clear plastic bottle, tapping to settle.
4. 4. Seal the cap with tape or glue and swirl to hear and smell.

2. Touch-and-Tell Texture Mittens

Soft, bumpy, smooth, and fluffy textures all in one cozy pair. These mitten cutouts invite little hands to explore and compare.

Materials Needed:

1. Cardstock mitten shapes
2. Assorted textures (felt, foil, bubble wrap, cotton)
3. Glue stick

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut two large mitten shapes from cardstock.
2. 2. Cut small patches of different textures to fit the mittens.
3. 3. Glue patches in sections, leaving some space between.
4. 4. Label each texture with simple words like “bumpy” or “soft.”

3. Scratch-and-Sniff Shape Garden

Paper flowers and fruit that release sweet scents when scratched. It looks like a cheerful collage and smells like summer.

Materials Needed:

1. Construction paper
2. White glue + flavored drink mix or ground spices
3. Markers

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut simple shapes (circles, leaves, apples, flowers) from paper.
2. 2. Mix glue with powdered drink mix or cinnamon to make scented glue.
3. 3. Brush scented glue onto the shapes; let dry until tacky.
4. 4. Glue shapes into a garden scene; scratch gently to smell.

4. Sound Sorting Mystery Eggs

Little “shaker eggs” each make a different sound—soft, loud, rattly, swishy. Kids shake, guess, and sort them like tiny detectives.

Materials Needed:

1. Plastic Easter eggs
2. Fillers (rice, beads, paper clips, dried beans)
3. Tape or stickers

How to make it:

1. 1. Add a small amount of one filler to each egg.
2. 2. Close and seal the seam with tape or a sticker.
3. 3. Shake and listen; draw a simple sound icon on each (dot for soft, star for loud).
4. 4. Sort eggs by sound and play a call-and-response rhythm game.

5. Taste-Safe Edible Paint Canvas

A thick, glossy paint made from yogurt or pudding turns a blank page into swirls and dots kids can safely taste. The result looks like frosting art.

Materials Needed:

1. Plain yogurt or vanilla pudding
2. Food coloring
3. Thick paper or small canvas

How to make it:

1. 1. Split yogurt into small cups; tint each with a drop of color.
2. 2. Spoon onto paper and spread with fingers or a spatula.
3. 3. Add dots and lines in other colors for contrast.
4. 4. Chill to set, then display (or photograph before it’s sampled!).

6. Feather-Light Wind Streamers

A breezy ribbon wand that lets kids see and feel moving air. The tails flutter beautifully indoors or outside.

Materials Needed:

1. Paper towel tube or wooden ring
2. Ribbons or crepe streamers
3. Tape

How to make it:

1. 1. Decorate the tube with markers if desired.
2. 2. Tape ribbons along one end so they cascade.
3. 3. Hold and walk, run, or blow to feel air on skin.
4. 4. Try different ribbon lengths to compare the flutter.

7. Sensory Story Stones

Smooth stones turned into mini picture prompts with textures to touch. They make story time more hands-on and magical.

Materials Needed:

1. Smooth river rocks
2. Paint pens or acrylic paint
3. Texture bits (sand, yarn, tiny felt shapes)

How to make it:

1. 1. Paint simple images on rocks (sun, fish, tree).
2. 2. Add a texture to each image (sand on the sun, yarn for waves).
3. 3. Let dry and seal with a thin glue layer if needed.
4. 4. Pull stones from a bag to tell a touchable tale.

8. Peek-a-Boo Scent Jars

Adorable “mystery jars” that you sniff, not see, until the big reveal. It’s a gentle way to compare familiar and new smells.

Materials Needed:

1. Small lidded jars or spice containers
2. Cotton balls
3. Scents (orange peel, mint leaves, vanilla)

How to make it:

1. 1. Tuck a cotton ball into each jar.
2. 2. Add a scent item on top or drip a few drops onto the cotton.
3. 3. Poke tiny holes in lids if needed for airflow.
4. 4. Number the jars, sniff, guess, then open to check.

9. Raindrop Listening Map

A blue “weather window” that teaches kids to listen for pattern and volume. Each sound gets its own mark on the map.

Materials Needed:

1. Blue construction paper
2. White paint pen or chalk marker
3. Stickers

How to make it:

1. 1. Draw a simple window frame on blue paper.
2. 2. Sit by a window; each time you hear a sound, draw a mark (dot for soft, dash for loud).
3. 3. Add cloud or umbrella stickers in the corners.
4. 4. Compare sections—where did you hear the most “rain”?

10. Crunchy vs. Squishy Snack Chart

A tactile tasting graph that looks like art. Kids learn to sort foods by feel and sound while nibbling.

Materials Needed:

1. Large poster board
2. Washi tape or marker to divide sections
3. Small snack samples (pretzels, grapes, crackers)

How to make it:

1. 1. Divide the poster into “Crunchy,” “Chewy,” and “Soft.”
2. 2. Taste a small piece and listen—where does it belong?
3. 3. Tape a tiny photo or drawing of each food in the right section.
4. 4. Count and compare which section wins.

11. Velvet Night Sky Collage

A deep, touchable sky where stars sparkle against fuzzy darkness. It’s dreamy to look at and soothing to stroke.

Materials Needed:

1. Black felt or velvet paper
2. Star stickers or glittery foam
3. White glue

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut a large sky shape from felt and glue onto cardstock.
2. 2. Add star stickers in clusters and a glittery moon.
3. 3. Press gently to feel soft vs. bumpy spots.
4. 4. Trace a simple constellation with tiny dots.

12. Citrus Stamp Surprise

Bold, juicy prints that smell as bright as they look. Each stamp makes a sunburst pattern and a fresh scent.

Materials Needed:

1. Halved citrus (lemon, lime, orange)
2. Washable paint
3. Paper

How to make it:

1. 1. Blot cut citrus on a paper towel to reduce juice.
2. 2. Dip the cut side into a thin layer of paint.
3. 3. Press firmly onto paper to make starburst prints.
4. 4. Sniff the paper and compare scents by color.

13. Texture Trail Playdough Path

A winding road pressed with patterns for fingers and toy cars to explore. It’s a mini world packed with touch cues.

Materials Needed:

1. Playdough
2. Household texture tools (fork, LEGO brick, comb)
3. Plastic tray or placemat

How to make it:

1. 1. Roll playdough into a long path on the tray.
2. 2. Press tools to make sections: dots, lines, grids.
3. 3. Run fingers or wheels along and describe the feel.
4. 4. Add small signs drawn on paper scraps to label textures.

14. Whisper vs. Shout Megaphones

Color-pop cones for talking, singing, and comparing volume. Kids discover how shape changes sound—and giggles happen.

Materials Needed:

1. Poster board or large cardstock
2. Tape
3. Stickers or markers

How to make it:

1. 1. Roll poster board into a cone; tape the seam.
2. 2. Decorate with bold stickers and patterns.
3. 3. Try whispering and shouting through the cone.
4. 4. Stand near and far to compare how sound travels.

15. Secret Spice Paint Resist

A magical reveal painting that smells cozy. Spices tint the watercolors, and crayon wax hides messages until brushed.

Materials Needed:

1. White crayon
2. Watercolor paper
3. Warm water + ground spices (cinnamon, turmeric)

How to make it:

1. 1. Draw simple shapes or a “secret” word with white crayon.
2. 2. Mix a pinch of spice into warm water to make scented washes.
3. 3. Paint over the page; watch the crayon resist appear.
4. 4. Hold close and smell the warm spice scent.