Home Hot Topics Articles Directors' Choice Awards About Us / Contact Us Activities & Curriculum Activities for Outcome-Based Learning Arts & Crafts Music for Learning Recommended Reading Sharing Boards: What Do YOU Think? NEWSlink Current National News Conference Calendar Topics In Early Childhood Education Art and Creativity in Early Childhood Education Job Sharing Board State Licensing Requirements Stay Connected! We'll send you regular emails filled with articles and ideas for your classroom. Subscribe Now   ACTIVITY Sensory Safari By Katherine Graff Toddlers are absolutely fascinated by animals- the louder and bigger-the better! This activity promotes dexterity, utilizing the sense of touch, and an interest in exotic animals that cannot be found in their own backyards. Before You Start Coordinate different textured fabrics to match the skin texture of your animals. For example, choose furry fabric for a lion or koala bear, bumpy fabric for a pagoda dragon or iguana, smooth fabric for a dolphin or shark, tough and wrinkly for elephants. Cut one of the pieces of colored paper in half and glue a small square of fabric in the center. Fit your animal cutout over the square and trim a hole in the middle, allowing the fabric to show through. Attach your animal to the paper with a paper clip, and punch three holes on the left side of the construction paper. Print the name of the animal at the bottom of the page and pre-cut string to tie your pages together. Complete pages for all of your animals. You will need one set of animal pages for each child. Let's Begin 1. Seat your toddler at the table or in a highchair. Remove the paper clips and place them out of the child’s reach. One page at a time, guide your infants hand with the glue stick (careful that she doesn’t sneak a taste) and glue the animals over the fabric. Repeat the name of the animal to her and allow her to feel the “skin” of the animals. If you know the sound that the animal uses to communicate, repeat this with her as well. When all animals are glued, tie the pages together with the string and allow the booklet to dry. Furthermore Give parents an opportunity to talk like the animals! Send the booklets home with a memo explaining the classroom activity and providing examples of sounds the animals make.   Fabrics of varying texture and color Large Cutouts of Exotic Animals Glue Stick Scissors Brightly Colored Construction Paper Colored String Hole Punch Paper Clips Articles and activities listed on this website may be printed for single use. No article or activity may be duplicated or distributed in any form, in whole or in part, without permission from the publisher, Excelligence Learning Corporation. Contact Permissions Department.

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