Using Senses to Observe: The Learning Focus
Using senses to observe means choosing an appropriate and safe way to gather information about a feature. An object’s color, sound, and texture may call for different kinds of observation.
A Practical Starting Point
Offer a safe textured object and ask how the child could find out whether it feels smooth. Compare that question with finding its color or hearing a sound it makes. Model describing an observed detail, then let the child select a relevant picture symbol or explain the method.
Choosing Appropriate Support
Keep touching optional and provide visual descriptions or alternative materials when needed. Not every property can be checked by every sense; a drawing cannot tell you how an object smells. No unknown object should be tasted. The goal is an observation strategy, not simply recalling a list of five sense words.
Distinguish Related Learning Goals
- Basic Body Parts: Identify visible body parts in a picture, using adult-spoken names and clear examples without internal-organ diagrams.
- The Five Senses: Match each sense with familiar body parts and situations, from seeing a rainbow to hearing a bell.
- Food & Nutrition Awareness: Recognize and group familiar foods in pictures, with an emphasis on variety, curiosity, and adult-supported food conversations.