Three rectangular boards that have different textures and sizes are used to help children refine tactile sense and improve muscle control. Touch board activities prepare the child for writing in the future. Leading by example, the teacher strokes each board one at a time. The teacher says "rough" or "smooth" depending on which texture she is touching. The child repeats the exercise and uses the words as well.
Place several pairs of fabric swatches of different textures into a box. The child closes his eyes and attempts to match the pairs based on the fabric's texture. The teacher names the fabrics and textures as the child goes through the activity the first time. The child can do it on his own after that. This activity helps to develop the child's tactile sense.
For this activity the teacher provides a small world globe. The land areas are made out of sandpaper and the oceans are smooth. The teacher explains that this is the perspective of the world from space. As the child touches the globe the teacher tells her that the rough parts are land and the smooth parts are water. This is repeated several times as the child turns the globe. The exercise introduces the child to the shape of the earth and the distribution of land and water.
Materials for this activity include sandpaper letters and sounds or phonograms mounted on wooden plaques. Vowels are mounted on blue boards, consonants on pink and phonograms on green. The teacher says the letter and mentions the sound in a word the child is familiar with. The child traces the letter and says the sound. Start with three letters and work up to more over time. This activity develops a kinesthetic and visual impression of each letter in the alphabet and prepares students for reading and writing.