One way to help children learn through senses is scooping up items. In the winter, use cotton balls or packing peanuts to represent snow. If you live in an area where it snows, fill tubs with snow to scoop out. Use cups or measuring cups as tools to scoop through the items. Ask the children to describe what they are doing while it is happening.
Fill a dish pan on top a table with ice water to re-enact an ice fishing scenario. Place plastic fish in the tub and ask children to go "fishing." Use cups and scoops to pick the fish out of the water. Use butter containers and measuring cups to scoop the ice water. Talk about how it is different than regular water.
During winter, use the feeling sense to create "snow paintings" with shaving cream. Cover tables with wax paper and spray the sheets with white shaving cream to resemble snow. Ask children to finger paint through the shaving green. Add glitter for a festive touch as well. For a real life activity, have children drive toy trucks and cars through the snow like a wintery day.
Fill a dish pan half full with potato flakes or rice to represent snow. Before placing this material in the tub, place toy cars, pine cones, mittens and other winter-related items in the bin. Children can then dig through the bin with their hands or scoops to find the items. Talk about the items in the bin as children pull them out.