Give students the opportunity to create their own indoor ponds. Fill a large container with sand. Dig a hole in the middle of the sand and place a bowl of water in the hollowed-out area. Provide students with plastic frogs, bugs and other animals to play with in the indoor pond. Let the students squish the sand between their fingers and mix the water and sand together as part of the activity.
Take two large containers and fill them with a variety of objects to demonstrate the difference between hard and soft. In the hard container place small smooth rocks and other small hard objects for students to feel. In the other container place cotton balls and other soft objects to be manipulated. Let children experiment with different textures by placing more objects in the appropriate container.
Place dried beans, rice or small gravel into a large container and add measuring cups and funnels to allow students to sift and pour the material. Provide a second large container to give students the opportunity to pour items back and forth between the two containers.
Fill a large container with rice, sand or a similar substance and bury small toys like cars, plastic animals and rings or baubles into the material. Instruct students to dig and feel through the material for the buried treasure like a pirate. You may want to make a pictorial list showing what objects are hidden in the sand or rice. When a student finds all the treasures, then the objects can be reburied by the pirate preschooler.