During a unit on birds, pour a large bag of bird seed into the sensory table. Set out measuring cups and let children experiment with pouring into bowls or larger containers. Scoop out several seeds onto a paper plate. Print up a chart with the different samples of seeds and have children sort them out. Another activity is to describe a seed and see if children can guess which one you are talking about.
Feathers are soft and come in a variety of colors. Collect feathers to put on display and discuss the kinds of birds they came from. Purchase craft feathers and let children paint on paper, using them as a paint brush. Cut out strips of construction paper and fit around the child's head. Staple ends together. Allow children to glue feathers on to make a decorative headband. Set several feathers at a table with magnifying glasses so children can study them and try drawing pictures of what they see.
For a unit on fish, fill the sensory table with water. Add cups, plastic fish and sea creatures. Compare what sinks and what floats. Add small fish nets, strainers, tongs and large tweezers, and tell children to see how many fish they can catch with each tool. Discuss which one gathered the most fish at one time and which one gathered the least. This will help develop fine motor skills and encourage the children to problem solve.
Create an undersea area in your room by hanging blue and white streamers from the ceiling. Add brown and green pillows on the floor. Hang fishnet along the wall and attach dried seahorses, starfish and shells for children to explore. Leave out a few plastic hand lenses so the children can look at them more closely. Set out books about sea life for children to read while they sit in their underwater environment.