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Art Projects for the Senses

Children learn about their environment by using the five senses--sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing. As children approach an age where they can create art, using projects that involve the senses will help them master art skills more quickly.
  1. Sight

    • Any colorful piece of art stimulates a child's sense of sight. Give the child some bold tempura paint to draw a picture; hang the picture on a bulletin board or the fridge. Help the child create a simple mobile with glitter shapes or letters using construction paper, yarn and a plastic clothes hanger. Hang the art project from the ceiling so the child can view his creation daily. Staple some fabric pieces together to form a small book and have the child paint a "story" on them. She can "read" her own storybook over and over again.

    Hearing

    • Reinforce the sense of hearing by using crinkly paper to rip and paste into a collage. Various types of wrapping paper that are made from cellophane may also be used. Another art activity that involves sound is making a paper plate tambourine. Place a few beans or pieces of rice onto a paper plate and carefully glue or staple another plate over it. The child can shake the "tambourine" to hear the sound.

    Touch

    • Consider adding sand to nontoxic, washable paint to add texture to any art project. Add feathers and low-grit sandpaper to art supplies for children to incorporate into a project. Finger painting is a way to create art through touch; another option is to have children press their thumbs on nontoxic, washable ink pads and then apply the prints onto pieces of paper or even clothing. Or give a child a cotton ball to use as a paintbrush and a blue piece of construction paper and encourage him to make a cloud painting with white paint.

    Smell and Taste

    • Children can smell the art when using some tasty food items to create pictures. Use leftover pudding snack for finger paint or have children make a rainbow with colored fruit cereal circles. Create a scratch-and-sniff art piece by combining powdered drink mix with a few tablespoons of water to use for a "paint." Use a few different drink flavors to supply various colors. Just be aware that powdered drink mix can stain skin and clothing.

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