The Preschooler

Textures and Vocabulary

You may not realize, but your preschooler probably experiences something that is new to him almost every single day.  It may be a new taste or a new smell.  It may even be a new word.  Try the following activity to help your little one experience various textures while at the same time learning some new vocabulary to go with them. 

Begin by gathering several objects with a variety of textures.   Some of these items may be entirely new to your child, while others may simply be experienced in a new way.

Here is a list of suggested items and terms to use when describing them:

• stuffed animal - soft, fluffy, hairy, fuzzy, shaggy
• sandpaper - rough, scratchy
• a small bowl of powdered sugar - soft, smooth, silky
• wet sponge - squishy, damp, soggy, spongy
• piece of ice - cold, slippery, wet, smooth, moist
• balloon - smooth, light, springy
• nail (with adult supervision) - pointy, sharp, prickly, smooth, round

As you introduce each object to your child, let him describe it to you first.  In the beginning, he may simply say the name of the object, but once you have gone through an object or two, he will catch on to how the objects can be described.  Remember that your child’s vocabulary will not be as extensive so one or possibly two descriptive words may be all that he knows.  The point of the activity is to introduce him to new words that he can use in the future to describe other objects.  Do your best to point out other objects with the same textures throughout the following days and weeks ahead.  The more times your child gets to experience a texture and descriptive word, the more likely he is to remember it.

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Written by Laura on July 13, 2011