Go on a Scavenger Hunt with This Five Senses Activity

What goes together like peanut butter and jelly? Preschoolers and scavenger hunts, of course! Scavenger hunts are an amazing way to engage kids in an exciting learning adventure. This scavenger hunt is a five senses activity for preschool or kindergarten that can help children identify all 5 senses and explore the world with new insights!

5 Senses Activity and Scavenger Hunt

This scavenger hunt is super versatile. It can be executed indoors or out! It will encourage kids to explore all five senses, including the sense of hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, and smelling.

The five senses worksheet for preschool is easy to print and features large boxes for your child to draw or write in.

How to Prepare the Scavenger Hunt

Print out the free printable five senses worksheet. If you don’t plan to reuse the activity, a pencil or crayon will be sufficient and you can begin.

If you would like to preserve this paper to be used over and over (my preference), you can laminate in the traditional way or use the dry erase pockets. I prefer the pockets because they are easy to just slide the paper in and be ready to go.

5 Senses Scavenger Hunt Directions

First, I made sure to explain the five senses again to my daughter. We reviewed what each sense is called and what purpose it serves.

Then, we headed outside. You can either sit down and just look around or take a walk.

Make sure your sensory detective knows what he or she is looking for. Depending on the child’s level or preference, they can write simple text or draw a picture in the box.

Encourage your child to really focus on sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching any objects you encounter. Which senses come into play and when? Are there senses you don’t use at times? Are there senses that come to the forefront sometimes?

Ideas for Extending the 5 Senses Activity

• Ask children to only find items that can be collected and put in a basket.
• Complete a 5 senses worksheet after the scavenger hunt.
• If you’re hunting indoors, children can point to items or collect them throughout the house.
• Create a challenge by setting a timer and seeing how fast they can find all of the items. If more than one child is participating, they can race against each other.
• Extend the activity by asking children to tell what their favorite sense is and why.
• Get imaginative and talk about what would be the best “Super Sense” to have and why.
• Create colorful artwork to show young learners how to illustrate and label scientific concepts.
• My Five Senses, by Aliki features simple engaging text and colorful artwork to accompany the hands-on scavenger hunt activity.
• Introduce other nonfiction picture books based on your child’s piqued interest in any particular sense.
• Engage in ongoing conversations about the senses. Ask, “What senses are active when you are…playing with a puppy? Throwing a ball? Lying in bed at night?“

We had a ton of fun with this 5 senses scavenger hunt. It helped my daughter learn exactly what each sense does, from taste buds to nasal cavities! Our bodies are amazing. This is a wonderful addition to a human body unit, and an excellent choice to share with others.