Texture Mosaic or Collage

Proved any of the following: seeds, pipe cleaners, fabrics, cotton balls, tin foil, wax paper, denim, springs, feathers, carpet, grass, etc. The children can then use glue to make a texture mosaic or collage on some paper.

Stick Count Song

Point out the sound made from the texture of rhythm sticks. Point out the bumps and grooves and smooth parts that make the different sound. Pass out sticks to each child, chant the stick count song while tapping in beat in the various places chanted about:

When we say one, one, one,
Play on your thumb,
When we say two, two, two,
Play on your shoe,
When we say three, three, three,
Play on your knee,
When we say four, four, four,
Play on the floor,
When we say five, five, five,
You do the jive,
When we say six, six, six,
Put down your sticks.

Clothing Textures

Talk about and/or read a book about the different types of clothing people wear from all over the world. Set out various types of cloth for the children to explore the textures. Provide sewing hoops, needles and thread and help the children learn how to sew on different types of fabric.

Wheat Grinding

Take some whole (unground) wheat kernels, let the children explore the texture before and after grinding the wheat. If possible, grind some coarsely (like cracked wheat) and some fine (like flour) and let them feel the difference.

Squishy & Slimy

Let the children play with oobleck, playdough, slime, etc., exploring the squishy or slimy textures.

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Gritty Painting

Add salt or sand to paint and let the children observe the difference in texture as they paint and after their paintings dry.

Texture Pretend Play Ideas

Set up any of the following in your dramatic play area:
Bakery (baking utensils, bowls, pans, pretend oven, signs, recipes);
Hair Salon (hair tools, chair, mirror, cape);
Fabric Store (racks with different fabrics, measuring tapes, cash register);
Safari (pretend animals, binoculars, play jeep, cameras, safari clothes)

Walking on Textures

Gather several different texture items and let your children walk on them, put on some music and let them dance on the textures too.

Texture Box

Set out a texture box filled with items that have distinct textures for children to explore and describe.

Squishy Balloons

Fill balloons with flour and tie them off. Let the children squish them and explore the texture.

Texture Journal Pages

Read a book about textures then hand out a journal sheet with this question on it: "What is something that feels funny to you?" or “Why does sand paper feel rough?” Record the children's responses and let them draw a picture to go along with their response.

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Crunchy or Pureed?

Get a few common snacks (carrots, fruits, etc.) and their baby food equivalents. Let the kids try them and compare their texture and how that affects the taste.

Texture Field Trip Ideas

Ideas to learn about textures on a field trip:
Bakery- textures of the types of bread before and after baking;
Hair Salon-textures of hair (curly, straight, crispy, stiff, soft, wet, dry, etc.);
Fabric Store- fabric textures;
Zoo- talk about and feel different textures of animal coverings

Texture Opposites

You can create a texture board of opposites. Example: smooth fabric and rough sand paper, rock for hard & a cotton ball for soft, etc. Have the children help think of some other things that would be opposites of textures.

Texture Tracing

Provide different trays with salt, flour, cornmeal, etc. for kids to draw in with their fingers and experience the coarse textures.

Crystal Growing

Fill a jar half full with hot water. Stir in salt until no more will dissolve. Hang a thread above the solution, without letting it touch the bottom of the jar. Observe crystals each day with a magnifying glass as they grow. Gently explore the texture of the growing crystals.

Animal Coverings

Explore the textures of different animal coverings (fur, skin, scales, etc.)

Texture Lesson Plan

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