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Science Activities for Kids to Learn about Sense of Touch

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We have put together science activities for all senses, taste, color, smell, sound. Today we share science activities teaching kids about the sense of touch, the last of the 5 senses. Why can we feel through our skin? Do all parts of our body have the same feel on all objects? These are interesting questions that can be answered through fun science experiments. Most experiments can be adapted for different age groups, from preschool to high school.

Science Experiments for Kids to Learn About Sense of Touch

Science experiment activities teaching kids the sense of touch. Fun STEM activities for the Five Senses unit for preschool kindergarten to school age.

One way to help kids learn the different textures and feels of different objects is to isolate touch from other senses. To do that, put some objects with different touches in a container that kids can’t see through. Ask kids to find different objects in the container. Make sure to choose objects of different sizes and textures to put in the bag or container. Ask kids to tell you what are in the bag without peeking inside. While kids doing it, you can help them to find the right word to describe the feel: long, short, cold, warm, heavy, light.

An added challenge based on above activity is to put some items in a soft bag or socks. Ask kids to feel the objects from outside the bag or socks first, see how many objects they can identify. Then ask them to put their hand inside the bag, but without looking inside, and see how many more objects they can tell this time. Why?

There is yet again another way to do it. You can ask kids to find objects of certain feels or textures, instead of the object names. For example, ask kids find something soft, instead of cotton ball. This way kids are focusing their attention on the touch feeling. I also like the baby wipe box as container. It is perfect for little hands to reach in and not see through.

A sense of touch scavenge walk is also a fun way to learn touch senses. You give kids a list of senses they need find on their walk, such as cold, warm, wet, dry, … You will have a good time walking outside. It is also a good way to incorporate all 5 senses, color, smell, sound.

RELATED: 45 Science Experiments to Explore the 5 Senses

This classic hot water and cold water experiment is a must-do if you are learning about touch sense. It helps kids understand the concept of “relative temperature“, the way how our skin “feels” the temperature.

Another factor that determines the temperature our skin feels is the heat conductor. When you touch a piece of mental and wood at the same temperature, do you feel the same? Do you know why?

Have you done the experiment to Map Your Homunculus? Everyone loves it. The idea of the experiment is to show that different parts of our body have different levels of sensitivity to touches. Follow the steps of the experiment, and chart out your own homunculus. Does it look like ours in the picture that has huge hands?

Homunculus experiment is also called two point discrimination test. For older kids, you can have a more rigorous experiment design that requires kids design the experiment, record the data, and discuss scientific findings. You can find very helpful teachers and students guide here, with science explanation and discussion guide.


Science experiment activities teaching kids the sense of touch. Fun STEM activities for the Five Senses unit for preschool kindergarten to school age.
For more science activities about the five senses, check out:
45 Science Activities Teaching Kids the Five Senses
science activities for kids to learn about smell
Science Activities for Kids to Learn Colors
learn 5 senses with science experiments for kids
kids science activities about smells
fun color science experiments for kids



Learn sense of touch facts by science experiments. Hands-on STEM activities for the 5 senses unit for preschool kindergarten to elementary grades and school science fair project

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