Outdoor play created perfect opportunities for explorations for children that engage their senses. Learning about different textures with their hands is a great activity to do with preschool children in spring, fall, or summer.
Children discover the world using their 5 senses. They connect to it by absorbing sounds, textures, smells, pictures, tastes, emotions. At a young age, children are incredibly sensitive. Learning occurs naturally when they have an opportunity to utilize as many senses as possible.

In the Montessori classroom, there are several areas of development, one of them being sensorial. Montessori sensorial aims to establish a strong connection between the brain and senses in the process of learning, provide a sensory impression. Children learn to differentiate weight, textures, colours, etc.
“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge. Our apparatus for educating the senses offers the child a key to guide his explorations of the world…” Montessori, M. (1988). The Absorbent Mind
Hands are instruments, through them brain receives important information. It’s no surprise that children LOVE working with hands-on activities. Well, as adults we also gain great satisfaction from things we do with our hands – knitting, playing an instrument, gardening – providing all forms of relaxation and positive stimulation. Every single material designed by Dr. Montessori benefits brain development by engaging children’s hands – from the Pink Tower to the Stamp game, children learn by handling manipulatives.
Our Montessori classroom often gets transferred outdoors. It is one of the most exciting aspects of our Montessori homeschooling program. I try to use similar concepts that Montessori materials present and work my way to demonstrate these exact concepts using resources found in nature.
On a gorgeous sunny day, we took a trip to a local park to do sensorial explorations using hands and learn more about touch. It was a great way to extend preschoolers’ vocabulary knowledge and experience textures using natural materials.

Here is what we did:
Scavenger Nature Hunt – Touch with printable
Learn about contrasts like rough and smooth, cold and warm, heavy and light
Played “Mystery Bag” game using objects from nature
I made a nature scavenger hunt printable to help with this task. You are very welcome to download the printable here!


The conversation took us in all sorts of directions trying to come up with adjectives to describe objects – talking about temperatures, weight, etc. One of the Montessori materials that teach to differentiate between rough and smooth surfaces is called Rough and Smooth Touch Boards. You can check out this video created by My Works Montessori for more details on that:
We used a smooth leaf and rough surface of a concrete wall to do a similar presentation and lesson. Also learning to be gentle with plants was another valuable lesson my student learned when talking about “touch”.

“Mystery Bag” is a wonderful tool to boost problem-solving skills and communication. Truly, there is no need to get fancy, a simple fabric bag works just fine for that. We have one that makes it easy for children to slide their hands through holes on the sides and put the bag around their neck. With the mystery bag, children practice describing objects and come up with different adjectives to talk about the item while trying to guess what it is.

This outdoor Montessori exploration experience gave us a great start for talking about the senses. The hearing, sight, and smell – next lesson’s agenda. I think we will leave “taste” for later as a fun treat and play different games tasting various food.
YOu Might Also Enjoy These Resources On Nature-Based Learning and Living
- The Many Benefits Of Learning In Nature
- Hands-On Learning About Plants In Our Montessori Classroom
- Sensory Explorations Outdoors – Touch With Nature Hunt Printable
- Learning About Land And Water Formations – Montessori Outdoor Explorations
- The Silence Game In Nature – Empowering Children With Mindfulness
- Montessori Inspired Explorations At The Beach
- Quotes On Nature – Steering Away From Nature – Deficit Disorder
- Colour Hunt In Nature – Montessori Outdoor Explorations
- 20 Ways To Celebrate Earth Day And Every Day With Kids.
- 30 Amazing Books For Children On Nature
- Art With Nature – Creative Nature Hunt For Kids
- Outdoor Learning Activities With Free Printables
- Painting With Natural Loose Parts
- 3 Easy Steps To Get Your Kids Crafting With Natural Materials
- How To Make An Easter Garden – Natural Small World For Play
- Hands-On Learning About Plants In Our Montessori Classroom
- Calming Mindfulness Activities For Kids Using The Colors Of Nature
- Outdoor And Nature-Based Learning Activities For Children
- Introduction To Forest School – A Practical Approach To Outdoor Learning (Free Printable)
- Nature Journal – Free Printable
- Nature Display In Homeschool Setting
- Montessori Flower Arranging Lessons For Children. Activities, Materials. Tips For Toddlers & Preschoolers
- Outdoor Activities For Children With Free Seven-Day Planner
- Risk-Taking In Play And Everyday Life For Children
- The Importance And Benefits Of Teaching Gardening To Children Toddlers To Preschoolers
- Indoor Garden Craft Ideas For Kids – Plants That Stimulate The Senses
- How To Make A Vegetable Garden For Kids
- What Happens If Every Child Picks A Flower?
Must-Read Books About Nature Learning and Living

Exploring Nature - Children's Books and Learning Resources
Nature Journal Children's Activity Book with Prompts I see I wonder I create
Visual Storytelling Prompts with Nature | Drawing, Creative Writing
Animals of the Seven Continents - Nomenclature and Information Cards
Nature Curriculum in Cards Ever Growing Bundle
Insects and Crawling Creatures Preschool Pack
Biomes of the World - Nature Curriculum in Cards - Montessori
Major Biomes of the World is a set of 3-part cards, information posters, and worksheets for students to learn about the major biomes of the world. It includes a map, 3-part card activities, descriptions, follow-up coloring, handwriting, and sorting activities.
Three Types of Rocks Sort: Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic
Three-part cards and sorting activity with three major groups of rocks – Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic. Rocks are often a great point of interest for lower elementary students. It is easily translated into a hands-on experience for children who enjoy looking up various types of rocks and learning their origin and proper name pronunciation.
Types of Clouds Printable - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Types of Clouds – 3-part card activity and handwriting sheets.
Seasons in Nature Printable - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Seasons in Nature Printable contains:
4 work mats for sorting
24 picture cards for sorting (6 for each of the seasons)
Sun and Earth rotation poster to place in the middle
British and American versions
Natural Wonders of the Continents Montessori Sorting Cards
Montessori Nature Printable with 49 sorting cards featuring real photos of the wonders of nature.
Fascinating and most incredible places on earth categorized by location – the seven continents.
2D Shapes in Nature Printable - Nature Curriculum in Cards - Montessori
2D Shapes in Nature matching activity and handwriting sheets.
Montessori Printable for Preschool Children Colours in Nature
Montessori-inspired printable for preschool children to learn visual discrimination of the colors using gorgeous photographs of nature. Photographs of the natural world – 11 different colors;
Montessori Nature Printables
Patterns in Nature cards for sorting out 10 different categories of patterns found in nature: clouds, water, plants, animals, reflections, landscapes, corals, ice and snow, rocks, and trees.
Birds and Their Eggs Three-Part Nomenclature Cards
The printable features photos of birds and eggs. Each card set comes with a photo of a bird + a label, a label card, and a photo card of eggs including a picture of the bird that laid them. This makes it easier for children to connect the right picture of eggs to the right bird without assistance.
Plant Life Cycle - Montessori Nature Printables
This printable is perfect to include in your Spring and Summer unit and present to the students before they start planting seeds in the garden.
Honey Bee Life Cycle - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Two sets of Honey Bee Life Cycle activities with student worksheets and Honey Bee 3-part Cards
Nature Themed Phonics - Nature Curriculum in Cards Series
The Deciduous Forest Biome - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Five Classes of Vertebrates Sorting Cards - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Leaf Shapes Printable - Nature Curriculum in Cards

Nature's Treasures
From a fragile and beautiful bird egg to a glittering meteorite from space, discover more than 100 intriguing natural objects with fascinating tales to tell in this beautifully illustrated wildlife book for children.
This unique nature reference book has a fun, new approach that teaches children about nature through objects. It includes:
• More than 100 amazing objects that you can find in nature made by geological processes, or by plants and animals.
• Four chapters: Animals; Plants, Fungi and Algae; Minerals and Rocks; and Made by Nature.
• Illustrated diagrams that support understanding.
• Large, detailed photographs of truly fascinating objects.
• Eye-catching jacket finishes: gold foil, holographic foil and metallic gold edges.

Kids Nature Journal Drawing Sketchbook
NATURE JOURNAL: Exploring nature with children through fun journaling. These activity books were created by parents who found a way to guide kids to discover and observe the outdoors with simple drawing and sketching. When given a purpose and excitement for finding plants, animals, and landmarks, your kids will enjoy learning to draw on this illustrative workbook in their own backyard.

Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail: What Will You Find?
Jump-start curiosity with this take-along field guide for children ages 4 to 8. From worms, birds, and spiders to trees, flowers, and clouds, young explorers learn what to look and listen for wherever they are — whether in a nature preserve, an urban park, or a suburban backyard. Seek-and-find lists, on-the-trail art projects, and discovery games get kids engaged in hands-on learning about nature, and a real pull-out magnifying glass helps them get a close-up glimpse of leaf veins, seed pods, and tiny insects. Filled with activities, checklists, and stickers, this interactive nature guide belongs in every kid’s backpack.

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World
See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

My First Nature Book: All About the Natural World for Kids
From the smallest speck of sand to the stars that blanket the sky, nature is full of incredible things to explore. Inspire little ones to learn about the world they live in with this colorful and imaginative choice in nature books for kids. It’s packed with fascinating info and full-page photos that teach children about the weather, seasons, plants, animals, and more.

Awesome Outdoor Science Experiments for Kids
Kids are full of big questions like “What makes plants grow?” or “Why does the moon change shape in the sky?”. Awesome Outdoor Experiments for Kids can help them find the answers! It’s a treasure trove of outdoor adventures, with more than 50 fun experiments that show kids science in action as they play outside.

National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry
When words in verse are paired with the awesomeness of nature, something magical happens! Beloved former U.S. Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis curates an exuberant poetic celebration of the natural world in this stellar collection of nature poems. From trickling streams to deafening thrunderstorms to soaring mountains, discover majestic photography perfectly paired with contemporary (such as Billy Collins), classics (such as Robert Frost), and never-before-published works.

Adventure Girls!: Crafts and Activities for Curious, Creative, Courageous Girls
Girls can do anything, and Adventure Girls! proves it! Packed with exciting activities and crafts for girls (ages 6 to 12), this book inspires young adventurers to be curious, innovative, and bold. From stargazing and animal tracking to making a pinhole camera and building a shadow theater, Adventure Girls! is not one of your typical craft books.

The Backyard Bug Book for Kids
Crawl into the wonderful world of bugs—a fun photographic adventure for kids ages 3 to 5
Take your child on an educational adventure bursting with the kinds of colorful photographs you need in bug books for kids.
The Backyard Bug Book for Kids has everything you’d want in bug books for kids: a story, pictures, and activities combined. Introduce your little one to the types of bugs they’re likely to see during their day, then help them remember what they’ve learned with fun, on-the-page challenges.

Curious Kids Nature Guide: Explore the Amazing Outdoors of the Pacific Northwest
Filled with fun facts and 100 full-color, beautiful, and scientifically accurate illustrations, this nature guide will inspire kids to go outdoors and discover the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest.
Did you know that baby raccoons are smaller than a bar of soap? Or that salmon smell using little pits in the front of their eyes? Curious Kids Nature Guide is filled with full-color illustrations and fun facts about the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest, encouraging kids to discover and explore nature in their own backyards and beyond.

The Organic Artist for Kids: A DIY Guide to Making Your Own Eco-Friendly Art Supplies from Nature
Immersed in the natural world, The Organic Artist for Kids inspires creativity by connecting kids and their adults to our wilderness roots.
In addition to offering a wide variety of fun, collaborative projects using nature as a source for art supplies and inspiration, this book also introduces the concepts of awareness and perception that are fundamental to the creative process.

Outdoor Kids in an Inside World
In the era of screens and devices, the average American spends 90 percent of their time indoors, and children are no exception. Not only does this phenomenon have consequences for kids’ physical and mental health, it jeopardizes their ability to understand and engage with anything beyond the built environment.

Exploring Nature Journal for Kids
Wild creatures, cloud formations, plant habitats, and more―nature is full of wonders to behold and explore! In this nature journal, young naturalists will get all of the guidance they need to study and record their experiences of the natural world.

The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms
Clare Walker Leslie shows kids how to experience nature with all five senses, whether they live in the countryside, a major city, or somewhere in between. Guiding children through inspiring activities like sketching wildlife, observing constellations, collecting leaves, keeping a weather journal, and watching bird migrations, The Nature Connection encourages kids to engage with the world outside and promotes a lifelong love of nature.

50 Things To See With A Telescope - Kids: A Constellation Focused Approach
From the author of the bestselling book 50 Things to See with a Small Telescope, this colorful edition explores the constellations with young readers, guiding them to dozens of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. Every page features a helpful “telescope view”, showing exactly how objects appear through a small telescope or binoculars.

Nature Anatomy Activities for Kids: Fun, Hands-On Learning
Get ready to explore the sky above, the ground below, and all the plants and creatures in between! Made just for kids, this nature anatomy book teaches you about the incredible forces and living things that exist in nature.

Nature All Around: Plants
Balancing child-friendly facts with colorful illustrations, this perfect introduction to plants is sure to inspire the budding naturalist in every child. From crowded cities to open prairies, deserts to wetlands, plants grow everywhere!
This comprehensive introduction will open children's eyes to the plants that surround them every day and how important they are to life on our planet. It covers the basics of plants, such as their parts, life cycles and growing zones.

The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-Ups
The birds, the bees, the flowers and the…TREES! How do trees grow? Why do leaves change? What kind of tree is that? The acclaimed Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s guide answers all kids’ (and their parents’) tree-related questions in an easy-to-understand way. It features 33 different trees that grow in North America, from rural Georgia to the streets of New York City to the California suburbs.

Survivor Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival
Anyone can get lost while camping or on a hike and Survivor Kid teaches young adventurers the survival skills they need if they ever find themselves lost or in a dangerous situation in the wild. Written by a search and rescue professional and lifelong camper, it’s filled with safe and practical advice on building shelters and fires, signaling for help, finding water and food, dealing with dangerous animals, learning how to navigate, and avoiding injuries in the wilderness.

Mrs. Peanuckle's Hiking Alphabet
With playful text, bright illustrations, and sturdy pages, Mrs. Peanuckle's alphabet books will engage toddlers, and take them on an alphabet adventure through the natural world!
Explore the wondrous world of hiking while learning the ABCs with Mrs. Peanuckle!
Mrs. Peanuckle takes on the outdoors and shares all her favorite animals, plants, and more in her latest tour of the ABCs!
This is definitely an incredibly rich resource that you have spent so much valuable time developing, I’ll recommend it to parents at our school as well as link to it in our Montessori Resources section so that our teachers can take a look. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Fernando, for this thoughtful comment! I am happy to serve other hardworking parents and teachers out there!