The five senses are the tools that preschoolers first use to explore their world. They learn about the things around them as they see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. These picture books focus on the five senses and encourage kids to explore with their senses. This list of books is perfect for beginning of the year, for an All About Me theme, or as supplement to your science and sensory centers.
Books About the Senses for Preschoolers
Preschoolers of all ages are using their senses. Help them build vocabulary to describe what they discover with their eyes, ears, noses, mouths, and hands.
My Five Senses by Aliki
This is a Stage 1 Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explains simple science concepts for preschoolers and kindergarteners.
I Hear a Pickle: and Smell, See, Touch, & Taste It, Too! by Rachel Isadora
This book includes five sections (one per sense) with a series of vignettes that represent that sense. You could read the whole book or just one part to focus in on one sense. Simple illustrations accompany each sentence.
Five Senses by Stephanie Reid
This wordless book shows close photographs of children using their senses. Your kids can narrate as they look at the pictures.
5 Senses at the Farmers Market by Katrina Liu
Two sisters on a sensory adventure in the farmers market.
Can You Smell Breakfast? by Edward Jazz
Ivy and Mom smell the breakfast that Dad is cooking. They guess what he’s cooking by what they smell. Who will be right?
My Five Senses by Margaret Miller
Photographs of children exploring how their senses work.
Cold, Crunchy, Colorful: Using Our Senses by Jane Brockett
In this book of senses, lots of descriptive words are used. Build vocabulary as you explore using the senses.
Me and My Senses by Joan Sweeney
Explaining the five senses and how they work, noting that sometimes we use just one sense and sometimes we use more than one at a time.
I Feel a Foot by Maranke Rinck
Five animals hear a noise in the dark. They try to figure out what it is by touching and feeling it.
Spiky, Slimy, Smooth: What Is Texture? by Jane Brockett
Textures are all around us. This book leads preschoolers to think of different words to describe how things feel.
Preschool Picture Books About the Five Senses
Reading about the senses is one way that you can help preschoolers connect themselves to the text of a book. Connecting text to real life is an important concept in early literacy development.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
This classic is a great entry into talking about sight and colors.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr.
This classic book has some great vocabulary words for different types of sounds that animals make.
Look What I See by Judi Barrett
What do you see when you lie in your bed? When you stand at the top of the stairs? When your eyes are half shut? This book explores different perspectives and ways of seeing.
The Listening Walk by Paul Showers
A father and daughter take a walk and identify the sounds they hear.
Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! by Wynton Marsalis
A sonic adventure with lots of great sound words.
Senses at the Seashore by Shelley Rotner
The seashore engages all the senses in fun and exciting ways.
Our Eyes Can See by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
Simple, fun text teaches readers about the sense of vision and how the eyes let us see.
Our Mouths Can Taste by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
Simple, fun text teaches readers about the sense of taste and how the mouth and tongue let us taste.
Our Noses Can Smell by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
Simple, fun text teaches readers about the sense of smell and how the nose lets us smell.
Our Skin Can Touch by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
Simple, fun text teaches readers about the sense of touch and how the skin lets us feel.
Our Ears Can Hear by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
Simple, fun text teaches readers about the sense of hearing and how the ears let us hear.
Pre-K Books About the Senses
These fun picture books encourage preschoolers to explore more about their five senses.
Too Pickley! by Jean Reidy
A boy doesn’t like anything on his plate at lunchtime.
Too Loud Lily by Sofie Laguna
Lily Hippo cannot be quiet. She is always too loud!
Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrup
Bear does not take a bath…ever. But one day when he needs help, no one will come close because he smells so bad.
Farley Follows His Nose by Lynn Johnston
Farley follows all the delicious smells until he wanders far from home. Will he be able to find the familiar scent to get back?
Lucy’s Picture by Nicola Moon
Lucy’s class is making pictures. Lucy chooses to make one for her grandfather, not with paints but with textures because her grandfather is blind.
Hearing by Rebecca Rissman
In this nonfiction book, preschoolers learn about different sounds they can hear, how to keep their ears safe, and how hearing aids can help some people to hear.
Tasting by Rebecca Rissman
This nonfiction book explains how people use their mouth and tongue to taste different flavors.
Seeing by Rebecca Rissman
Children can discover how they use their eyes to see, how to keep their eyes safe, how some people wear glasses to see better, and how some people do not see at all.
Smelling by Rebecca Rissman
In this nonfiction book, kids can learn how their nose can smell different scents and that some smells can be dangerous.
Touching by Rebecca Rissman
This book investigates how our sense of touch works, what we use to touch, what we can touch, how our sense of touch helps us, and how we can help take care of our sense of touch.
Explore and Use the Senses
Don’t just read about the senses. Actively explore them! This done-for-you 5 Senses science unit fosters inquiry and encourages your little learners to explore and investigate using fun, hands-on activities.
