Five Senses Smell + Art • 3-5 years
What Do You Smell? Five Senses Art
A two-day smell conversation and art project with nose shapes, children’s ideas, and scented flower painting.
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Pretend Play + Observation
Cardboard Magnifying Glass Craft
This cardboard magnifying glass craft is a simple pretend-play and observation activity for preschoolers. Children paint a cardboard frame, add a colorful center, and use the finished magnifying glass for classroom exploring, nature walks, search-and-find games, and science conversations.
Best for: Science centers, nature themes, classroom scavenger hunts, dramatic play, color exploration, recycled crafts, fine motor practice, and observation vocabulary.
Learning Goals
- Fine motor skills
- Creative expression
- Observation skills
- Science vocabulary
- Color recognition
- Pretend play
- Hand-eye coordination
Materials
- Cardboard
- Washable paint
- Paintbrushes
- Colored cellophane, clear plastic, or a recycled plastic lid for the center
- Glue or tape
- Scissors for adult use
- Markers
- Optional: stickers or collage pieces
How to Do the Activity
- Cut a simple magnifying glass shape from cardboard before the activity.
- Invite children to paint the cardboard frame with their chosen colors.
- Let the paint dry until the frame is ready to handle.
- Add colored cellophane, clear plastic, or a recycled plastic lid to the center.
- Decorate the handle or frame with markers, stickers, or extra painted details.
- Use the finished magnifying glasses for pretend exploring, classroom search-and-find games, nature walks, or science storytelling.
Questions to Ask Children
- What colors did you use on your magnifying glass?
- What can you pretend to look for?
- What tiny details can you notice?
- How did you decorate the handle?
- Where could we explore with our magnifying glasses?
Teacher Tip: Prepare the cardboard shapes ahead of time so children can focus on painting and decorating. If you use a recycled plastic lid for the center, check the edges first and secure it well with strong tape or glue.
