Create a Make-And-Take Sensory Finder

“That’s not my dinosaur…” is just one of the many titles in the Usborne “That’s not my…” series.

They explore bees, puppies, sloths, and more!

What makes these books so delightfully engaging is their touchy-feely patches. Each page highlights a new part of an animal inviting a fun new texture to explore.

Why Are Touchy-Feely Books So Important?

As you read stories with texture patches, children learn to associate the textures they are feeling with the words that describe them.

These engaging experiences enrich language development as children hear multiple describing words for textures such as soft, bumpy, and fluffy all while enhancing a deeper understanding of the story.

Let’s go Beyond the Book and create a fun activity to explore further!

Gather the Following Materials:

Thin cardboard (food boxes work great)

• Pencil
• Scissors
• Markers or crayons

Let’s Get Started:

1. Cut out a cardboard square the same size as your book.
2. Draw your favorite animal from the “That’s not my…” series into your cardboard square. Or, using the series covers as a guide, draw a new animal. (If you need inspiration, check out Author Fiona Watt and Illustrator Rachel Wells design process on the Usborne blog.)
3. Cut out the portion of the animal that you want to make touchy-feely. For example, the nose, spots, or stripes.
4. Color the animal.
5. Go on an adventure to see what textures you can find around your house or outside.

Check out the following video for some adventure ideas.  Any guesses where we explored?