Five Senses Texture Hands Craft is a vibrant, sensory-rich activity designed to support students in exploring the sense of touch through creative expression. Using a hand-shaped template, students investigate and represent a variety of textures using drawing and collage techniques. This hands-on resource builds scientific understanding of material properties while also supporting descriptive vocabulary, observational skills, and fine motor development.

Linked to the Australian Curriculum v9 Science strand, this activity invites students to describe how different materials feel and identify observable features of objects. Whether used as part of a five senses unit or integrated into cross-curricular learning with English and The Arts, this craft task makes sensory learning both fun and meaningful. The completed textured hands also make an eye-catching classroom display using the included banner.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Identify and describe textures using sensory and scientific language
• ✅ Develop observation and classification skills through hands-on investigation
• ✅ Strengthen vocabulary with descriptive terms such as “bumpy,” “scratchy” and “smooth”
• ✅ Build fine motor skills through drawing, cutting, labelling and collage
• ✅ Support science outcomes related to the properties and features of materials

What’s Included:

• Multiple hand template options (including scaffolded worksheet versions and blank hand pieces)
• Printable display banner to accompany completed craft
• Suggestions for different layout and completion methods
• Suitable for Foundation to Year 2
• Aligned with Australian Curriculum v9 Science outcomes

Materials Needed:

• Printed hand templates (A4 or enlarged to A3)
• Cardstock (white or coloured)
• Pencils, crayons or markers
• Glue, scissors and optional paint
• Textured collage materials (fabric scraps, sandpaper, foil, tissue paper, cotton wool, etc.)

How to Use:

• Choose the template version that best suits your students’ abilities
• Introduce the sense of touch and discuss different texture words using real-life examples
• Allow students to explore the classroom or outdoors to find items with different textures
• Students complete the hand templates by drawing or collaging objects and labelling the textures
• Display the completed hands on a learning wall using the included banner

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as part of a five senses learning sequence in Science or HASS
• 💡 Create a collaborative “texture wall” where each student adds their own hand to a class display
• 💡 Incorporate during English sessions to build descriptive language and oral expression

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Let students personalise their experience by using paint, natural materials or recycled items to enhance their hand design
• 💛 Select templates with scaffolded prompts for emerging writers or provide sentence starters
• 💛 Send home a take-home version or texture hunt extension task to connect learning beyond the classroom

Five Senses Texture Hands Craft is a fun, flexible and sensory-rich way to help students explore the sense of touch through observation, creativity and science. Whether displayed in your classroom or used as a launching point for further writing or discussion, this activity helps bring the five senses to life.