5 Senses Sorting Mats | Science Real Photos Sight Touch Sound | SLP SPED Autism

These 5 Senses Sorting Mats use real photos to teach students how to categorize objects by what they look like, feel like, sound like, and taste like — covering four of the five senses in one hands-on, multi-sensory resource. Includes 8 sorting mats that target science vocabulary, descriptive adjectives, and categorization skills.

👀 Perfect for:

• Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) targeting attributes, descriptive vocabulary, categorization, and feature/function/class goals
• Special Education teachers building 5 senses and science units
• Autism classrooms working on sensory awareness and descriptive language
• Occupational Therapists working on sensory integration and sensory regulation vocabulary
• ABA therapists running discrete trial attribute and categorization programs
• Science teachers covering the 5 senses (K-2 NGSS-aligned)
• Early Childhood, Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade teachers
• ELL/ESL teachers building English adjective and descriptive vocabulary
• Homeschool families with young learners

✋ What's Included — 8 Sorting Mats Covering 4 Senses:

Sight:

• Large / Small

Touch:

• Hard / Soft

Sound:

• Loud / Quiet

Taste:

• Salty / Sweet

(Note: This set covers 4 of the 5 senses — smell is not included.)

🎯 Skills Targeted:

5 senses science concepts, descriptive adjectives, attribute vocabulary, opposites (large/small, hard/soft, loud/quiet, salty/sweet), sensory awareness, categorization, sorting and classification, real-world object recognition, expressive and receptive language, visual discrimination, following directions, fine motor skills, and independent work skills.

How to Use:

In a small group, science center, or independent workstation, students sort real-photo picture cards onto the matching mat based on the attribute described. To increase difficulty, give students more mats to sort simultaneously. To decrease difficulty, start with 2 mats (one sense at a time) and gradually build up. Use during a 5 senses science unit, OR as a year-round descriptive adjectives / attributes resource.

🔔 Ways to Use:

• 5 senses science units (K-2 NGSS-aligned)
• Speech therapy descriptive vocabulary and attributes sessions
• Categorization and feature/function/class IEP goal data collection
• Independent work systems (TEACCH)
• ABA discrete trial attribute training
• Science centers and morning meetings
• OT sensory integration and sensory vocabulary work
• ESL/ELL English adjective and descriptive language lessons
• Whole-class read-aloud companion activities
• Take-home homework and tele-therapy practice

If your students enjoy this activity, there are many similar activities included in the bundle below:

Real Photos Sorting Bundle

If your students enjoy working on sorting with real photos, they may also enjoy the Sorting Mats With Real Photos Set or "Sorting Our World" File Folder Games Bundle found below:

Sorting Mats With Real Photos

Sorting Our World File Folder Games

For more hands-on activities using real photos, please see the link below:

Hands-On Activities With Real Photos