Your skin covers your whole body and protects what is inside. It is also your sense organ for touch — it lets you feel hot, cold, soft, rough, and many other things.
Have children feel different textures (sandpaper, cotton, ice, warm water) and describe what they notice. Use magnifying glasses to look at skin up close. Compare how sensitive different body parts are (fingertips vs. elbows).
Children often think skin is just a covering, like clothing, and do not realize it is alive and growing. Some children do not know that skin is the body's largest organ.
Your skin is everywhere on your body — it wraps around you from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. It is actually the biggest organ you have. Skin is like a stretchy, waterproof suit that keeps the insides of your body safe from dirt, germs, and bumps.
But skin does much more than just protect you. It is packed with tiny sensors that let you feel things. Some sensors notice temperature — they tell you when something is hot or cold. Other sensors notice pressure — they tell you when something is pressing against you or when someone gives you a hug. Still other sensors notice pain, which is your body's warning system that something might be hurting you.
Some parts of your body have more sensors than others. Your fingertips are loaded with sensors — that is why you use your fingers to explore how things feel. Try touching a soft blanket with your fingertip and then with your elbow. Your fingertip notices much more detail. Your lips and the bottoms of your feet also have lots of sensors. This is why a tiny pebble in your shoe feels so uncomfortable — your foot is very good at noticing things.
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