Exploring the Senses

Building a mind disposed to scientific pursuits involves exploring the natural world in a meaningful way. By using a variety of senses, young children learn how to examine the things around them in many different fashions. At Raintree, we encourage our children to use their senses to make observations, to make predictions, and to simply understand the world around them.

There are many edible plants in our forest and garden. We practice using our senses to make sure the plants we discover are safe to touch and eat. We practice using our eyes to see if the plant looks familiar and our noses to see if the plant smells familiar. We also make sure to always ask a teacher before actually eating anything.

One day while visiting the garden, some students noticed that one of the plants smelt familiar. After using their senses to further investigate their discovery, connections were made.

“It smells like toothpaste. I love toothpaste.”

“It tastes like candy. Like chocolate candy!”

“I’ve smelt something like this before. It smells like my daddy’s breath mints!”

Can you use your senses and personal experiences to guess what they found?

-Madeline Cook