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Exploring Sense of Smell
Tamariki, natural explorers, often overlook the sense of smell. Yet, this overlooked sense can open a world of wonder. In the Pihinga room we have been exploring how Tamariki can discover their sense of smell through sniffing different herbs and spices. Pihinga Kaiako created a sensory-rich environment with an array of herbs and spices like cinnamon, mint, basil, rosemary, and lavender and arranged them in bottles with holes in the top, for them to be able to easily explore the various smells.
As tamariki were encouraged to embark on a sniffing safari, exploring each herb and spice, kaiako asked open-ended questions to stimulate curiosity, fostering discussions about scents, memories, and emotions. We got feedback about the different herbs an spices such as: "Chives are yucky and garlic is funny", "chilli smells yucky", " I love the smell of lemon grass and coriander, they smell yummy too", "We love chilli and mustard", "I like the smell of the pepper rather than mustard", and "Cinnamon is yummy!"
This was such an awesome experience for our Tamariki to engage in, and it promoted conversation, communication, and stimulated their senses through play. Te Whāriki emphasizes a holistic approach to learning and development. It recognizes that children learn through exploration and play which is demonstrated throughout this wonderful experience.