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Activity 5: Nose Knows


There are entire professions that require a keen sense of smell, like aromatherapy and perfumery. But even for the rest of us, a good sense of smell is helpful. Not just because we can detect a gas leak faster, but because smells are also connected to memory and vocabulary. So here is an activity that I call ‘Nose Knows’ to help children learn to use their sense of smell.

Materials required:

1. Select four or five spices that can be sniffed closely without running the risk of irritating the respiratory system. I selected these four spices: dry bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Choose the whole spice rather than the powdered form.
2. You can use a blindfold if your child is comfortable wearing one. Alternatively, you can just ask the child to close their eyes for the second half of the activity.

Steps:

1. Place the spices on a tray or plate and allow the child to explore them. This includes touching, smelling and licking the spices. Ensure that they do not end up choking on the smaller spices like cloves or cardamoms.
2. Once they have satisfied themselves, blindfold them or ask them to shut their eyes.
3. Place each spice below their nose and ask them to identify it by sniffing deeply. No touching, looking or tasting is allowed.
4. When they are able to identify the spices correctly, initiate discussions on where else they have experienced the same smell. For example, my four-year-old kept referring to cinnamon as ‘apple pie’, so I had to explain that cinnamon is used in apple pies and crumbles. He also referred to cardamom as ‘payasam’ since he was familiar with this dish.
5. Gradually broaden the range of spices you use in this activity to include aniseeds, fennel seeds, and even herbs like mint, coriander and thyme. Ginger, garlic, lemon, vanilla extract and rose essence are also good ones to add to this task. These distinct smells excite children and they will want to go on smelling more ingredients from your kitchen shelves.
At meal times, ask them to smell the dish and identify which spices it contains. Encourage them to talk about which smells they like and which they don’t.

Extra:

Introduce words to help them talk about smells. Words like ‘earthy’, ‘woody’, ‘pungent’, ‘floral’ can help them describe smells. Here are some examples:
Bay leaves have a mild, fragrant smell.
Cloves smell hot and fruity.
Cinnamon has a warm and sweet smell.
Cardamom smells nutty, woody and sweet.

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