👃 Wednesday: Sense of Smell – Sweet, Stinky, and Everything In Between!
(Five Senses Week for Preschoolers – Day 3)
We’ve been seeing, we’ve been hearing, and now it’s time to sniff our way through the day! Welcome to Day 3 of our Five Senses Week, where our curious preschoolers explore the wonderful—and sometimes surprising—Sense of Smell.
Smell is one of the most powerful senses, helping children connect with memories, food, nature, and even safety (think of smelling smoke or spoiled food!). This lesson invites children to use their noses to discover new scents and describe them in playful, expressive ways.
🌟 What We’re Learning Today:
-
What our nose does and how it helps us
-
Identifying and describing familiar scents
-
Distinguishing between pleasant and unpleasant smells
-
Developing descriptive language and memory recall
-
Engaging in creative, sensory-rich activities
🕘 Our Daily Schedule – Smell Adventure
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:00–9:15 AM | 👋 Circle Time: What’s That Smell? |
| 9:15–9:45 AM | 👃 Scent Bottles Game |
| 9:45–10:00 AM | 📖 Story Time: What’s That Smell? |
| 10:00–10:30 AM | 🍎 Snack & Free Play |
| 10:30–11:00 AM | 🎨 Smelly Painting with Spices |
| 11:00–11:30 AM | 🌿 Sensory Table Exploration |
| 11:30–12:00 PM | 🎵 Song & Movement: “Sniff Sniff Sniff” |
🧺 Materials You’ll Need:
-
Small scent jars or containers (labeled or unlabeled)
-
Items for scent game: lemon peel, coffee beans, vanilla extract, vinegar
-
Art materials: paper, glue, cinnamon, cocoa powder, nutmeg
-
Sensory table fillers: dried herbs (basil, rosemary), flower petals, cloves, orange peels
-
Book: What’s That Smell? by Lucy Cousins (or similar smell-themed book)
-
Chart with scent faces: 😊 (good smell), 😖 (bad smell)
-
Song lyrics or visual cards for “Sniff Sniff Sniff”
🟢 Circle Time: What Does Your Nose Know?
Start the day with a fun chat about noses and smells.
💬 Ask questions:
-
What do you like to smell?
-
What smells yucky?
-
What happens when we smell food? Or a flower?
👉 Show pictures of noses, flowers, food, and other smell-related items. Introduce the words: nose, smell, scent, sweet, stinky, strong, soft, sniff
Optional: Let children try “air sniffing” with eyes closed and describe what they imagine they smell—this builds creativity and anticipation!
👃 Scent Bottles Game (Sensory Mystery Fun!)
Prepare small jars or containers with different scents inside and cover them with breathable fabric or paper with holes. Let the children sniff and guess!
🎯 Suggested scents:
-
🍋 Lemon peel
-
☕ Coffee beans
-
🍦 Vanilla extract
-
🧴 Vinegar
💬 As they sniff, ask:
-
“Do you like this smell?”
-
“What does it remind you of?”
-
“Is it sweet, strong, or stinky?”
🧠 Extension: Create a chart where children place a sticker under “Love It,” “It’s OK,” or “Ew!”
✅ Skills: Sensory awareness, opinion expression, memory recall
📚 Story Time: What’s That Smell? by Lucy Cousins
This interactive book is a wonderful way to continue the conversation around how we experience smells and what those smells tell us.
📖 During the reading:
-
Pause to let children guess what the smell might be before turning the page
-
Ask what the children think about each smell described
-
Compare with smells from earlier in the game
🎨 Smelly Paintings (Art + Aroma)
Let creativity and aroma combine in this unique art project!
🖌 What You’ll Need:
-
White paper or cardboard
-
White glue or paint
-
Dry spices: cinnamon, cocoa, nutmeg, cloves
🖼 Instructions:
-
Let children paint shapes or lines using glue or paint.
-
Sprinkle different spices over the artwork.
-
Shake off excess and let dry.
💬 Ask: “Which part smells the best? Can you name that smell?”
✅ Skills: Fine motor development, creativity, sensory expression
🌿 Sensory Table: Herbal and Floral Play
Set up a smell-themed sensory bin or table filled with:
-
Fresh or dried herbs (mint, rosemary, basil)
-
Flower petals or potpourri
-
Orange/lemon peels
-
Spices (cloves, star anise)
🌸 Children can scoop, mix, sort, and sniff freely.
🗨️ Prompt exploration with questions:
-
“What does this smell like?”
-
“Does this remind you of something you’ve smelled before?”
Optional: Add magnifying glasses for visual exploration, too!
🎵 Song & Movement: “Sniff Sniff Sniff”
Here’s a playful, easy-to-follow song to end the day. Use body movement and props (like flowers or spice jars) to make it more interactive.
🎶
Sniff, sniff, sniff,
What’s that in the air?
Is it cookies, is it flowers,
Is it stinky underwear? 😄
Sniff, sniff, sniff,
Let your nose explore,
From the kitchen to the garden,
There are smells and so much more!
🎶
👏 Encourage actions like sniffing, wrinkling noses, pretending to cook, or smelling a flower.
✅ Skills: Music rhythm, imagination, gross motor movement, laughter!
✏️ Reflection & Wrap-Up
To end the day, ask:
-
What was your favorite smell?
-
What smell did you not like?
-
What does your nose help you do?
📘 Add to “My Five Senses” Book:
On the “Smell” page, glue a small bag with crushed herbs or spice-sprinkled paper. Let kids decorate it with what they smelled today.
💡 Final Thoughts
Today was all about exploring the hidden power of our noses—and what a fun (and sometimes funny) adventure it was! From cinnamon to vinegar, children learned to describe, compare, and express how scents affect how we feel and what we remember.
Tomorrow, we move on to taste—get ready for some sweet, sour, and salty surprises!
✨ Did your class enjoy the smelly painting or the scent guessing game? I’d love to hear your version of this activity! Tag your posts with #FiveSensesFun or share your experiences in the comments!




.jpg)
