S is for Senses (Primary)

The brainy bit!

Being able to understand the messages our senses send us can be super important! Not only does it help us make sense of the world around us, it helps us make sense of ourselves too!

the memory game

Our senses are amazing, they send us messages ALL the time! Are we hot, cold, do we like that colour, that sound, what is that touching my hand?

When we savour our senses, particularly the things that we really enjoy, it can help strengthen our resilience, it can help us take in all the good stuff! The awesome news is that, with very little practice, we can get in touch with our senses

Fun things to practice

1. Let’s do a 5-Sense Walk! Head out with your family for a walk as usual. During the walk, use your hand to remember your five senses:

• thumb - say five things that you can see

• pointy finger - say four things that you can hear

• middle finger - say three things that you can smell

• ring finger - say two things that you touch

• pinky finger - say one thing that you can taste

Try this game when you’re out and about too- perhaps in a supermarket, or standing in a queue. Try this game when you’re feeling happy, sad or anxious & see what’s different about it each time!

2. Let’s play the ‘One Bite at a Time’ Game !

First, you’ll need some food that you can eat! This game is all about eating v v v slowly, one bite at a time to relax and enjoy the simple act of eating!

Pick up your food. Notice what it looks like, feels like and smells like. Notice what you’re thinking! Take a small bite of your food, but don’t chew it! Notice how this feels in your mouth! Then begin to chew it v v slowly, pay attention to how this feels. Once it’s safely chewed, you can swallow v slowly. Notice how this feels. Take another v small bite and chew as if you’re in slow motion! Does anything surprise you when you slow eating right down? Do you notice how hungry or full you are? What does this feel like?

3. Let’s play the Favourite Senses Scavenger Hunt!

• What’s your favourite colour? Search all around your home and garden (if you have one) & list everything you can see that’s your fave colour!

• What’s your favourite sound? Spend some time just sitting and exploring which sounds you like and which ones you don’t like! Make a list of them

• What’s your favourite taste? List all your favourite foods & when you last ate them! What’s your least favourite food and how does it feel when you think about it?

• what’s your favourite smell? Look around your house and garden & search out lovely (and not so lovely) smells! List them! How does your favourite smell make you feel?

• what’s your favourite thing to touch? Perhaps it’s your cuddly toy, is it soft and fluffy? Look around your house and work out the different textures that you like and the ones that you don’t like! List them!

Have a look at your favourite senses lists and make sure you do 1 thing from your favourites list each day! Make sure you do one thing from you not-so-favourite list each week too!

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The not-so-small small print

There is none! Simply return to this part of the website daily to get the next part of the practice.. No payment or subscription required. This is a resource we are sharing with all of you through the website and aiming to help our youngsters, in the various stages of their lives. This program contains information and practices that are aimed for two different age groups and we intend to mostly post the primary level information in the morning and the secondary level in the afternoon. Please leave us a comment and let us know how you are getting on or get in touch if you require additional support.

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