Activity instructions
What you need
A pencil or marker, this page or a blank sheet, and one caregiver-approved food or drink for the taste prompt.
How to do the activity
- Choose a familiar indoor or outdoor space. Tell your child they may pause, skip a sense, or change the number at any time.
- Notice and name five things you see, four things you can safely touch, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one familiar food or drink you can taste.
- Finish with one question: What did you notice that you had not noticed before? There are no wrong answers.
Why it may help
Slow, choice-based noticing can support present-moment awareness and sensory vocabulary. It can also help a child identify which sensations feel comforting, neutral, or too much.
Adaptation and communication options
Use pictures, pointing, signing, or a communication device instead of spoken answers. Try fewer items, use only comfortable senses, or let the child lead the route.