Teaching Sequence

Work this resource material in the following sequence

Tune In

Turning on your super senses

Find Out

The benefits of our super senses

Take Action

Taking it further

Tune In: Turning on your super senses

Preparation

This activity prompts children to pay attention to their inner thoughts and emotions and understand their impact on their bodies. It also encourages them to be mindful of their senses and surroundings. Additionally, it offers a chance to improve focus, attention, and social-emotional skills, especially in terms of emotional intelligence and regulating emotions and body.

You will need the following equipment:

A space large enough for children (and adults) to sit or lie down (this works well inside, but outside is better!)
a collection of flowers, leaves, stones, seed pods or other tactile natural materials (enough for one each).
A small piece of fruit or something else edible for each child (berries, grapes, sultanas, herbs, cereal, etc). Be aware of food intolerance or allergies.

Step 1

Ask the children to find a comfortable spot in the space you have chosen (inside or outside); they can sit, stand or lie down.

Step 2

Lead the children through a guided mindfulness exercise using the audio recording below.

Cool Australia · The Nature of Mindfulness: Super Senses - Early Learning

You may like to simply play this recording for children, or if you would like to run the guided mindfulness exercise yourself, you could listen to the audio in preparation for this activity, as it provides a model for how you can run the session yourself using the script provided below. You can modify this activity to suit the children and your local environment. For example, for a shorter activity for younger children, choose only two of the senses and combine the sight and touch activity, or alternatively, the smell and taste activity

Find yourself a cozy and comfortable position. You could be sitting cross-legged on the floor, lying down with your arms by your sides or sitting in a chair with your feet on the floor.

Take a couple of big deep breaths through your nose, let the air fill your belly and slowly blow it out through your mouth so you can be still and calm.

Imagine you are at the beach. What colours and shapes can you see? What noises can you hear? What can you smell? How does the sand feel between your toes? What does the water taste like when you go for a swim?

You are always using your senses, but today, we are going to focus on each of our senses one at a time until they become SUPER senses. Imagine you have special powers that help you to take notice of the things around you like a superhero!

"First, let's listen carefully to the sounds around us. We'll need to relax our minds and let go of noisy thoughts so they don't distract us from our super senses. Take some deep breaths, relax your body, and focus on being right here, right now...

Let's start by activating your super hearing! Take a moment to listen carefully to all the sounds around you. Pay attention to the loud noises, the soft whispers, the sounds nearby, and those far away... Listen to the natural sounds like birds chirping and the wind blowing, as well as the sounds made by people and machines. Take note of every sound you can hear.

- PAUSE -

Now it's time to activate your super sight!

Give each child a collection of flowers, leaves, stones, seed pods, or other tactile natural materials.

I've given you a special object to look at closely. Hold it gently in your hands and take a good look at it. What colours do you see? Are there any patterns or textures? Notice the shape and size of the object. Turn it over and explore the other side. What do your super eyes notice? Take your time to really see every detail. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine you have x-ray vision, like superheroes in the movies. With your X-ray vision, you can see through things! Imagine what's inside the object you're holding. What do you think it looks like on the inside?

- PAUSE -

Now it's time to activate your super sense of touch!

Encourage each child to hold their special object from the collection.

Feel the object in your hands. What does it feel like? Is it heavy or light? Run your fingers over its surface. Is it rough, smooth, furry, or prickly? Take note of its texture. Is it wet or dry? Feel its temperature against your skin.

Now, try touching the object with different parts of your body. How does it feel against your arm, leg, or foot? Does it feel different when you touch it with a different body part? Notice if it tickles or scratches when you touch it in certain ways.

Gently place your special object down next to you.

- PAUSE -

Hand out the small edible items you have chosen to each child.

Now, let's activate our super senses of smell and taste!

Hold your item up to your nose and take a deep breath in. Can you smell it? Is it a nice smell or a not-so-nice smell? Take a moment to really breathe in the scent. Is it strong or do you have to focus really hard to smell it? Notice how it makes you feel.

Now that you've activated your super-smelling powers see if you can smell anything else around you. Take another deep breath and notice the scents in the air. Can you smell the grass, leaves, or flowers in the garden? Maybe you can smell someone cooking a delicious meal nearby.

- PAUSE -

Now, let's activate your super-tasting sense!

Take your item and bring it up to your mouth very slowly and gently. Notice how it feels on your lips and tongue. Take a moment to explore its texture.

Now, slowly chew the item. Take your time to really taste it. Notice the flavors. Is it sweet, salty, sour, or tart? Pay attention to how the taste evolves as you chew.

Gently swallow the food and notice how it feels as it goes down your throat. Can you still taste it in your mouth after you swallow?

You have now activated your super senses! You need to practice to keep them working. You have the power to activate your super senses whenever you want to calm down and focus for a moment …

Find Out: The benefits of our super senses

Step 1

Once you have finished the mindfulness activity, bring the children back to sit in a group or circle and pose the following questions

I wonder if you noticed new or different things when you switched on your super senses?
I wonder if there is one super sense that is more important than the others? Which one would it be and why?
I wonder what it would be like if I lost one of my super senses?
I wonder what it would be like to gain an extra super sense? Which super sense would you love it to be and why?

Step 2

You may also like to bring the benefits of mindfulness to the attention of your children. While they are still seated, pose the following questions:

Which super sense did you enjoy using the most? Why was this your favourite?
How does our body feel when we switch on our super senses?
What is your mind thinking when you switch on your super senses?
What could be some good things about switching on our super senses every day?

Mindfulness is a way of life that involves paying attention to the present moment, non-judgmentally. It is a state of awareness that provides an opportunity to tune in to your thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, the environment and other people. Research has shown mindfulness can help develop resilience, kindness, empathy and compassion. You may like to check out this factsheet to learn about the benefits of mindfulness and the importance of mindfulness for young children to help guide your discussion.

Take Action: Taking it further

Option 1

Mindful Art: Provide materials like paper, crayons, markers, or paints. Encourage children to draw or paint what they experienced during the mindfulness exercise. This could be the special object they held, the sensations they felt, or any images that came to mind during the activity.

Option 2

Nature Walk: Take children on a short nature walk where they can further explore their senses. Encourage them to notice the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of the environment around them. You can guide them to pay attention to details they might have missed before the mindfulness exercise.

Option 3

Storytelling or Guided Imagery: Read a story or guide children through a guided imagery exercise related to mindfulness and the senses. Encourage them to imagine themselves using their super senses in different scenarios, such as exploring a magical forest or going on a sensory adventure.

Embed these concepts into your daily practice by encouraging children to engage mindfully in everyday activities, focusing on their senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Regular practice builds heightened sensory awareness, fostering emotional connection and empathy. Nurture smell and taste through mindful eating, fostering an appreciation for food. Outdoors, prompt listening for birdsong and feeling textures like leaves and sand. Cultivate sight by observing cloud shapes and nature patterns, enhancing sensory perception in daily life.

Naturally Mindful: Supercharging Your Senses

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