This May, we are celebrating Mental Health Awareness month by sharing activities, information, stories, and resources to support the mental health and wellbeing of our children and our families.
The five senses scavenger hunt helps us explore the world around us using all five senses — sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. This activity helps kids to calm their bodies and minds and come into the present moment. It can be especially helpful when kids feel scared, worried, anxious, or stressed. Focusing on our senses helps keep us grounded in the present moment instead of worrying about the past or future.
5-4-3-2-1 Senses Scavenger Hunt
This activity can be easily adapted to any indoor or outdoor environment. We recommend getting outside if it is accessible, as the outdoors can provide a perfect setting for an engaging sensory activity.
Encourage kids to find objects that engage each of the five senses, such as a brightly colored flower (sight), a fragrant herb (smell), a smooth rock (touch), a sour berry (taste), and a bird's chirp (sound). By focusing on each sense, kids can learn to appreciate the beauty of their surroundings and tune out distractions.
- Take three deep inhales and exhales to ground and focus
- Walk around your yard, neighborhood or house and use your senses to find:
- Five things you can see
- Four things you can touch
- Three things you can hear
- Two things you can smell
- One thing you can taste*
* If there is nothing edible in your environment, you can bring some fruit or veggies to use as a sensory item or imagine what something might taste like if you popped it in your mouth!
This activity not only provides a fun and educational experience for kids but a tool to promote mental health and mindfulness. By taking the time to observe and appreciate their surroundings, kids can bring themselves into the present moment and soothe any anxiety they might be experiencing about the past or future.
We encourage parents and caregivers to try these activities with their children and make mindfulness a part of their daily routine. Together, we can promote mental health and create a healthier, happier future for our youth!