Make your own smelly jars!
With these simple smelly jars, kids can have fun sniffing the yummy ingredients, while developing their sense of smell.
A sense of smell is actually closely linked to memory learning – just think of how the smell of freshly cut grass can make you feel!
Smell can change your mood – bringing with it feelings of calm or excitement, or at times a dislike. It is great for kids to explore what smells they like, and those they don’t.
Dive in and give them a sniff!
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What you will need
- Fun smelly ingredients. We used lemon, rosemary, mint, ginger, vanilla essence, and cinnamon stick (do not use ground or powdered cinnamon)
- Several small jars or containers
- Squares of thin paper or fabric
- String (or rubber bands)
- Skewer for poking holes
What you do
Step 1: Pick your fun smelly ingredients. See our tips and tricks if you would like some inspiration!
Step 2: If possible, cut, grate, or crush the ingredients to release their fragrances.
Step 3: Place each ingredient in a separate jar. If you are using a liquid, place some cotton wool balls in as well to soak up the fragrance and avoid a mess!
Step 4: Cover each jar with a square of paper (or fabric also works well).
Step 5: Tie the paper on firmly with string (or rubber bands).
Step 6: Poke holes through the paper with a skewer.
Step 7: Sniff!
Tips and tricks
Tip 1: It can be fun to compare all the different smells, but you can make a game out of it too! To do this, either cover the ingredients in the jar or use a blindfold so your child doesn’t peek, and ask them to guess what they are smelling!
Tip 2: If possible, you can encourage your child to tell you why they like or dislike each smell. This can help build their communication skills.
Tip 3: There are so many fun ingredients you can use, but here is some inspiration: orange peel, essential oils, tea, soap, coffee, lavender, rose petals, garlic, pineapple, popcorn, the list goes on!
Tip 4: Be careful of using powdered substances as these can be inhaled. For example, inhaling powered cinnamon can be dangerous. Also it’s best to use non-toxic ingredients.
Tip 5: Some children can dislike certain smells, so it is important to keep this in mind when introducing children to new smells.
