Memory of Smells - Exploring and Matching Scents

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	Basic
	Age: 4-6
	20-30 min
	Children experience different smells outdoors. They create scented bags and use them for a memory game. Children develop their senses, strengthen communication skills and stimulate attention and memory.
	Self-regulation
	Cognitive task Conversation Movement Outdoors Parents
	Thin, opaque fabric (e.g. from old shirts or purchased fabric bags) Dried aromatic herbs and spices, such as: Lavender Marjoram Thyme Rosemary Peppermint Rose petals Glue gun (if you will glue the bags) Sewing thread and needle (if you will sew the bags) Labels, slips, or stickers for marking the bags

Preparation

Sensory Exploration and Bag Making

Go for a walk outdoors or around the playground and invite the children to pay attention to different smells in the environment. Encourage them to describe the smells in their own words and to share whether they like or dislike each one.

Together, prepare scented bags using thin, opaque fabric (secured with knots, glue, or stitching). You’ll need two bags for each scent. Collect dried herbs and spices such as lavender, thyme, rosemary, peppermint, and rose petals.

Let the children fill the bags in pairs with the same scent. Label one bag visibly and leave the other unlabeled or hidden to make the game more fun and challenging.

Implementation

Memory of Smells Game

Use two baskets or trays, each filled with one set of the prepared scent bags.

A child picks a bag from the first basket, smells it carefully, and tries to remember the scent. They then search through the second basket to find the matching bag by smell alone.

Encourage the child to name the scent and describe what it reminds them of.

Reflection

After playing, discuss how the children felt using their sense of smell. Were some smells easier to recognize? Did they discover any new favorites? You can also invite them to suggest new scents they would like to explore next time.

Variations and Additional Ideas

If your kindergarten has a herb garden, visit it with the children. Together, pick herbs and spices, label them, and dry them for later use in the memory game.

If you don’t have a herb garden, you can ask families to contribute by bringing dried or fresh herbs from home. This way, families can get involved, and children can bring scents from their own environment to share with the group.