Our senses give us information — Science, 4–6 years
Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching give the brain different clues about the world around us.
Five ways to notice
Your eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin collect different kinds of information. Eyes notice light and colour; ears notice sounds; the nose notices smells; the tongue notices tastes; skin notices touch, temperature and pain. The brain brings these clues together.
Why we use more than one sense
One sense can miss something or give only part of the answer. To decide whether a drink is safe, you might look at it, smell it and ask an adult instead of tasting an unknown liquid. Using several clues can help us learn, choose and stay safe.
Find the hidden object
Put a toy inside a cloth bag. First feel it without looking: it seems round and hard. Shake the bag: you hear it move. Open the bag and look: it is a red ball. Touch, hearing and sight gave three clues that pointed to the same object.
A sense can be fooled
It is reasonable to trust what your senses tell you, because they usually help you act quickly. But a straight stick can look bent in water, and a warm object can feel cool after your hand was warm. Senses give useful clues, not perfect measurements every time.
Senses help us every day
You use your senses to find your way, notice food smells, hear a bicycle bell and feel whether water is too hot. Chefs, musicians, builders and doctors also use sensory clues in their work. When something could be unsafe, use care and ask for help rather than relying on one sense alone.
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