Spring Awakens the Senses

Birds are singing. Bees are buzzing. Butterflies are fluttering. Flowers are blooming. Trees are leafing. Grass is greening. Dandelions are sprouting. Lawn mowers are busy. Skies are bluing. Clouds are floating. Winds are blowing. Rains are falling. Temperatures are warming.

After the cold, snow, and drabness of winter, isn’t it wonderful to experience the wonders and awakenings of this wonderful time of the year? The Bible tells us we will always have seasons (Genesis 8:22), so I don’t concern myself too much with “global warming” though I do see changes taking place.

I love Springtime! No other season tickles our senses like spring does. God surely knew that we would need this wonderful season after surviving winter…at least in this area of the world.

Spring is such a perfect time to teach wee ones. They learn through their senses, so all we need to do is make sure they use all five of them. I recall, when I taught Pre-K at Ash Camp Baptist Church, having those four-year-olds do simple tasks with their eyes covered.  Have you ever tried to fill a small glass with water without looking what you were doing? It certainly made them thankful to have eyes!

Here are some simple activities you may want to do with your youngsters to help them become aware of their five senses:

EYES:  Point out all the many blessings we have to enjoy with our eyes. Set up tempera paint, paper, and a brush and let them make a mess! Make up chants and songs to sing as they enjoy what their eyes see. Add peppermint, vanilla, lemon, or cinnamon flavors to the paint when appropriate to make them aware of their nose as well as their eyes.

EARS:  Have them cover their ears then whisper to help them understand why we have ears. Point out the sounds we hear around us. I especially enjoy the birds as they perform their dawn chorus each morning as they awaken.

NOSE:  Hold a flower under your nose and have him do the same. Explain that birds, bees, butterflies, and other insects use their sense of smell to find food and to help plants grow as they get pollen on their feet and spread it to other flowers. Point out how happy we should be to have a nose as the hamburgers cook on the grill.

MOUTH:  Yummy food is a great reason to be thankful we have a tongue. This is a good time to talk about sweet, sour, salty, etc. You will also be adding to their vocabulary. Provide a bite of food and have him identify what food it is without using his eyes.

HANDS:  Allow him to touch those fluffy dandelion seeds. Pull off his shoes and allow him to experience the feel of grass, mud, sidewalk, etc. on his bare feet. Did you know that going barefoot is not only good for proper development, but the germs are good for him, too? Place a familiar object (cotton ball, small car, coin, etc.) into a small paper bag and have him identify what is in the bag without using his eyes.

Have fun WITH your small children. They not only enjoy your involvement, but they learn more, also.  Happy parenting and Happy Springtime! God bless your efforts.

©2016 Brenda Holland-Robinson