Do You Smell Something?

During my commute today, I was listening to the radio when one of the morning people mentioned (I don't know what lead up to it) that she loved the smell of new tires.  She admitted to being a tire junkie who would leave her children sitting in the shopping cart in the tire aisle of a big box store while she smelled the air.  This lead to a further discussion where another one of the morning people told about how he loved the smell of play dough.  I haven't played with it in years, and I will not use it in my classrooms when there are many better, less expensive alternatives, but I do remember that smell after 45 or so years.  A caller talked about loving the smell of the horse stables.  I do remember that smell from visiting my sister while she was feeding her horses, but I was usually jumping out of the way of what I was sure was certain death by huge horse to pay too much attention.

After listening to the conversation, I began to think of my favorite smell - that of my favorite present, a large box of crayons.  There were only 64 or so crayons in the box back then, but I still remember opening a new box, seeing all of the brand new crayons in neat rows, and smelling the crayon smell.  I have since learned that some of that smell is from the beef fat in the crayons, which should be off-putting to a vegetarian, but I still love the smell.

From there I went on to other smells from my past.  The smell of baking bread always reminds me of my mother's kitchen, where she made bread for the family.  When my husband is working on a project and is sawing or sanding wood, the smell takes me back to my home, where my father - a carpenter - had a wood shop in the basement.  Burning wood reminds me of Girl Scout camp, where we cooked over a fire during the day, and sang songs around the fire at night.  If I try, I can still smell the canvas of the tents where we slept.

 

So, you may ask, what does your love of the smell of crayons have to do with anything?  The point is that humans are very sensory beings.  Everyone has memories that can to evoked by a smell or a sound.  Young children, who are absorbing new things like a sponge absorbs water, are particularly interested in smells.  Too many programs for young children try to emphasize sensory items in the environment, but neglect the olfactory senses.  Does the program smell like disinfectant and bleach?  Does it smell like the diaper pail should have been emptied two hours ago?  Does it smell pleasant and welcoming or like the guinea pig's cage is long overdue for a change.  If the smell in not unpleasant, it is too often neutral and offers no stimulation.

 

There are many simple ways to help children experience the sense of smell.  While incense and candles are (of course) out of the question, there are many other ways to scent the air.  Children love to grind spices with a mortar and pestle.  Shop around - there are huge differences in the price of spices.  Do baking projects - cookies baking and bread rising have their own special spells.  Have the cook make real food - nothing is more welcoming that the smell of spaghetti sauce or soup simmering.  Flowers are a lovely addition to a room.  A pot of hyacinths in the spring will scent the whole room.  Herbs can be grown in pots on the windowsill.  Rubbing basil and other herbs is a special experience.  Smelly bottles can be made by soaking cotton balls in essential oils or extracts, putting the cotton in a bottle and hot gluing on the lid, and poking a few small holes in the sides.  The scented pine cones that are sold in the fall and winter will add a spicy smell to the room.

 

Adding a scent to a room is limited only by a teacher's imagination.  Just make sure that everything that is used is safe for children and, of course, that you talk about the smells if you should notice that a child is noticing them.  Also, remember that one child's delicious smell is another child's stinky smell, but they are both are correct.  Make some happy memories for your children, and they will remember you years later.

 

P.S. (Can you P.S. a blog?  I don't know, but since it is mine, I will).  After writing this post and finishing my day, I headed to Wegmans to get groceries.  I have been working 6:30 to 6:00 most of the week, with a 45 minute commute each way, so I was really dragging.  It was past 7:30 when I headed for the checkout.  At the end of one register, where there is usually a bin of some sort of merchandise, there was a bar of Yardley lavendar soap.  It has always been my favorite but it is very difficult to find now.  I held the cardboard box up to my nose and breathed in.  All at once I was visiting my New England relatives. Another breath and I was going to the Hopewell Jct. Pharmacy to buy a three pack in a pretty box as a gift for my mother.  Another breath and I realized that the cashier was looking at me funny, so I put the soap in my cart and checked out.  Tonight when I am home I will probably smell it again.

Bummer! It's Snowing Again!

Reality has hit - after enjoying several days of warm breezes and sunny skies, the temperature has dropped to 33 degrees and snow is blowing.  Such are the joys of spring in upstate New York.  It is a bummer for the adults (I have been told that saying bummer is very out of date since this is no longer the 60's, but it sums up things so very well), and misery for the children who thought that they would be able to run outdoors every day.  The return of winter can lead to cranky, antsy children with lots of energy and no place to use it. 

Children are kinesthetic, hands on learners who love sensory activities, so one thing that is sure to entertain them is playdough.  I am not talking about the rubbery, smelly (actually, it smells the same as it did 50some years ago) stuff that comes in a can, but dough that is soft, smooth, and a joy to manipulate.  Best of it all, it can be made at home with common ingredients.  Some sample recipes follow.

Kool-Aid Playdough

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 package unsweetened Kool-aid (or similar drink mix)

1 cup boiling water

Mix together dry ingredients, add boiling water and oil, and mix well.  Let cool slightly, and knead until smooth.

(Note: If you are avoiding artificial colorings, the dyes can be absorbed through a child's skin!)

Playdough

2 cups flour

2 cups warm water

1 cup salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

Mix ingredients in a pan, stir and cook over medium heat until the dough thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat, cool enough to handle, and knead until smooth.

Salt Playdough

1 cup salt

1 cup water

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients until smooth

I thought that all kitchens had cream of tartar, since you need it to make meringues or snickerdoodle cookies, but I have discovered that not all do, so I have included a recipe that does not need any.  The children can help with all of them by measuring the ingredients, mixing, and kneading.  Coloring can also be added to the recipe.  This, besides being a lot of fun, helps with developing math, science, self help, and literacy skills.  As for the kneading, the children can help when the playdough cools enough, but I find it to be a wonderful kinesthetic experience and have trouble sharing that part.

How to play with it?  The commercial play dough sets come with lots of plastic things that extrude out strings of dough, but most of them become boring very quickly.  Your home has all sorts of gadgets that work well - cookie cutters, popsicle sticks, plastic silverware, biscuit cutters, buttons - use your imagination.  Even better, encourage the children to use their hands.  In addition to heightening the sensory experiences, this will give their gross and fine muscles lots of exercise.  Try not to make models for them (which does, I realize, limit your playing) so that the children can discover for themselves all of the possibilities that are inherent in the dough.  The playdough should be stored in plastic bag or a container so that it will not dry out (a reusable container is best since I helps to eliminate the amount of waste that we produce). The dough will wear out, but then more can be made.

There are many variations on these recipes, which can be found easily by googling, or by visiting http://www.playdoughrecipe.com/ which has a number of recipes, including oatmeal playdough, rubbery playdough, and traditional playdough.  Have fun, and be sure to share with the children!