From mindful seeing to mindful smelling…. This week in group we will be working on honing our sense of smell. Just like with what we see, what we smell is also filtered through our reticular activating system. Our sense of smell is special because it triggers memories, thoughts, and feelings more quickly than any other sense. (I can’t smell diesel exhaust without thinking of riding the bus to school as a kid!)
This week in group we will be doing a “Mystery Scent” activity in which students will smell a mystery scent and have to identify how it makes them feel or what it makes them think of. I am hopeful that by this point in the school year students feel safe and happy enough in group to share freely. Children who feel comfortable take more risks and those risks encourage creativity and increased conceptual thinking. This, in turn, helps kids to be more tolerant, sensitive, and collaborative.
Training the brain is hard, but fun, work! Be creative with your families as you think of your own activities to encourage mindful hearing, seeing, and smelling!
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