Baking is a great example of a multisensory activity that you can do with your children. It involves six senses. For example, children can:
Touch, learning how different ingredients feel. Flour feels different from sugar or salt, for example.
Taste, learning how different ingredients taste. Not all “white” ingredients taste the same. Try a sample of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
Smell, learning how different ingredients smell.Many flavorings have pleasant, unique scents.
See, using visual discrimination when observing the differences in texture of ingredients or evaluating the degree of doneness for a bakery product.
Hear, the sounds that baking tools and equipment make. They can even hear some foods cooking—think “snap, crackle, and pop.”
Move, developing proprioception, a “sixth sense” that enables them to manage bodily movements a fluid and coordinated manner. Proprioception develops from handling baking tools and equipment as well as from working with others in a confined environment such as a kitchen. Later, they will use this sense when working in a science lab with a partner.
When considering activities to engage in with your children, consider baking, and reap the multisensory benefits noted above.