The Using Your Senses Game
Here's an idea to help junior sleuths use their senses for investigation.
1. Collect a varitey of substances to smell in small jars or ziplock bags. Try cinnamon, pepper, soap, or crayons.
2. Put a number on each bag.
3. Give the players a sheet of paper with the numbers on it and a blank next to each number.
4. Blindfold each player so they can't see what's in the bags.
5. As they sniff each bag, have them identify the substance.
6. After each player takes a guess, write their guess down on a piece of paper to be compared later.
7. Next, test their sense of taste. Be sure you use all edible items and check beforehand for food allergies. Try chocolate, peanut butter, jello, fluff, etc.
8. Put items in little containers and use a plastic spoon to test each item.
9. Have them identify what they've tasted, and write their guesses down.
10. Next, test their sense of touch. Put a variety of items such as a calculator, paperclip, or rubber ducky in individual bags. Be creative, but make sure you don't use anything with sharp edges. Again, label the bags.
11. Ask kids to reach into the bag, feel each item, and try to identify it. Then write their guesses down.
12. Now compare their guesses to what was really in the bags to see who's a super sleuth!
For more fun, tape-record some sounds around the house and see if the kids can HEAR them. (suggestions... running-water running, a clothes dryer, someone typing on the computer, hair dryer.)
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