Set up four tables or areas in advance, 2 tables should be for smelling and 2 for touching. Let the children get into pairs. One is blindfolded and is led by their partner to a table. They will smell/touch 10 objects, and the ‘seeing’ partner writes down what they say. Check list at the end to see if they are right. They then swap and the new ‘seeing’ partner leads the blindfolded partner to a different table to smell/touch 10 different objects.
The pair then swap blindfold again and move to another table to try smelling or touching different objects. Having the objects set out in different areas allows all the pairs to be working at the same time and gives an opportunity for the blindfolded partner to get a sense of not having their sight and relying on someone else to guide them.
Circle time Discussion Points:
- What did it feel like not to be able to see and to have to rely on someone else?
- Were there any big surprises with the objects?
- What was everyone’s favourite smell/object to touch?
Tip
Consider any allergies in the group when deciding on your objects.