Kids love experimenting with their senses, and grown-ups love being asked to: I bet your family will enjoy this Mystery Smell Contest on a late summer afternoon just before dinner, or on a rainy Sunday morning. I found that this contest works with all ages, and kids will surprise you with their answers!

Prep time: 2h ¦ Activity time: 30 mins ¦ Age: 3 + ¦ Easy

What you’ll need:
-5 to 10 identical small plastic containers on which you can easily add a lid, such as empty yogurt pots
-Colored paper or paint to cover the containers if they are transparent, so that you can’t see through
-5 to 10 fragrant items (when possible, use them in powder form, as it’s easier to manage than fluids which at some point will land on your carpet)
-Gauze (or other thin material) to cover the containers while letting the smell through, and elastic or scotch tape to attach it. Alternatively you can use a blindfold for participants; in this case, just place a normal lid on each container to hide its content before the game starts.
-Photos illustrating each smell for younger kids.

What to do
Depending on participants’ age, choose the number (between 5 and 10) and type of flavours you will use: easy smells for younger kids and tricky ones for older ones. Remember to always keep some easy ones so that everyone has the pleasure of guessing correctly at least once.

Lire la suite »