Nurturing the Senses in Spring
The season of renewal, awakening, and love is upon us. Lately, each morning, as I step into my backyard, I smell nature’s perfume carried on the crisp morning air. The blossoming spring trees and flowers sweetly greet me. As I continue to slow down and take in my environment, I hear the myriad songs of birds, little symphonies heralding a new day, a new season. I touch a few of my soft green plantings, taste my edible medicinal herbs, and see the evidence of delicate morning dewdrops on petal, leaf, and stem. All five primary senses become awakened during my brief morning visit to my garden. All of us are familiar with these conventional five senses (smell, hearing, touch, taste, and sight), but some of us might not be aware that Rudolf Steiner went beyond the five senses and shared that twelve senses work to orient us in this human life. The sense of touch, life, self-movement, and balance are the four foundational senses of the twelve given by Rudolf Steiner. All twelve senses are nourished in Waldorf early childhood education, but the first four senses are the primary focus of our work as educators for children from birth to age seven.
The sense of touch is the first foundational sense. We experience this sense through touch and pressure imposed on the physical body; we can experience the qualities of rough, hard, smooth, soft, sharp, etc. Even our clothing engages this sense of touch. The sense of touch gives us important information regarding our physical environments and, more importantly, indicates our own physical boundaries in 3D space. The sense of touch gradually awakens the human being to, “Ah, I am here; this is my body, and you are there.” We can nourish this sense of touch in our children this season by offering pleasant tactile experiences. Create moments for them to touch a variety of qualities, i.e., sand and shells at the beach, the bark of beautiful trees, the sharp quality of pine cones, the smooth textures of living plants, the fur of animals, and the gentleness of soft spring grass.
The sense of life is our next foundational sense. This sense informs us of our inner well-being. It allows us to notice if we are thirsty, hungry, tired, or suffering from illness. It is the sense that indicates “something is not right in my body; there is an unmet need.” For the young child, this sense needs special attention as they cannot consistently recognize specific needs that are unmet or actions that could lead to illness or discomfort. They need adult assistance and guidance. It is our task as parents and educators to allow our children to experience both comfort and discomfort in life, but we must also offer activities and rhythms that enhance comfort, health, and regulation. We nourish this sense by ensuring our children get adequate sleep, healthy food, and clean water, are appropriately dressed (layered clothing for cold environments, light, breathable natural fibers for warm environments), and are given plenty of moments where love and connection are fostered between child and guardian. Additionally, rhythm is very helpful in strengthening the sense of Life for the child. Recognizable rhythmical experiences create a sense of inner safety and peaceful predictability for the child.
The sense of self-movement, the third foundational sense, could also be referred to as proprioception. This sense allows us to experience our own movements in space and helps us perceive the way our limbs relate to each other. To develop this sense, children need time to climb, run, crawl, and dance. They need activities like sewing, beading, crayon drawing, painting, and modeling with wax and clay. Essentially, the sense of self-movement is stimulated best when children have plenty of time for creative free play both indoors and outside in nature.
Finally, the fourth foundational sense described by Rudolf Steiner is The sense of balance, which could also be referred to as the vestibular system. This sense allows us to experience directions in space, such as above, below, right, left, back, and front. It embeds us in the three dimensions of space. Nurturing this sense is similar to stimulating the sense of self-movement. Engaging in gross motor activities like walking across a balance beam, going on swings, jumping on rebounders, and walking on stilts will create opportunities for the child to find their position and orientation in space.
While we enjoy this spring season that calls us to reawaken and engage in nature with our children, let us remember the four foundational senses of touch, life, movement, and balance. If we consciously create opportunities in our children’s day-to-day lives that nurture these developing senses, we will help our children to grow into resilient, independent, kind, and self-confident human beings. Consequently, we will guide our children to live in a more symbiotic relationship with the Earth, its beings, and our many shared environments. Let us all go outside and play, move our bodies, and take in the gifts of spring!