Montessori gustatory or taste activities refer to introducing the basic concept of taste to toddlers.
I introduced these simple yet effective activities to my son and daughter as toddlers.
Again, very recently I introduced these activities to one of my students and they worked perfectly fine.
Here’s what I did:
Montessori Gustatory Activities For Toddlers :
As mature adults, we all know that there are four basic tastes, which include sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. However, babies need assistance to become familiar with the concept of basic tastes.
Hence, to introduce the basic concept of taste, I talked about different foods before my offspring and students such as ” Mmm, this banana is so sweet ” or ” I think these biscuits are very salty!” What do you think?
In doing so, I found that my children and my students were willing to try new food items.
This was happening chiefly because they were exploring scents and tastes through sensory experiences.
To begin with, I gradually introduced each taste with various foods.
When I wanted them to experience bitterness, I offered them a tiny bit of parsley but not without uttering “There are some foods sweetie which taste bitter would you like to try it”. Miraculously they tasted the tiny bit of parsley without hesitation.
To speak the truth, as I noticed their wholehearted participation in food tasting, I went a step further.
I told them to pay close attention and gleefully said,” Oh! My goodness look this chocolate cookie smells delicious! would you like to try it ?” Thus she promptly took the chocolate cookie and shouted ” O! This is so sweet teacher!”
Above all, I gave fresh fruit salads which were full of colors, scents, and tastes. This provided multisensory experience to my children and to my students.
Montessori Food Sensory Activities For Toddlers :
Montessori food sensory activities are a more scientific approach to enhance the sense of food both for my students and my toddlers.
To be more specific, these activities are appropriate for boys and girls of around 3-5 years of age.
As infants turned 3, I implemented these activities to see how they were reacting to different tastes.
Very recently, I tested these activities on one of my students who has just turned 4.
I bought a new set of six tiny glass bottles with a squeeze dropper. Then I painted the lids of the three bottles red and three blue.
Thus, I made two sets of three dropper bottles ready. Next, I filled one bottle from each set with a liquid that represented one of the four basic tastes e.g. Lemon Juice ( Sour), Sugar Water ( Sweet ), and salt water ( salty)
Later, I advised my student to wash her hands properly and lined up each set of bottles before her. Then, I carefully unscrewed the top from one bottle and put a small drop on her right hand.
Moreover, I asked her to lick the drop gently to get the taste.
Next, I asked her to choose a bottle from the second set, unscrew the dropper, and put a small drop in her finger on her left hand.
Furthermore, I voluntarily asked her ” Does it taste the same? Um? “. She simply replied ” No”.
Finally, I repeated the process until she found the match. Finally, I completed the task after she matched the three pairs of bottles.
Montessori Sense Of Taste Activity Worksheet:
Given below is a sample worksheet for taste activity:
| Montessori Sense of Taste Activity Worksheet | |||
| Type Of Taste | What Did You Taste? | How Did It Taste? | How Were You Feeling? ( Note Reaction: Happy, Surprised, etc.) |
| Sweet | |||
| Sour | |||
| Salty | |||
| Bitter | |||
| Umami | |||
FAQ:
What is Gustatory Sense In Montessori?
The gustatory sense in Montessori refers to toddlers’ introduction to the sense of five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
What Are Gustatory Sensory Activities?
Gustatory sensory activities suggest children’s introduction to a basic sense of taste through various activities like tasting bottles, multisensory fruit salads, and the like.
Sumanta De is an educator. He has been teaching students for more than 16 years following the principles of Dr.Maria Montessori. He has a 7-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter.
He is nurturing his children abiding by the principles of Dr.Maria Montessori. His passion for Montessori methods goes beyond the classroom.
Hence, he shares his experiences and insights through a dedicated Montessori blog and a YouTube channel under the name “NewChild Montessori”. He aims to offer valuable guidance to both parents and educators.
Education: M.A. English, Masters in Child Psychology & Bachelor’s Degree in Montessori Teachers Training