Our sensory system
Different parts of our body sense different things. Our body parts gather information and respond to stimuli in their own unique way. Our nervous system then sends a signal for the body to react to each feeling or experience.[1] It’s a complex process – so complex that our bodies have an entire sensory system.
The Greek Philosopher Aristotle was the first person to talk about human senses. He is thought to have named the five we're most familiar with sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste. Over time, more have been discovered.
How many senses do we have?
The answer is unknown. Depending on what you read there are five, nine, 23, 33 (and some say even more) senses in our body.
We certainly have more of an understanding of our senses today, but there is still a long way to go before science fully understands how the brain translates and processes information from our senses.[2]
Where are our senses?
Senses can be external or internal.
The first five known senses (sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste) are external. They are based on our sensory organs: eyes, skin, nose, ears and mouth. Our sensory organs provide information to the brain about the world around us.[3]
Our internal senses are a little more complex. They are found throughout the whole body and help the brain develop a sense of space, heat, pain, balance, hunger, pressure and much more.
How important are they?
Senses are vital for life. Without them, our body and brain struggle to survive. We can certainly live without some of them, such as hearing and sight, yet life becomes more of a challenge and other senses step in to fill the gaps.
Our senses help us to be conscious, react, move, understand, feel emotions, speak, sense and perceive. Without them, we could not grow and develop fully.
What does this mean for your baby?
So, when your baby explores sensory play, bear in mind that there is more to be aware of than touch, taste and smell. Things like their emotions, the room temperature and sense of space will add to and take away from their experience. Their senses affect their whole body and go far beyond what they see, touch, taste, smell or hear.
References:
[1] How Many Senses Does a Human Have? Bodytomy. Accessed on 1 September 2022. Available online at: How Many Senses Does a Human Have? - Bodytomy
[2] Maxman, A. (2013) Making Sense of Our Senses. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Accessed on 1 September 2022. Available online at: Making sense of our senses | Science | AAAS
[3] Bradford, A, Harvey, A. (2022) The Five (and more) Human Senses. Human Science. Accessed on 1 September 2022. Available online at: The five (and more) human senses | Live Science