This week’s Question Quest is one that fits beautifully with the season:

❓ How do our senses help us experience the world?

Honestly… Christmas is one giant sensory adventure: the sparkle of lights, the sound of carols, the smell of cinnamon and pine, the warm-and-cold mix of winter: freezing hands outside, cosy socks inside.

So this week let’s explore the science of the senses, the Knowmads way, with a Christmassy twist…

🛠️ M – MAKE: The Cinnamon Smell Test

Invite your young Knowmads to explore how temperature affects our sense of smell with a really simple experiment.

All you need:

• ground cinnamon

• two cups or bowls

• hot water

• cold water

What to do:

1. Put a teaspoon of cinnamon in both cups.

2. Pour hot water into one, cold water into the other.

3. Wait a moment… then smell both cups.

Ask:

• Which one do you think will smell stronger?

• Why do you think that is?

This is such an easy, fun bit of science, and it ties perfectly into Christmas smells and winter cooking.

💬 A – ASK: How Do Our Senses Make Christmas Season Feel So Magical?

Here are some lovely, curiosity-sparking questions to explore together:

• Which senses do we use the most during Christmas season?

• Why do certain smells instantly remind us of memories?

• Why do we crave certain textures or sounds in winter?

• How would Christmas change if we could only use one sense?

• What sensory traditions does your family have, like a certain food, candle, song, or decoration?

🧭 Explore More:

🎥 Watch: “Your Body’s Senses” – SciShow Kids

📚 Read: „How Christmas Magic Works” by Scientia KnowYa

🌍 Visit: A Christmas market, winter walk, or even a local garden centre to experience brilliant sensory environments this time of year

💛 P – PAUSE: Let Your Senses Slow You Down

December is full of moments we rush through.

The holiday season can bring pressure, noise, long lists, and that feeling of being pulled in every direction.

But your senses are like tiny anchors that can bring you back into the moment.

They are actually one of the easiest ways to practise a bit of mindfulness (the simple kind, not the sit-on-a-mountain kind!).

Just noticing what’s happening right now can calm the whole nervous system in seconds.

So this week, if you feel yourself speeding up, try this little pause:

Notice…

✨ one thing you can see

✨ one thing you can hear

✨ one thing you can smell

✨ one thing you can feel

✨ one thing you can taste

That’s it.

Just a few seconds to remind your brain, “I’m here. I’m safe. I’m ok.”

Your senses can’t go to the past or the future, they keep you grounded in the now.

And sometimes, especially at this busy time of year, that’s exactly what we need.

Big hugs,

Anna xx