The Five Senses

Your body has five main senses that help you know what is around you. The five senses are sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Each sense uses a different part of your body. Together, they help you learn and stay safe.

Meet the Senses

Your eyes let you see colors and shapes. Your ears let you hear sounds like music or voices. Your tongue lets you taste food, and your nose lets you smell things. Your skin lets you feel if something is hot, cold, soft, or rough. Each sense sends messages to your brain.

Working Together

Your senses work as a team. When you eat pizza, you see it, smell it, taste it, and feel it with your mouth. When you ride a bike, you see where you are going and hear cars. The brain puts all the information together. This helps you know what to do next.

Fun Facts

• Some people have an extra sense of balance called proprioception.
• Your sense of smell is closely linked to memory.
• Babies learn about the world mostly through touch at first.

Did You Know?

Helen Keller could not see or hear, but she learned to communicate using her senses of touch, smell, and taste.