Juicy, Crispy, Crunch

Students will need a copy of our Juicy, Crispy, Crunch worksheet.

Mindfulness helps us slow down, manage our emotions and enjoy the moment.

This activity gives students a practical opportunity to think about multiple senses at once. It also encourages them to slow down at meal times. making what may be mundane activities (like eating) more enjoyable and relaxing. A good one to try out while we brush our teeth, walk or ride to school...

To generate kōrero, ask:

• What are our senses?
• What do our senses help us do?
• Which senses do we notice most? Sight and hearing.
• So which do we often forget about? Smell, touch and taste.
• What senses can we use when we’re eating? All of them!

Say that today we’re going to be tuning into all our senses, while we’re eating!

Give each student a copy of our Juicy, Crispy, Crunch worksheet and double-check no one has any allergies.

Then hand out an apple, some grapes or similar for each student, and say that as they eat them, you’d like them to tune into each of their senses, and complete their worksheets, filling in:

• what they see
• what they feel
• what they smell
• what they taste
• what they hear.

Encourage older tamariki to use adjectives and similes, as this can form the basis of extending this to a Sensory Poetry activity.

Once they’ve finished, work through the senses and ask for some of their descriptions.

You could also ask: How did they find it? Did thinking about their senses help them slow down? Did they notice things about the apple/grapes that they might not usually think about? Could they try this with other foods and meals?

Let them know that mindful eating encourages us use our senses to enjoy our food and that listening to our body/tummy, helps tell us when we’re getting full.

Use the information tamariki have collected for a poem or try Sensory poetry.

Repeat this activity, but hide the food they try and ask them to experience it with their eyes closed.

Ask tamariki to repeat this the next morning for another 'mundane' activity, like brushing their teeth and use their observations for a short story or poem.

Extend this to your Tummy Breathing or Magic Minute time by taking these outside and getting tamariki to experience this time mindfully in the new environment - what can they hear, feel, smell during this time?