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Hands-On Learning about Taste Buds

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Studying the human body is always a fun unit with kids. And one of the basic concepts is the five senses, right? But it turns out that every time I cover this unit, I learn something new. This time it was about how our taste buds work.

Now I’m probably exposing myself as an ignoramus, but I really never thought much about taste buds. Not what they did, not what specific tastes they detect, and certainly not where they were located. But I know a lot more about them now and so do my kids!

Check out our hands-on learning about taste buds, including a fun paper craft that you can recreate with your little ones!

Hands-On Learning about Taste Buds

Learning about Taste Buds

What really got me started on this activity was reading the Sesame Street book My First Book About the Five Senses with the kids.

Learning about Taste Buds Book

This is going to be really pathetic, but I didn’t know that there are different taste buds on different parts of our tongues!

Learning about Taste Buds for 1st Graders

See? The taste buds at the back of the tongue are for bitter tastes, while sour and salty taste buds are located on the left and right sides. The tip of the tongue is where the sweet taste buds are located. Neat!

Learning about Taste Buds on the Tongue

So I created a similar “tongue” on pink construction paper with taste bud “zones”.

Learning about Taste Buds Paper Activity

Pretty close, right?

Learning about Taste Buds Activity

After we read the book, I handed Roo the paper tongue and some torn pages from a magazine so he could find pictures of food and glue them in the correct taste bud “zones”.

Learning about Taste Buds Activity Prep

Any time there’s a chance to use scissors, he’s raring to go.

Learning about Taste Buds Scissor Activity

See that image of coffee on the table? Roo didn’t know where to put that picture on the paper tongue. After all, he’d never tasted coffee.

Learning about Taste Buds Cut and Paste Activity

Time to do a taste test and find out!

Learning about Taste Buds Taste Test

He was super excited to taste a grown-up drink. But afterward, he came to the instant conclusion that…

Learning about Taste Buds Tasting Activity

Black coffee definitely belongs in the “bitter” zone.

Learning about Taste Buds Taste Test Activity

So, he finished finding pictures and gluing them in the right places.

Learning about Taste Buds Cutting Activity

And while he worked, I read about taste buds with Piglet. As you can see, she had a pretty good time.

Learning about Taste Buds with Toddlers

And Roo is all done! Coffee and onion are in the “bitter” section, pickles and grapefruit are in the “sour” section, salted nuts and chips are in the “salty” section, and a brownie and a clementine make up the “sweet” zone.

Hands On Learning about Taste Buds Activity

A tad bigger than the tongues in our mouths, but you get the idea.

Learning about Taste Buds Paper Tongue Craft

We really enjoyed this project and Roo was so proud of his work that he ran out into the living room to show the rest of the family.

Learning about Taste Buds

For more hands-on science fun, follow my It’s Science board on Pinterest!

And don’t miss the other fun human body learning activities this week from the Early Elementary Blogging Team!

STEM Respiratory System Investigation Asthma versus Healthy from Life Over C’s

What’s Inside Your Blood – An Edible Model from Preschool Powol Packets

Human Body Printables for Kids from Living Life and Learning

Telling the Time – Body Clock from Rainy Day Mum

Human Body Games for Kidsfrom The Natural Homeschool

5 Senses Unit from 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Bones from Sugar Aunts

Human Body Math from Planet Smarty Pants

Parts of the Eye Painting from Still Playing School