Environmentally-conscious educators regularly search for ways to make lessons on environmentalism accessible and engaging to children. A common view among educators is that hands-on learning is the surest way to teach children.

The crux of this method is the way hands-on education appeals to the senses. Current research supports the widely-held belief that children's education is enhanced through sensory experiences. A recent study by J. Joy James and Robert D. Bixler, published in the Journal of Environmental Education, highlights the importance of sensory experiences in environmental education. The study centered around a group of 4th- and 5th-grade students who were interviewed about their participation in an environmental education program. The experiences the children recalled with enthusiasm were rich in sensory descriptions. James and Bixler note that touch was especially meaningful to these children: one student recalled with excitement the sensations of touching snakes.

By encouraging children to explore nature with their senses, educators help them build memories that shape the way they think about and care for nature. Consider for a moment the connection between memory and smell. Smell is intimately linked to our ability to recall memories, so much so that the phenomenon has been given a name: the Proust phenomenon. Most of us have experienced this phenomenon: the rush of memories that comes from smelling something we first encountered in childhood. Despite the role of smell in memory making, most educators rarely incorporate it into their lessons.

Smells, as well as sights, sounds, tastes, and touches, can create rich and engaging educational environments that will remain with children long into adulthood. Imagine trying to teach a child about composting without the aid of sensory-rich materials. A child can learn a lot about composting from books, educational videos, and classroom discussions. But how much of the lesson will the child carry into adulthood? How much more meaningful might a lesson on composting be to a child who knows the feel and smell of the dark, nutrient-rich soil?

We need only think back on our own childhood memories to realize how critical sensory experiences are to memory making. Those of us fortunate enough to have grown up outdoors recall with fondness sensations like the sound of crickets chirping at dusk or the feel of cool grass on bare feet. Humans have an overwhelming desire to preserve fond memories. If we are to build a generation of “green keepers” who wish to preserve the nature from their own childhoods, we must encourage them today to form memories that are intimately linked to nature and rich in sensory details.

Green Education Foundation (GEF) seeks to help educators and parents encourage children to engage their senses and explore nature. GEF's Green Thumb Challenge is a program designed to encourage students across the nation to participate in sensory-rich environmental projects such as gardening and composting. GEF also offers a wealth of environmental curriculum ideas to help teachers incorporate sensory experiences into their classrooms.

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