What is a Sensory Garden?

A sensory garden is a curated space containing plants and other elements that are designed to engage our five basic senses – sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste.  This stimulation is especially important for young children in their journey of development, as they learn about the world around them through their five senses. A sensory garden will allow your little ones to indulge in a wide variety of sensory experiences and spark their curiosity through the wonders of nature!

Creating a Sensory Garden

You might be thinking – many of us live in HDB apartments in Singapore, where do I find the space to create a sensory garden? The good news is that your sensory garden does not have to be large or complicated! Even a small-sized set-up in your homes or along the corridors can provide your lil gardeners with the opportunity to explore and learn.
The key to building a sensory garden is to choose plants and other elements that will allow your little ones to engage with all their senses. Here are some tips on creating your very own sensory gardens at home!

Sense of Sight
Provide visual stimulation for your little ones with a garden filled with different shapes, sizes, heights, and colours! Capture their attention with the brightly coloured flowers of the Gerberas and Marigolds, or draw their eyes up to marvel at the huge blooms of the Sunflowers! (PS: There are many different species of sunflowers – some varieties are smaller and shorter while some can grow up to 10 feet tall!). You can also use the vibrant colours of your sensory garden to teach your little ones colour recognition!

Shop: Gerberas

Sense of Smell
The sense of smell is crucial to your little one’s development as it can bring up memories and evoke emotions – influencing their behaviours at the same time. Fragrant flowers like roses and lilies are an easy way to engage the sense of smell of your little ones. Herbs and edibles like rosemary, mint, basil, lemon balm and thyme are easy to grow and super fun for young children to explore their strong, wonderful aromas!


Shop: Lemon Balm

Sense of Touch
Provide tactile experiences for your little ones by exposing them to the different textures of your garden. From the thick, fuzzy leaves of African Violets to the smooth and tender leaves of bananas, plants are the perfect stimuli to engage their sense of touch! Other than plants, natural elements in the garden like pebbles, soil and sticks are also a great way for them to discover different textures and structures!
PS: As young children have the tendency to put what they touch into their mouth, avoid growing poisonous plants and ensure that your little ones receive supervision in the garden at all times.

Shop: African Violets

Sense of Hearing
The sound of crunchy fallen leaves, chirping of birds, and rustling of the wind – a garden is a wonderful place for your little ones to be in touch with their sense of hearing. Other than the sounds of nature, adding elements like wind chimes or water features can further enhance the sensory experiences of your garden Wind chimes can easily awaken your little ones’ senses with the beautiful sounds that they make, while the soothing sound of water from water features provide a calming experience for both the kids and the adults!
Pro Tip: Start a fun DIY project with your little ones and make your own wind chimes from old tin cans, bottle caps, keys, or cutleries!

Shop: Water features

Sense of Taste
Put your little ones up for a taste adventure by letting them grow their own food! From the sweet and sour taste of cherry tomatoes to the peppery minty taste of basil leaves, the texture and flavours that they get from the garden will provide them with the ultimate sensory stimulation! Edible flowers are also popular options among young children. Pea flowers, cilantro, marigold, and chamomile add an exciting pop of colour and flavour to drinks and dishes!
IMPORTANT: Make sure that the plant grown is pesticide/ chemical-free and well washed before consuming them.

Shop: Marigold Seeds

Planting a sensory garden is a wonderful way for your little ones to explore their senses and learn about the world around them. Let them get hands-on and let nature nurture their curious natures. Happy (sensory) Gardening!