The five basic senses in French are: l’odorat (smell), la vue (sight), le toucher (touch), l’ouïe (hearing), and le goût (taste).
L’odorat | Le nez | ||
La vue | Les yeux | ||
Le toucher | Les mains | ||
L’ouïe | Les oreilles | ||
Le goût | La bouche |
If you’re looking for a fun nursery rhyme (comptine) that will teach your children about the five senses in French, “Les 5 Sens” by Ninon Linotte is one that I love.
“Les 5 Sens” by Ninon Linotte lyrics
Mon nez pour sentir les fleurs du jardin Mes yeux pour voir tous les petits lapins Les fleurs je les cueille avec mes mains Au cœur du petit matin Mes oreilles écoutent les oiseaux chanter Ma bouche pour gouter les fruits de l’été Avec mes 5 sens je découvre tout Je raconterai à doudou | My nose to smell the flowers in the garden My eyes to see all the little rabbits The flowers I pick them with my hands In the heart of the early morning My ears listen to the birds sing My mouth to taste the summer fruits With my 5 senses I discover everything I will tell teddy |
Incorporating the comptine into your routine
For a musical morning, you can sing this song to your infant when they wake up. Touching the nose, eyes, hands, ears and mouth of your baby while singing provides gentle affection while enabling your child to connect the words with the body parts.
For toddlers, you can also make this song a part of your walking routine. You can play the audio on your phone and let them enjoy the melodic voice and soothing sounds or sing the song while your toddler is walking or enjoying their stroller ride. Depending on your child’s language development and fluency in French, they may even be able to join along for the fun!
Other activities to teach the five senses in French
How do you teach your toddler about the five senses? Tell us about it in the comments below.