Descriptive Writing Five Senses Challenge

Paper or notebook

Pencil or pen

Choose a familiar place: kitchen on Thanksgiving, the beach, a favorite restaurant.

Draw a five-pointed star labeled: See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch.

Brainstorm 3-4 specific details per sense.

Fill all five points — aim for 15-20 total details.

Write a paragraph weaving these details into flowing sentences.

Start with a strong opening sentence.

Read aloud: "Can you feel like you're there?"

Add one comparison: "Cranberry sauce glowed like rubies."

The five-senses star is a brainstorming tool that prevents the most common descriptive writing mistake: relying only on sight. Most young writers describe what things LOOK like and ignore sound, smell, texture, and taste. The star forces balance.

Specific details beat vague ones every time. "The kitchen smelled good" is forgettable. "The kitchen smelled like cinnamon and butter and the sharp tang of fresh cranberries" is unforgettable. Coach specificity.

Similes and metaphors add polish: teach "like" and "as" comparisons as the easiest way to make writing more vivid.

This skill transfers to ALL writing genres: fiction, personal narrative, poetry, even informational writing benefits from sensory detail.

Try describing the same place in different seasons or times of day. The beach at noon vs. sunset produces entirely different sensory palettes.