Garden Scent Discovery for Baby

Fresh herbs — mint, rosemary, lavender, or basil

Soft flower petals — roses, pansies, or marigolds

Baby carrier or a blanket for an outdoor seat

Head outside with baby in your arms or in a carrier. Pick or gather a few safe, fragrant items from the garden.

Hold the first herb about six inches from baby's nose and gently wave it to waft the scent toward them.

Name what you're sharing — "This is mint. Can you smell it?" Narrate with a warm, curious tone.

Watch for baby's response. Nose wrinkling? Eyes widening? Turning toward the scent? Those are signs of engagement.

Move to the next scent, pausing between each one so baby's nose can reset.

Let baby feel a soft petal or herb leaf against their cheek or open palm — stick to taste-safe plants only, since those tiny hands go straight to the mouth.

Stick to common kitchen herbs and edible flowers. Avoid anything you can't identify with certainty.

Baby's sense of smell is incredibly sharp — you don't need strong-scented flowers. Subtle herbs work beautifully.

Three to four different scents is plenty for one session. Overstimulation leads to fussing.

This is a wonderful spring or summer activity, but dried herbs from the kitchen work just as well in cooler months.

Repeat this activity weekly — you'll start to notice baby developing clear preferences for certain scents.