Taste with Your Feet? A Fun Trick to Help Kids Manage Anxiety

Did you know…

Snakes smell with their tongues?🐝 Bees hear with their legs?

These wild facts recently sent me tumbling down a rabbit hole of story ideas about how different creatures use their senses to explore the world. (Stay tuned—there may be a book called Taste with Your Feet in the works!)

But in the meantime…

Let’s talk senses—and how we can use them to help kids manage stress and anxiety.

A Simple, Sensory Trick for Calming Nerves

One of my favorite quick tools to share with kids is called the 3-3-3 Technique. It’s simple, effective, and can be done anytime, anywhere—no equipment or adult needed.

Here’s how it works:

✅ Step 1: Look around and name 3 things you can see (Objects, colors, patterns—anything in your environment.)

✅ Step 2: Close your eyes and name 3 things you can hear (Birds chirping, cars passing, your own breathing...)

✅ Step 3: Move 3 different parts of your body (Wiggle your fingers, roll your shoulders, tap your toes.)

That’s it!

Engaging multiple senses helps activate different areas of the brain and gently pulls attention away from anxious thoughts. It’s a small shift that can make a big difference—especially for kids who feel overwhelmed or restless.

Make this even more fun by suggesting kids imagine they’re a butterfly tasting with their feet, a snake, smelling with their tongue or a bee hearing with their legs. This playful twist adds imagination and a dose of silliness—great mood-boosters for kids (and adults!).

Want More Stress-Busting Tools?

Check out our LESS STRESS EXPRESS series! You’ll find 10 short videos packed with simple, sensory-based techniques—plus bonus activities that help kids feel calm, focused, and in control. Go HERE for info.

Now, if you’ll excuse me… I’ve got a butterfly-foot-tasting story to write. 😄🦶👄