How Smell Books Grow With You

Smell books have been around since the 1970s, but not many people have studied how they change as kids grow up. These books mix words, pictures, and smells to make reading more fun. A recent study looked at 334 of these books to see how the smells and words change for different ages. For little kids, the smells are simple and easy to name, like "apple" or "chocolate. " But for older kids, the smells get more complicated. They might be funny or even a bit naughty, like "fart" or "smelly feet. " The words used to describe these smells also change. Younger kids get straightforward labels, while older kids get hints and jokes. The study also found that smells help kids understand stories better. They can make kids feel more, think more, and learn about what's okay and what's not. This shows that smell books do more than just entertain. They help kids learn and grow. The way smells and words are used changes as kids get older. This means smell books are not just for fun. They also help kids develop their senses, thinking skills, and social understanding.