Incorporating the sense of smell can help children learn, according to an article in the Huffington Post Feb 5, 2010 by Margaret Hyde.

Hyde is the author of the children's book series "Mo's Nose" that incorporates scent into reading and learning.

“Researching and creating these scent-filled adventures, I discovered that the sense of smell is a powerful and overlooked part of how we learn, experience and remember,” wrote Hyde. “Smells create ‘Proustian Memories,’ which are long-term memories that elicit strong emotional responses.”

According to the article, research has shown that the more senses that are used while learning, the more long-lasting the effect on memory.

Hyde referenced a 2002 study in Russia that found that school children exposed to peppermint aroma improved grades on tests. She also cited a Duke University that showed that, in mice, the part of the brain that processes scent is also the part of the brain used in long-term memory formation.

According to Hyde, “The sense of smell is our most powerful sense: 10,000 times more powerful than the other senses and directly connected to the limbic system, which is the place in the brain where memories and emotions are processed.“

Hyde provided some simple steps to incorporate smell into children’s learning:

1. Buy and let your children smell 100-percent essential oils and see what scent they like and respond to, including peppermint, spearmint, cinnamon leaf, grapefruit and lavender.
   • Peppermint: helps improve memory and test scores.
   • Spearmint: similar to peppermint but milder
   • Cinnamon Leaf: Energizing, focusing and revitalizing, cinnamon leaf enhances active reasoning.
   • Grapefruit: Stimulating
   • Lavender: calming, relaxing and refreshing scent; good for relaxing after school or after homework
2. Buy a room diffuser to run while your child is studying and doing homework.
3. Pack a handkerchief or small cloth with a few drops of oil that you use in your diffuser for your child to take to school.