The 8 Sensory Systems
Wait… I thought we had 5 sensory systems…?
Most of us grew up learning that humans have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. If you thought this too, you have been sadly misinformed. There are three other very important senses that impact how we experience and interact with the world around us—especially for our kids!
Let’s start with the basics:
The 5 Commonly Known Senses:
Visual System (Sight): This is our ability to see and process visual information—such as colors, shapes, distances, and movement.
Auditory System (Hearing): Our capacity to hear and interpret sounds, including pitch, tone, and rhythm.
Olfactory System (Smell): The sense that helps us detect and differentiate scents.
Gustatory System (Taste): Our ability to taste flavors like sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami.
Tactile System (Touch): Our sense of touch, which allows us to feel textures and pressure on our skin.
Our Bonus 3 Hidden Senses
Proprioceptive System (Body Awareness): This system tells us where our body parts are in space, even without looking. It receives input through our joints and muscles.
Vestibular System (Balance & Movement): Located in the inner ear, this system helps us maintain balance, posture, and coordination. It also tells us if we’re moving or still, upright or upside down, and how fast we’re going.
Interoception (Internal Sensing): This lesser-known sense gives us internal body cues—like knowing when we’re hungry, thirsty, tired, or need to use the bathroom.
Why Does Any Of This Matter?
Every single person has a sensory system and specific sensory needs. Some people need more input to feel grounded and alert, while others may become overwhelmed by too much sensory stimulation.
Understanding these eight sensory systems can help parents, caregivers, and educators better support children’s development, learning, and emotional well-being.
If you’re curious about your child’s sensory needs—or your own—an occupational therapist is a great resource for assessment and personalized strategies.
🌟 Stay tuned for our upcoming blog series, where we’ll dive deeper into each of the eight sensory systems—what they are, how they affect us, and what you can do to support them!