{"id":2278,"date":"2023-04-30T15:45:11","date_gmt":"2023-04-30T19:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/five-senses-gift-ideas-gretchen-rubin\/"},"modified":"2023-04-30T15:45:11","modified_gmt":"2023-04-30T19:45:11","slug":"five-senses-gift-ideas-gretchen-rubin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/five-senses-gift-ideas-gretchen-rubin\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Senses Gift Ideas | Gretchen Rubin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>One of my aphorisms is \u201cSometimes we can minister to the spirit through the body, and sometimes we can minister to the body through the spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you want to give a thoughtful gift, a whimsical gift, or a useful gift, or you want to make a loving gesture, consider items that stimulate or comfort the five senses.<\/p>\n<p><em>Note: Some of the links to products in this article are affiliate links. That means I may earn a commission if you click through and buy any product, at no additional cost to you. Many of these items I\u2019ve bought for myself or as gifts throughout my research into the five senses.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gifts for the sense of sight:<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gifts for the sense of sound<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gift of a Podcast<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wind chimes\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tabletop fountain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/41Bv10H\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bird call whistle<\/a><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cRecord your own message\u201d ornament, book, or picture frame\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hand-cranked music box\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Party crackers\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noise-canceling earbuds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Playlist<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Concert tickets<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Otamatone electronic instrument<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Koshi chimes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gifts for the sense of smell:<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gifts for the sense of taste<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nice coffee or tea<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reusable ice cubes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tasting sampler, for instance, for <a href=\"https:\/\/food52.com\/shop\/products\/7551-jasper-hill-cheese-tasting-box\">cheese<\/a>\u00a0or <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/448xEc0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">honey<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Szechuan flowers (also called \u201cbuzz buttons\u201d)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe and ingredients for a special dish<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Mints or candies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gifts for the sense of touch:<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sensory gifts are great for everyone, whether for a birthday, a care package, or to say \u201cI\u2019m thinking of you.\u201d It\u2019s always helpful, too, to choose a gift that\u2019s tailored to a person\u2019s\u00a0 interests or lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>Some gifts have proved especially popular for occasions such as Mother\u2019s Day\u2014and are great for anyone:<\/p>\n<p>Some five-senses have proved especially popular for occasions such as Father\u2019s Day\u2014and are great for anyone:<\/p>\n<p>These five-senses gift ideas are perfect for teens or recent graduates, to fill their dorm room or desk with inspiration.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sight:<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Creative enamel pin like <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3NhnmAG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this color wheel pin<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3NfkDYg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fun postcards<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or notecards<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">String of twinkle lights<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polaroid camera<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Movie tickets<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blue light blocking glasses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Color-Changing Compact Umbrella<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep mask<br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prism<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fine set of colored pencils or markers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Light box\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hues and Clues board game<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Terrarium<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flower press\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Newton\u2019s cradle<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eskesen floating action pens<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sound:<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Waterproof mini bluetooth speaker\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Concert tickets<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ukulele<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headphones<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Record player<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smell:<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taste:<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Touch:<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>These toys, games, instruments, and activities engage kids\u2019 senses, inspire creative play, and will keep them busy for hours. Adults enjoy these items, as well!<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sight:<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sound:<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harmonica\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slide whistle\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kazoo<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wind-up music box<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whistle<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recorder instrument<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Walki-talkies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children\u2019s play-a-sound books<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whoopie cushion\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xylophone<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3oKBYOy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rock and Roll It Rainbow Piano<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smell:<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taste:<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Touch:<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slinky<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children\u2019s touch-and-feel books<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sidewalk chalk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Play-Doh<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Etch A Sketch<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whimsical erasers\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slime<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Board games such as Mouse Trap, Operation, Twister and Hi Ho! Cherry-O<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LEGO set<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hula hoop\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pi\u00f1ata<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Magic grow capsules<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/41Yfo3l\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Booboo bear<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Janet &amp; Allan Ahlberg\u2019s picture book <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3AA67Tv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Jolly Postman<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dorothy Kunhardt\u2019s<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4402XG9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Pat the Bunny<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">W<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ikki stix<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Model Magic\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B\u2019loonies<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When I want to give a gift, but am stumped for a good idea, considering the five senses often gives me inspiration. There\u2019s something concrete about thinking about \u201ctaste\u201d or \u201ctouch\u201d that unleashes my creativity in thinking of an item that would be unexpected but welcome.<\/p>\n<p>And with the five senses, we can find ideas that are inexpensive or luxurious; calming or energizing; whimsical or fine. We can find gift ideas for co-workers, family members, old friends or new acquaintances, and for grab bags\u2014and at every price point.<\/p>\n<p>What great ideas did I skip?<\/p>\n<p>Also, in my book <em><a href=\"https:\/\/gretchenrubin.com\/books\/life-in-five-senses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Life in Five Senses<\/a>,<\/em> I describe how I gave a \u201csensorium gift\u201d to a friend who was going through a very tough time. I decided to assemble a sensorium gift for my friend to please or ease each of her five senses:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sight<\/strong>: A set of beautiful colored pencils<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sound<\/strong>: A tiny hand-cranked music box that played the song \u201cYou Are My Sunshine\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Smell<\/strong>: A box of three small candles, each with a different scent<\/li>\n<li><strong>Taste<\/strong>: A sampler of salts<\/li>\n<li><strong>Touch<\/strong>: A soft, light throw blanket in a deep blue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As I packed these items to mail to my friend, I was reminded of one of my favorite passages from Ann Patchett\u2019s extraordinary memoir, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3HERmmr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Truth &amp; Beauty<\/a><\/em>:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em>I figured even if I couldn\u2019t make Lucy deeply happy, I could provide the kind of happiness that would seem hollow if we had the money or the time to stay in it too long\u2026I booked Lucy a massage and had her eyelashes dyed. I took her for a pedicure. I bought her the best p\u00e2t\u00e9 I could find in Nashville along with Spaghetti-O\u2019s and Hungry Jack biscuits and everything else I knew she liked. We went to a bad movie and then stayed for a second bad movie. I took her shopping and bought her whatever she wanted. And she was happy, and I was happy.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>While bodily pleasures may be fleeting, they do bring their own energy and comfort.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of my aphorisms is \u201cSometimes we can minister to the spirit through the body, and sometimes we can minister to the body through the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-habits"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2278\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}