Playtime Compass LogoPlaytime Compass
Back to library
Toddler sitting at a table with two covered smell cups and matching picture cards during a calm sniff-and-match activity
ThinkingSensory-friendly supportObject To TargetIndoor

Smell Cup Match.

Give your toddler a gentle matching game built around two familiar smells. They sniff one hidden item, choose the picture that shows it, and hear the smell named, practicing how to connect a sensory clue with a visible match.

Play time
5-10+ min
Age
2-3 years
Energy
Low
Mess
Low
Effort
Medium
Where
Indoor
Start here

The recipe.

Medium parent effort
4 things

What you need

  • 2 to 4 small cups or containers
  • Covers for the cups, such as paper or lids with a small sniff opening
  • 2 to 4 familiar smell items
  • 2 to 4 matching pictures that show the smell items
5 min minimum

Setup

Then start the loop
Step 01
Put two familiar, mild-smelling items into two separate small cups or containers.
Step 02
Cover each container so the item stays hidden while its smell can escape through the top.
Step 03
Place one matching picture for each smell side by side.
"Quick sniff."
The loop

How play unfolds.

Three-panel toddler activity showing a child sniffing a covered cup, choosing a picture card, and repeating with another smell
  1. 01
    Offer one covered cup and say, “Smell this. What matches?”
  2. 02
    Let your child sniff, then point to or pick one picture.
  3. 03
    Name the smell and point to its matching picture.
  4. 04
    Repeat with the second cup.

Safety Check

  • Use only familiar safe smell items and avoid anything irritating, choking-sized, or unsafe for your child's age.
  • Stop if your child shows discomfort with a smell instead of pushing through the turn.
Skill spotlight
Object To Target

Matching a smelled item to the right picture

This helps a child compare sensory information, connect a real-world smell to a label, and stay with a short repeatable choice routine.

  • •Early. Your child may only sniff briefly and watch while you help with the picture choice.
  • •Later. Your child smells, picks a picture, and stays with several short rounds in a row.
  • •Middle. Your child starts checking the pictures after each smell and makes some correct matches with light help.
Real-world transfer
  • Noticing and naming familiar smells in everyday routines
  • Handling short sensory choice moments without rushing away
Supporting the play

What to say in the moment

Match what you say to what you see.

Prompt ladder
Level 1 (Start)
"Smell this."
Level 2 (Keep going)
"Which picture matches?"
Level 3 (Stretch)
"Want one more smell?"
Level 4 (Extend)
"Now you pick my picture."
If your child seems...
What you'd see
Focused
What to do
Say
"You found it."
Add
Let your child tap the matching picture before you name it.
Extend
Ask your child to hand you the next cup.

Make it easier

Younger end
  • -Use picture cards that look very different from each other.
  • -Keep the same 2 smells for the whole round instead of swapping new ones in.
  • -Let your child answer by touching the picture instead of picking it up.

Make it harder

Older end
  • +Add a third smell choice after 2-smell rounds are easy.
  • +Wait a beat before helping so your child has more time to decide.
  • +Let your child smell the same cup twice before choosing.

If it's not working

If you see
If child ignores it
Smell the cup yourself, point to the right picture, and run 1 model turn before offering a choice again.
If you see
If child misuses it
Move the cups slightly back, keep 1 cup in your hand, and offer only the sniff-and-point part.
If you see
If child gets frustrated
Drop to 1 smell and 1 matching picture, name it yourself, and let the child only sniff or touch the picture.
Back to library
Keep playing

Related activities.