Baby's Senses: Smell & Taste
Smell and taste (also known as the "olfactory" and "gustatory" systems) are two of Baby's most powerful senses! And from the very start, they work as a team. Taste receptors on the tongue are linked directly to the olfactory system, so every flavor Baby tastes is shaped by what they smell at the same time (this is why food tastes bland when you have a stuffy nose!).
Both senses begin developing well before birth. Baby spends months in the womb breathing in amniotic fluid, which carries their mother's scent and the flavors of the foods she eats. By the time Baby arrives, smell and taste are already up and running Together, these senses help Baby recognize familiar people and places, find comfort, and discover what they like to eat later on.
How It Develops
Smell & taste in the first year
How to Help
Activities by age
When to Get Support
Concerns & next steps
⚑ How Smell & Taste Develop
As a newborn, Baby uses their sense of smell to identify caregivers before their vision sharpens. You'll really see taste and smell come into play once they start solids! Watch for these signs of smell and taste development in Baby's first year:
At Birth
Turns toward their mother's scent and is soothed by it, especially during feeding
Prefers sweet flavors over sour or bitter ones, which may cause them to refuse breastmilk that smells or tastes "off"
First Months
Recognizes people and places by scent before they can reliably identify them by sight
May continue to prefer the taste of breast milk if introduced to formula bottles later, showing how early flavor preferences can stick
6–12 Months
Explores new foods and flavors once they start solids
Develops preferences as they eat an increasing variety of table and finger foods
12 Months
Figures out the foods they do and don't like, and may enter a "picky eating" phase as toddlerhood begins
Helping Smell & Taste Develop
Try these expert-designed activities to help develop Baby's taste and smell!
When to Get Support with Smell & Taste
If you notice ongoing challenges, like strong reactions to everyday smells or refusing entire groups of flavors or textures once solids begin, write down what you see and share it with Baby's healthcare provider.
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