Part 3: Tangible & Sensory Joy: Finding Delight You Can Touch

Welcome to The Everyday Science of Joy, a 13-part series for educators and caregivers brought to you by the ESSDACK Resilience Team and inspired by the work of Ingrid Fetell Lee around The Science of Joy. We’re diving into what brain science tells us about joy: why it matters, how it shapes our nervous systems, and how we can design classrooms, homes, and communities that help people truly thrive.

Each post, we’ll explore one joyful concept and connect it to practical, brain-based strategies you can use right away. Think of this series as a little dose of inspiration and science, wrapped up with curiosity, compassion, and maybe even a laugh or two because joy is serious business (and seriously good for us)!

Joy isn’t just in your head. It’s in your senses. Neuroscience reminds us that our sensory systems (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell) feed directly into emotional centers of the brain.

Think about it: a child’s giggle, a classroom mural, a warm cup of coffee, a favorite pen that glides just right. These are micro-experiences that bring the nervous system back to “safe and social.”

Educators and caregivers can use sensory joy as co-regulation tools. Warm lighting, natural textures, calm scents, or a simple soundscape (like ocean waves) can quietly shift the brain from “threat” to “curious.” Sensory inputs help anchor us when the day feels chaotic. And they invite students’ bodies to do the same.

As ESSDACK often reminds folks, we regulate through relationships and environments, not just words.

So let joy be tangible. Let it be felt. That crinkly paper, that smooth stone on your desk, that favorite marker? They’re not trivial. They’re tools.

✨ Joy Practice Challenge: Choose one sensory element in your environment to intentionally enhance. Maybe it’s soft lighting, a cozy corner, or a joyful scent. Notice how your brain and body respond.