By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

  • 1Name external body parts and their uses
  • 2Identify the five sense organs and what each senses
  • 3Describe how to care for eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin
  • 4Name the basic tastes the tongue detects
  • 5List good habits for a healthy body
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Why this chapter matters
Knowing our body parts, the five sense organs, and good health habits helps children understand themselves and take care of their bodies. This is the foundation for later biology and for lifelong healthy living.

Before you start — revise these

A 5-minute refresher here will save you 30 minutes of confusion below.

Our Body — Parts, Sense Organs, and Good Habits

1. External Body Parts

Our BODY has many parts on the OUTSIDE that we can see.

PartFunction
HeadContains the BRAIN — controls everything
EyesFor SEEING
EarsFor HEARING
NoseFor SMELLING and BREATHING
MouthFor EATING and SPEAKING
HandsFor HOLDING and TOUCHING
LegsFor WALKING and RUNNING
FeetFor STANDING and BALANCE
FingersFor GRIPPING and FINE movements
TeethFor CHEWING food

2. The Five Sense Organs

Sense organs help us UNDERSTAND the world around us.

Sense OrganSenseWhat It Does
EyesSight (Vision)See colours, shapes, sizes, light
EarsHearingHear sounds — loud, soft, high, low
NoseSmell (Olfaction)Smell odours — pleasant or unpleasant
TongueTasteTaste food — sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy
SkinTouchFeel — hot, cold, rough, smooth, hard, soft

'We have FIVE senses. They work TOGETHER to help us understand everything around us.'


3. Eyes — Our Windows to the World

'Your EYES are like a CAMERA. They capture images and send them to your brain!'

Parts of the Eye:

PartFunction
PupilThe BLACK circle — lets light in
IrisThe COLOURED part — controls pupil size
EyelidsPROTECT the eye, keep it moist
EyelashesKeep DUST out of the eyes

How to Care for Your Eyes:

  • Read in GOOD light — not too dim, not too bright.
  • Do NOT sit too close to the TV or computer.
  • Wash eyes with COLD water every morning.
  • Wear SUNGLASSES in bright sunlight.
  • Visit an EYE DOCTOR regularly.
  • Eat VITAMIN A rich foods (carrot, papaya, milk).

4. Ears — Our Sound Catchers

'Your EARS catch sound waves and send them to your brain. You can hear THOUSANDS of different sounds!'

How to Care for Your Ears:

  • Clean ONLY the OUTER ear with a soft cloth.
  • NEVER put sharp objects in your ears.
  • Protect ears from VERY loud sounds.
  • See a DOCTOR if you have ear pain.

5. Nose — Our Smell Sensor

'Your NOSE can recognise THOUSANDS of different smells — from your favourite food to a warning smell like smoke!'

How to Care for Your Nose:

  • Breathe through your NOSE, not your mouth.
  • Use a TISSUE or handkerchief.
  • Do NOT pick your nose.
  • See a doctor if you have a cold or blocked nose.

6. Tongue — Our Taste Tester

'Your TONGUE has TINY bumps called TASTE BUDS. Different parts of the tongue taste DIFFERENT flavours.'

TasteWhere on TongueExamples
SweetTipSugar, chocolate, ice cream
SourSidesLemon, tamarind, vinegar
SaltyTip and sidesChips, salt, pickle
BitterBackBitter gourd (karela), coffee

7. Skin — Our Touch Sense

'Your SKIN is the LARGEST organ in your body! It covers and protects everything inside.'

What Skin Can Feel:

SensationExamples
HotFire, hot water
ColdIce, cold water
RoughSandpaper, tree bark
SmoothSilk, glass
HardStone, table
SoftCotton, pet fur
PainPinch, cut, burn

8. Good Habits for a Healthy Body

Good HabitWhy It Helps
Brush teeth twice a dayPrevents CAVITIES
Take a bath dailyKeeps SKIN clean and healthy
Wash hands before eatingRemoves GERMS
Eat healthy foodGives NUTRIENTS for growth
Exercise and playKeeps body FIT
Sleep 8-10 hoursRECHARGES the body
Drink enough waterKeeps body HYDRATED
Wear clean clothesPrevents INFECTIONS
Trim nails regularlyPrevents DIRT from collecting

9. Common Mistakes

  1. Thinking the tongue tastes everything in one spot: 'Different parts of the tongue taste DIFFERENT flavours — sweet at the tip, bitter at the back.'
  2. Ignoring ear care: 'NEVER put cotton swabs or anything inside your ear. You can damage your eardrum!'
  3. Not washing hands properly: 'Just rinsing is NOT enough. Wash with SOAP for at least 20 seconds.'
  4. Sleeping too little: 'Children your age NEED 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Your body grows and repairs itself when you sleep.'

10. Key Facts to Remember

  • 'We have FIVE sense organs: Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue, and Skin.'
  • 'Eyes help us SEE. Ears help us HEAR. Nose helps us SMELL. Tongue helps us TASTE. Skin helps us FEEL.'
  • 'The tongue has taste buds for sweet, sour, salty, and bitter tastes.'
  • 'Skin is the LARGEST organ of the body.'
  • 'Good habits keep us HEALTHY — brush, bathe, eat well, exercise, and sleep well.'

11. Self-Test

Q1: Name the five sense organs and what each does.

Q2: What are the four basic tastes? Give one example of each.

Q3: How should you clean your ears?

Q4: Why is sleep important for children?

Q5: Which vitamin is good for your eyes? Name two foods that have it.

Q6: What is the largest organ in the human body?

Q7: List three good habits for keeping your body healthy.

Q8: Which part of the tongue tastes sweet things?

Answers:

A1: Eyes (see), Ears (hear), Nose (smell), Tongue (taste), Skin (touch/feel). A2: Sweet (sugar), Sour (lemon), Salty (salt), Bitter (karela/coffee). A3: Clean only the OUTER ear with a soft, damp cloth. NEVER insert anything inside. A4: Sleep helps the body GROW, REPAIR itself, and REST. Children need 8-10 hours for proper development. A5: Vitamin A. Foods: Carrot, papaya, milk. A6: The SKIN. A7: Brush teeth twice daily, take a bath daily, wash hands before eating, exercise/play, sleep 8-10 hours (any three). A8: The TIP of the tongue.

Key formulas & results

Everything you need to memorise, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

Five sense organs
Eyes (sight), Ears (hearing), Nose (smell), Tongue (taste), Skin (touch)
They work together to help us understand the world.
Basic tastes
Sweet, sour, salty, bitter
Detected by taste buds on the tongue.
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Common mistakes & fixes

These are the exact errors that cost students marks in board exams. Read them once, save yourself the trouble.

WATCH OUT
Thinking the whole tongue tastes the same
Different areas respond more to sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
WATCH OUT
Putting objects inside the ear to clean it
Clean only the outer ear; never insert anything inside.
WATCH OUT
Just rinsing hands without soap
Wash with soap for at least 20 seconds to remove germs.

Practice problems

Try each one yourself before tapping "Show solution". Active recall > rereading.

Q1EASY· Recall
Name the five sense organs and what each one does.
Show solution
Eyes (see), ears (hear), nose (smell), tongue (taste), skin (feel/touch).
Q2EASY· Recall
Name the four basic tastes with an example of each.
Show solution
Sweet (sugar), sour (lemon), salty (salt), bitter (karela).
Q3EASY· Health
What is the largest organ in the human body?
Show solution
The skin.
Q4MEDIUM· Habits
List three good habits for keeping your body healthy.
Show solution
Brush teeth twice daily, bathe daily, wash hands before eating (any three).

5-minute revision

The whole chapter, distilled. Read this the night before the exam.

  • We have five sense organs: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin.
  • Eyes see, ears hear, nose smells, tongue tastes, skin feels.
  • Basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter.
  • Skin is the largest organ of the body.
  • Clean only the outer ear; never insert anything inside.
  • Children need 8-10 hours of sleep to grow and repair.
  • Good habits keep us healthy: brush, bathe, eat well, exercise, sleep.

ICSE marks blueprint

Where the marks come from in this chapter — so you can plan your prep.

Typical chapter weightage: 5-8 marks, depending on the school paper

Question typeMarks eachTypical countWhat it tests
Body parts / Senses3-42Naming parts and sense organs
Health and habits2-41-2Care of organs and good habits
Prep strategy
  • Match each sense organ to its sense
  • Learn the four basic tastes with examples
  • Note the do's and don'ts for ear and eye care
  • List good daily health habits

Where this shows up in the real world

This chapter isn't just an exam topic — it lives in the world around you.

Staying healthy

Good habits prevent illness and keep the body fit.

Safety

Our senses warn us of danger, like the smell of smoke.

Caring for ourselves

Knowing how to care for eyes and ears keeps them working well.

Exam strategy

Battle-tested tips from teachers and toppers for this chapter.

  1. Match each organ to its sense exactly
  2. Give an example for each basic taste
  3. Mention 'outer ear only' for ear care
  4. List specific habits, not vague answers

Going beyond the textbook

For olympiad aspirants and curious learners — topics that build on this chapter.

  • Test which foods you can identify by smell with your eyes closed.
  • Make a chart of good habits and tick them off each day for a week.

Where else this chapter is tested

CBSE board isn't the only one — other exams test this chapter too.

ICSE Class 3 School ExamHigh
Science Olympiad (junior)Medium

Questions students ask

The real ones — pulled from the Q&A community and tutor sessions.

Each sense organ gives us a different kind of information about the world, and together they help us understand everything around us. Our eyes let us see colours and shapes, our ears let us hear sounds, our nose lets us smell, our tongue lets us taste food, and our skin lets us feel touch, heat, and cold. Because they work together, we can enjoy and stay safe in our surroundings, for example seeing and smelling food before we taste it.

Sleep is the time when the body rests and repairs itself, and it is especially important for children because they are still growing. During deep sleep, the body grows taller and stronger, the brain stores what was learned during the day, and tired muscles recover. This is why children of this age need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night to stay healthy, alert, and ready to learn and play.
Verified by the tuition.in editorial team
Last reviewed on 30 May 2026. Written and reviewed by subject-matter experts — read about our process.
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