Importance of “Messy Play”
- by WONDERMOM
- Nov. 3, 2022
When most parents hear the words “Messy Play,” their first reaction is to wince, and their thoughts immediately fill with images of muddy footprints, paint, glue, and glitter fingerprints, and couches covered in glitter. After this comes the dread of having to do the inevitable additional labour and washing that is associated with the process of cleaning up.
Even if it could seem like a complete disaster, every once in a while it’s important for us to recall the happy times from our youth. Messy play provides children with gratifying sensory experiences, which in turn promote emotional connections and lovely childhood memories. This occurs as a result of the materials that are used. Children benefit from it because it allows them to play in their own unique manner, discover new textures, and experiment. This is the kind of play that is beneficial for children of all ages. Yet research shows that when grownups join in on their children’s play, they have just as much fun as their offspring. Parents may express their support for their children by joining in on the activity and demonstrating that it is alright to get their hands dirty. You may help them expand their vocabulary by encouraging discussion and using descriptive words when they are playing games.
When organizing items for messy play, parents should take into account the age of the kid or children as well as the activities that particularly interest them in order to generate a variety of sensations that range in both temperature and texture. The greatest time for newborns to engage in messy play is when they are eating, since this gives them the opportunity to experiment with the different smells, tastes, temperatures, and textures of different meals. Put your kid in some old clothing or an apron and reassure them that you are thrilled about the fact that they are about to get dirty. This way, you won’t have to worry about their clothes becoming damaged. During messy play, there is no one objective that should be accomplished; thus, you should encourage your kid to explore and experiment. When it comes to messy play, there is no one approach that is preferred over another, and children often have the greatest fun when they are left to explore on their own without being instructed on how to play.
• You’ll need things like paint, sand, dirt, shaving foam, slime, playdough, water, clay, bubbles, and gloop, among other things.
• Head outside: With the beautiful weather we’ve been having, this is the perfect time to go for a stroll on the beach or in the woods. Playing with your hands in the sand and water, with shells, seaweed, and driftwood, among other things, is a lot of fun. There are many play opportunities. You may also incorporate other tools such as spoons, glasses, scrapers, and the like.
• Examine the contents of your food cupboards: I believe that all of us are guilty of making rash purchases at the grocery store. Food is an experience that appeals to several senses, including smell, taste, and touch. If you have items that you may never use or that will go bad within the next couple of days (these can also be dry ingredients such as leftover cereal, dry pasta, etc.), consider how your children might be able to crush, mash, crunch, or otherwise manipulate them. Playing in the mud may be done with anything, even the spaghetti that was left over from the night before.