.png)
Why Messy Play?
Have you noticed your baby mouths every toy in front of them? Curiosity is a natural trait in children, and that's great news for their development. Toddlerhood is a stage where they are at their explorative and adventurous best. Give them free rein, and they’ll surprise you with how well they can learn independently. If you are feeling adventurous enough, give them space to get messy. There might be some cleaning involved, but your children will have a blast!
Let’s Get Messy!
These are probably not the most exciting words for the caregivers but for the kids; it’s heaven! Creating a mess involves using all their senses which aids in their holistic development. For a child, everything is a learning opportunity, from putting something in their mouth or smearing something using their hands! Keeping this in mind, we’ve curated a list of safe play options for your child.
Sand pit – sounds risky? It’s not! For such an interesting name, the setup is impressively simple. All you need is some cornstarch, some cocoa powder or hot chocolate mix, and water. Mixing all this makes a safe, messy sludge. Add in your child’s favorite characters – bugs, animals, or even dinosaurs, and you are all set.
Water play – one of the simplest ways to have a lot of fun while practicing important skills such as hand-eye coordination and balance. What do you need? Just a couple of containers, water, and a safe space to make some mess. Additionally, you can choose to switch it up with soapy suds or get your child to help you in washing vegetables or their toys.
Slime – Children often love playing with slime. It is sticky, messy, and fun for children. There are various at-home recipes to make slime, giving children a lot of room for free play.
Jelly – involving children in anything kitchen related is always welcome! Having them explore the textures and make food they can consume adds to the feeling of joy.
Painting – For the youngest, colours can be made at home or bought after ensuring they are non-toxic. Once you have the colours, you can go wild! You can even have a large sheet of paper stuck to the walls because, let’s face it, nothing is more fun than painting or drawing on large surfaces!
Giving your child the freedom to express themselves and get messy can go a long way in their development. So, mommies and daddies, get your aprons and cleaning hats on, and let your child get messy!