A guide for messy play with babies and young children - Let's Get Messy! Early Help 0-19 service - Czone
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Early Help 0-19 service
Let’s Get
Messy!
A guide for messy play
with babies and young
children
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service
Messy play is important because…
✓ Babies and young children use their senses to explore
and make sense of their surroundings.
✓ Exploring different textures develops attention span,
curiosity and memory.
✓ Studies show that babies and young children who have
been exposed to messy play are better eaters and are
more likely to try foods of different textures.
Remember!
✓ Always check best before dates on products.
✓ Consider allergies and skin conditions.
✓ Constant supervision, always.
✓ Age appropriate – be aware of choking hazards.
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service
But I haven’t got anywhere to do messy play at home…
”
Messy play is adaptable and can be incorporated anywhere!
To begin with try sitting baby in their high chair or using a large
wipe clean tablecloth or material on the floor.
Don’t forget to wear old clothes or those you don’t mind getting
messy!
Why not try messy play in the bath tub?
Or in the garden on a sunny day? (remember suncream!)
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service
Messy play and craft materials are expensive…”
There is no need to break the bank when doing messy play! A
lot of messy play materials can be found in your kitchen
cupboard…
Average messy play price list:
➢ Dried Pasta 59p
➢ Porridge Oats 75p
➢ Dry Cereals 25p
➢ Dry rice 45p
➢ Flour 45p
➢ Cornflour 75p
➢ Shaving Foam 40p
➢ Instant Mash 28p
➢ Jelly 40p
➢ Custard 17p
➢ Lentils £1.80
➢ Split peas 53p
➢ Baked beans 24p
➢ Bubbles 33p
➢ Water FREE
Total amount £7.39
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service
“My Child isn’t interested in Messy Play …”
Messy play takes some getting used to! Babies and children
that have never experienced messy play may be unsure at first
but once it becomes a regular part of their play at home they
will enjoy it…
Get stuck in yourself!
Make it eye catching…
Add a theme…
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service Some Activities form a children’s centre volunteer run group Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service
Activity ideas to try at home
Recipe for Mouldable
Sand
5 cups of plain flour
1 cup of baby oil
Add glitter to make it sparkly
Why not try adding some food colouring to change the colour of
your sand.
This is a simple, fun sensory and messy play activity for children
of all ages with ingredients from your cupboards at home.
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service
Bubble mixture
Quick and easy way of making bubbles using items in your store
cupboard
You will need:
1 - 2 tablespoons Glycerine - optional
1/4 Pint Water - to thin the soap mix
1/2 Pint Washing up liquid
Jug
Spoon
Bubble wand
Activity:
Gently mix together all the ingredients - too fast will make it
froth !!
If possible allow it to rest overnight, the longer this solution is
allowed to relax the thicker and higher quality it becomes.
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service
Jelly Play
This sensory activity is suitable for babies and children of all ages
which will add a different sensory aspect to their play.
You will need:
Different flavoured jelly
Hot water
Different sized containers
Plastic toys to mould into the jelly
Fridge/freezer
Activity:
Make the jelly using the jelly cubes or powder with the amount of
boiling water needed, stir and empty into the containers, add a
plastic toy into some of the containers like play food and let it set
in the fridge.
To add another aspect to the experience you could freeze some
of the moulds as well as setting in the fridge so you have different
consistencies to play with. You could fill a washing up glove with
jelly, tie up the end and freeze it. Cut the glove off once frozen
and you have a hand shaped jelly ice cube.
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021
Early Help 0-19 service
Wheat free playdough
This is a great adult supervised activity to carry out with your
children to develop their skills of measuring, pouring and mixing.
You will need:
½ cup of rice flour 1 cup of water
½ cup of corn starch 1 teaspoon of cooking oil
¼ cup of salt Food colouring if desired
2 teaspoons cream of tartar Glitter if desired
How to make
Mix the flour, corn starch, salt and cream of tartar together in a
large bowl, then add the oil, water and a couple drops of food
colouring if want to make it colourful and mix well in the bowl with
a spoon (you can also add some ingredients to make the
playdough smell different such as a few drops of peppermint or
a sprinkle of cinnamon). If the mixture is sticky then add a little
bit more flour and if the mixture is too stiff then add a little water
and mix until the playdough comes clean away from the sides of
the bowl.
Put the mixture onto a slightly floured surface and knead gently
until smooth, glitter can be added at this point to make it sparkly.
The playdough can then be put into a plastic bag or clean film
and placed in the fridge to stop it drying out.
Document created by Early help 0-19, Updated January 2021You can also read
