{"id":19388,"date":"2023-01-13T12:29:58","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T12:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/?post_type=activity&#038;p=19388"},"modified":"2023-10-12T15:51:02","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T14:51:02","slug":"messy-play","status":"publish","type":"activity","link":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/activities\/messy-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Messy play"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is messy play?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Messy play is exactly what it sounds like: letting children play by creating a great big mess.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a great way for your child to learn more about textures, tastes and sensations. It can involve getting hands stuck into wet materials like foam, or dry materials like sand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Messy play activities can be presented in a number of ways, such as on sensory trays, each with a different theme.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why is messy play important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Messy play can help children to develop their motor skills, while learning all about how different materials and textures feel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also just a lot of fun to make a big mess!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Introducing different textures brings more variety into play. It also exposes your child to a variety of different objects, helping them to develop preferences.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you can show how textures change by starting with dried custard powder or dried shredded tissues and then adding water.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Messy play can also encourage different hand movements. These can include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A palmer grasp (squeezing toys and play dough).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using thumb and fingers (building towers of bricks).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pincer grip (popping bubble wrap).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Release (placing objects in containers).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rotary action (pouring from one container to another).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finger isolation (making fingerprints in play dough).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bilateral hand use (tearing paper).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hand and finger strength (manipulating play dough).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tracking (following lines of wool).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Messy play ideas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Below you\u2019ll find some ideas for different materials you can use in messy play, and links to step-by-step guides for specific activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember to use edible, clean materials, and be mindful of choking hazards and allergies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Dry messy play<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dry textures that fall away from your hand: dried rice, dry sand, dry lentils, or cotton wool.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dry textures that mostly fall away but some particles or bits may stick to the hand: play dough, sterile compost, clean mud, or chalk.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Wet messy play<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wet textures that stick to the hand but that your child can easily break contact with, for example, by lightly wiping their hands: jelly, baked beans, wet sand, or sensitive shaving foam.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wet textures that stick to the hand and that your child has least control of breaking contact with, for example, by washing their hands: yoghurt, finger paint, mud, Angel Delight and ice cream.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Wet messy play ideas<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/activities\/make-your-own-bubbles\/\">Make your own bubbles<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/activities\/make-art-with-ink-blowing\/\">Make art with ink blowing<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/activities\/homemade-edible-fingerpaint\/\">Homemade edible fingerpaint<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Messy play is exactly what it sounds like: letting children play by creating a great big mess.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","format":[183],"activity_cats":[72],"location":[151],"interest":[],"class_list":["post-19388","activity","type-activity","status-publish","hentry","activity_cats-wellbeing","location-in-your-own-space","format-in-person"],"acf":{"geolocation":null,"display_address":"","short_location_description":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/activity\/19388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/activity"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/activity"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/activity\/19388\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"activity_cats","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/activity_cats?post=19388"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=19388"},{"taxonomy":"interest","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/interest?post=19388"},{"taxonomy":"format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/format?post=19388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}