Children and Adult's messy play

 Preschool and Early years article


 
Messy play can be viewed as a term given to play that is, potentially messy. 



It can give an apperance of chaos and involve mediums that spill, make marks, are blown or dropped, moved throughout the play room area.

Messy play can be great fun and has the ability to expand on everyones understanding - possible participation and to know what's involved in cleaning up ..

Plan enough time for this so that the activity can be thoroughly enjoyed, health and hygiene is addressed and risk assessment is kept to a minimal.  

Please also look for staff and parent feedback. Messy play can evoke many personal opinions.
 

Download resource link - opens in a new window:

 Pick 'N' Mix Messy play ideas poster 




It is possible to place messy play mediums into three categories: 
food based, natural resources and manmade. 

Discuss with your parents how they feel about food being used for play, it is understandable some may express concern either that it demonstrates a lack of respect for others whose work it is to grow and harvest these foods or that play actively promoted in Preschool is taken home to food cupboards and family meal times.
 

If there are objections it need not intefere with your provision for messy play, workarounds are always possible.

Food items good for messy play can be:
Rice, pasta, spaghetti, flour, icing sugar, rolled oats, salt, ground chocolate, coffee, tea leaves, custard and cornflour, sauces - tomato, lentils, pulses,

Natural resources
Soil, mud, sawdust, sand, gravel, pebbles, bark chippings, hay, straw, leaves, blossom & petals
Water, paper - shredded or mulched !

Manmade and workarounds could be: 
Cut up drinking straws to replace pasta threading
Shaving foam, soap - grated and whole, paint
Foil shreds, glitter, glue, sequins, lids, counters, beads,
Construction toys - interlocking blocks, pegs, dolls house furniture ..

Displaying a resource and allowing the type of play that promotes messy, offers the opportunity to discover self, boundaries, limits and expectations.
It provides a time to discuss cleaning, whys and how.

 

 

Pick 'N' Mix Messy play ideas poster 
As above this resource link can be used and adapted to introduce a variety of Messy play activities to your Early Years Settings