for the little tykes...messy play

i'm a complete neat freak. like a lot of people, i like things to be clean and organized, but it's good for kids to make messes and play with messy things.

what do ziploc bags have to do with messy play? the simple answer is everything. it's good for kids to explore different textures like playdough, slime, paint, putty, etc, but some kids/people don't like to touch messy things. here are a few quick tips for success.

1. start with dry textures-shredded paper, beans, rice, popcorn 

2. move to creamier textures-whipped cream, yogurt, pudding, floam, shaving cream

3. try wet textures-jello, slime, flarp

and a few more tips

1. put it in a ziploc bag

this allows exploration without actually getting messy hands

2. give the child their own towel/washcloth to wipe their own hands

if we constantly wipe their hands and faces for them, it teaches them that messy is bad. let them be in charge of their own cleanliness

3. don't be afraid of food play

food exploration (often in the form of play) often leads to better eaters

as much as i like to be clean, i love messy play with kids. i'll be back next month with more ideas for messy play. in the meantime, try the ziploc bag. let me know how it goes.