Messy play has big benefits for our little one’s cognitive and physical development. While your child is having the freedom to imagine, explore and create, they are also building gross and fine motor skills to help with early writing skills and build strength!
While every parent wants to encourage their child to get messy, they MIGHT not be so excited about what comes with it…a MESS! Here are some tips for our parents to help encourage a big mess with maximum cleanliness!
- Get out the plastic and newspaper! Lay down some paper or plastic covers to rescue your floors. You might even want to bring out a cover for your child too (and maybe even yourself!) to really keep everything clean.
- Take it outside (and near a hose)! Get that chalk out! Then hose everyone down and wash it away.
- Use the bathtub — the mess is contained and you can wash away any mess. You can also turn bath time into messy play time! Just make sure to use washable materials…
- Really don’t want to have any mess at all? Use sensory bags!
- Use reverse psychology and turn clean up time into messy play time! You know what’s a BIG hit for the little ones? Cleaning your car! They think they’re making a mess with all the soap and water but they are also cleaning your car!
- Choose your materials wisely. You can have messy play with only a few materials. Example, they don’t need tubs and tubs of play doh. Just give them the amount they need. Same goes with paint!
- The most important tip of all — try to relax if things get a bit too messy! [1]
Don’t worry about the mess at all at Gymboree Play & Music! We do all the cleanup!
[1] “10 Tips to Keep Messy Play Clean,” Hands On As We Grow, https://handsonaswegrow.com/10-tips-to-keep-messy-play-clean/
