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Quotes from 7daysofplay.com// Just a friendly reminder that the little tag on the back of kids says they are TOTALLY washable! All joking aside, can I just tell you how important messy play is? And I get it, totally get it, it is hard enough to find the time to set up a meaningful activity for our little ones, let a lone one that is messy and a pain to clean up! I don’t want to stress you out, and I am in no way implying that every play should be a messy play. But, whether we are talking about paint, water, sand, dirt, oobleck, or another not-so-easy-to-clean scenario, let me tell you 5 reasons why messy play shouldn’t be entirely avoided!

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1 — LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT: Giving your children rich, textural experiences allows them to better communicate. If they can never touch something that is sticky, how will they know what to call and describe it?!

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2 — PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT: It takes time for children to development the practical life skills to NOT be messy, and in order to figure that out they need to have opportunities to explore and strengthen their movements. If you always pour water for your child in a cup with a lid, how will they learn to pour correctly and not spill? To that end, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination are often strengthened through messy play.

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3 — SENSORY DEVELOPMENT: Before a child can talk, they discover the world through their senses, and messy play allows them an incredible opportunity to explore through a sense or combination of senses.

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4 — FOSTERS INDEPENDENT PLAY AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: The goal of messy play should be decided by the child. Messy play is such an immersive experience children often engage in the activity independently. In a setting where multiple children are playing, sensory play also fosters social development where sharing and cooperation are often experienced.

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5 —SPARKS IMAGINATIONS: Sensory materials are open-ended materials allowing a child to use their imagination in the best possible ways. Dirt can become a mud pie, sand a construction site, and a bowl of water the ocean.

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