What's the deal with being "messy"?

[JunesTune]

DS 3 loves filling and pouring with water and sand etc and loves painting too. But as for plunging his hands into jelly or gloop for no apparant reason -forget it.

Children's centre sometimes has activities like a huge tray of weetabix(s) with a jug of coloured water. DS will pick up jug and pour water out all over weetabix, mix it for about 5 seconds with a big spoon and
that's it. No way will he put his hands in. And what's the next child supposed to do? The fun's in the pouring and that's done. Are they expected to swim in it?

Rice Krispies in same mahoosive sized floor tray with a few squirts and squiggles of paint over them? To mix I think, but DS not interested.

Jelly with plastic animals in? He'd rather the animals without the jelly thanks.

I can see the value in exploring texture etc but messy play is surely not an end in itself is it?

Hmmm

I wouldnt be happy with them playing with weetabix and rice crispies
At breakfast mine wouldn't want to eat it just playwith it
By all means make chocolate krispies etc with food
But don't play with food that's meant to be eaten

There is research that suggest the sensory play and access to more sensory stimulating experiences improves path way around the brain, therefore making more connections and stimulating brain activities.

what lisa said

lisad123 - research eh? But sensory doesn't have to be messy does it?

Feathers, fur etc are sensory and I'm sure these kinds of sensory experiences are valuable, but messy play seems to be mucky play - and I'm not so sure that those kinds of activities I described earlier are a good example of the benefits of "messy" play.

Isn't it just to do with exploring different textures, sensations etc? I love it when they get the shaving foam out. I'm straight in there! And thank god I don't have to do this stuff at home.

Are you worried about him not wanting to play this way? If not, why do you mind if others enjoy it? My 2 yr old will happily make a mess, but hates being messy himself.

Rereading the Op - it doesn't sound like you enjoy mess either?

also helps boosting emagination and creativity

Imagination

I think sensory play is great, and shaving foam...but rice krispies covered in a squiggle of paint?

Oh come on - A cardboard box is great for that. It's nonsense some of it - (mucky play that is).

It sounds like your problem is mess

OP, I don't get it. Are you bothered by the messy play stuff? Lots of play is nonsense.

Oh, I remember Tanya Byron ont telly a few years ago (and repeated recently on Really - so ashamed that I know this) repeatedly making connections between fussy eating and mess aversion. Basically all of the toddlers she had on with food refusal and limited diets were also unhappy about trying new food. Consequently, I am the opposite of mess averse in the presence of my DS, which is fine, though stopping to put his hands in more or less every muddy puddle we pass is a little bit wearing. At the moment.

Oops. I mean basically all the toddlers with food refusal and limited diets were also unhappy about being messy.

I think messy play is good for child development etc but had conflicting feelings this evening when my daughter squished raspberries at supper and was so proud she'd made fingerprints on the table . . .

usinga, can you turn it around in your mind - she is starting mark-making, a real WOW moment

She's 3 so I'm torn between wanting to teach table manners and my maternal excitement at her excitement! I have decided that 1 finger in kid hummus on her plate is ok but not all of them which was exciting her. It's a fine line. I tend to lean in opposite direction to op and part of me just wants to play . .

You should encourage them to get messy without being anxious yourself and not hovering with a wet wipe. It encourages them to be more exploritory with food and prevents clean compulsions ie repetetive hand washing. When in high chair make sure they can not reach nice clean table cloth, wear old clothes etc and just clean up afterwards. It is fine if they decide it is not for them but they should want to have a go at that age.

Try cornflour mixed with water as it goes dry and powdery rather than sticky so is a good one to start with. If they wipe tiny bits of mess off or arch their fingers back with rigid hand then you need to do some gentle work making them realise mess is not bad, clothes and children wash. Once you get into it it is loads of fun.

The 'dry' play with household objects is horistic play and is just as important teaching grip, texture, immagination etc

Ooh I love that cornflour gloop. Thanks for reminding me!

ooh yes cornflour

Ooo, I love messy play It's great at our children's centre, and I have to say that at the moment I prefer it when it's food mess as dd is 8 months old so everything goes in her mouth, so I do prefer that something to be edible! I have a 2 yo DS as well and feel they get so so much out of it. I bung them in old knackered clothes and let them get on with it. I also love that they can do it at the centre and somebody else cleans up
Anecdotally, DS loves getting messy and is not a fussy eater at all.

I hadn't come across cornflour gloop before seeing it at a children's centre! It's amazing!

My original point was (obviously missed by some) that some of these messy activities are just so wasteful and very limited really, but are embraced by parents because "ooooh .... lets get messy. Messy is great for kids development".

Didn't see many children hand mixing weetabix or rice krispies - they weren't too fussed with the congealed muck.

Other messy stuff like cornflour gloop keeps them interested for longer - even DS from a distance.

That's funny because the rice crispies at our sessions are really popular and there are normally loads of kids piled in, munching away with the parents exclaiming that they really did feed their dc lunch
I guess the centres have to try different things to see what is popular with the kids. I know that there is another session fairly locally who only do 'clean' messy play as the parents who attended wouldn't let their kids in the mess with their lovely clothes in case they got messy

I think part of it is being imaginative about using household goods, which are inexpensive and available to all, to entertain your children. Our children's centre is always v. keen to point out how easily we can make play dough etc ourselves. Obviously some things will be more popular than others and there's a bit of trial and error involved, but I don't think that applies to messy play more than anything else really. I mean we get loads of lovely craft materials, which are also a bit wasted on toddlers who won't make anything beautiful out of them.