Messy Play

What is Messy Play?

Messy Play is also known as SENSORY PLAY! In short, it is activities that engage a child's senses, that which is eyes, ears, nose, mouth, touch, balance, or movement.

There is no one way or right way to messy play-the process is more important than the outcome. It allows the child to explore different possibilities, through freedom of play.

 
Our Mission (5).png
 

The importance of Messy play-the list is endless!

Yes, play is a child’s job. Play through experimenting and exploring their environment is critical for development. Play allows for areas of development.

  • PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

  • LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

  • COGNITIVE SKILLS 

  • SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS

  • CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

  • SENSORY INPUT

For example, through different messy play activities, the use of the hands and fingers promote fine motor development such as finger dexterity, hand strength and shoulder strength. With all of this, children develop pre-writing skills through pouring, scooping, and grasping while perfecting eye-hand coordination skills. Incorporating lines, squiggles, circles, waves, which is also known as MARK MAKING, leads to the foundation of writing skills also.

Messy play can also help children to understand how things feel, such as textures and temperatures. For a child who struggles with textures, especially food, messy play can be a great way to encourage sensory exploration in a fun and less stressful way than at the dinner table.

Messy play can lead to amazing discussions with your child- is it hot? is it cold? Maybe foam becomes ice-cream, cornflakes becomes hay, cornflour, chocolate and water become mud!

Messy play is really the beginning of early STEM learning- from maths to science!

Messy play allows children to work together and cooperate in group play or one-on-one play. They learn about personal boundaries, understanding someone else's ideas and views, and they have the opportunity to express their own.

 

 “Let them explore in mud, and build dens with boxes. Let them experiment with paint and imagine all day, for a child learns the most when they are allowed to play ”

— Twinkl

 Big Benefits of coming to BRAYSLO

For Parents/Caregiver:

  • Play offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children.

  • Messy play sessions with BRAYSLO allows the parent/caregiver to give their child their undivided attention, away from the distractions of home.

  • Meeting other parents and realizing you are not alone in your experiences

  • Create a great support network

  • Providing opportunities to play messily

  • Getting an opportunity to see the joy on your child’s faces as they’re up to their elbows in mud or paint

  • Help you see the value in messy play, rather than just the clean-up operation, but…

  • …No mess to clean up!

For the child:

  • A fun, safe & friendly environment

  • Get to spend undivided time with the GROWN UP in their life

  • Get to explore and get messy

  • A stepping stone for children for future playgroups and social interaction

  • An environment to play independently with other children, while still having the security of their grown up close by

  • Developing a positive attitude to new experiences.

  • They’re making their own choices, and developing independence in a safe enviorment

  • Taking risks and experimenting in a safe environment

  • Learning how to share, cooperate, and play together with other children