Nursery World - A parent's guide to messy play

One of the most remarkable things about children is their ability to make an inordinate amount of mess from quite an early age. While as a parent, you may be trying to find ways to cut down on sticky hands, it may seem ironic that your child's nursery, childminder or playgroup is likely to be planning for 'messy play'. So what is 'messy play' and how can it help your child to learn?

One of the most remarkable things about children is their ability to make an inordinate amount of mess from quite an early age.

While as a parent, you may be trying to find ways to cut down on sticky hands, it may seem ironic that your child's nursery, childminder or playgroup is likely to be planning for 'messy play'. So what is 'messy play' and how can it help your child to learn?

First of all, it is worth understanding that the term 'messy play' is not universally used. Some practitioners use the term 'sensory play' while others might say 'play with natural materials'. Regardless of the term being used, the main feature that messy play activities have is the way in which children are allowed to enjoy a lot of freedom to explore and play with materials. These can be anything from the conventional sand, water and dough to playing with shaving foam, mud, gravel and a sticky substance known as 'gloop' (a mixture of cornflour and water).

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