The very first item I bought on moving to my present nursery about four years ago was a builder's tray, and it has proved invaluable in children's messy play.
It is a large, octagonal, black, heavy-duty plastic tray about 1m wide with a raised rim which is used by builders for mixing cement.
The rim prevents spillages, so children can enjoy sustained exploratory play using a wide range of materials without many worries about the mess.
The tray is also useful for containing games and activities that require small objects, such as the marble run game, beads and buttons for pattern-making, counting and sorting, construction materials and small-world equipment.
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