Messy play

[mumofone]

Just wondered what messy play activities everyone does with their little ones?
Also are sand and water, painting and playdough considered messy play - ive always wondered!!

[moggy]

No need to categorize- whether you want to call it messy play, slightly grubby play, untidy play... is irrelevant to the child, and pretty irrelevant to anyone really. What is important is what they are getting out of the play. Mess or no mess.

Trays of lentils, sand, water, foam/bubbles, cornflour gloop, making bread dough, finger painting, mud pies, hollowing out a pumpkin... all provide sensory experiences. And maybe some mess.

[mumofone]

No need to categorize- whether you want to call it messy play, slightly grubby play, untidy play... is irrelevant to the child, and pretty irrelevant to anyone really. What is important is what they are getting out of the play. Mess or no mess.

Trays of lentils, sand, water, foam/bubbles, cornflour gloop, making bread dough, finger painting, mud pies, hollowing out a pumpkin... all provide sensory experiences. And maybe some mess.

Thanks moggy.
If they are making marks in it does it fall under literacy as early mark making (think i may have asked this or similiar before...sorry), does any of it cover UTW too?

[Maza]

Thanks moggy.
If they are making marks in it does it fall under literacy as early mark making (think i may have asked this or similiar before...sorry), does any of it cover UTW too?

I think be true to yourself - observe what the child is doing when they make the marks as to whether it could fall under Literacy or not. Are they ascribing any meaning to the marks? Hard to tell if they are still non verbal. Are they deliberately making particular marks - so looking at the mark they have made and making a conscious effort to repeat or change it - maybe that could be classed as a Literacy/mark making activity. If they are unaware of any marks that they make as a result of exploring the texture of something then I personally wouldn't class this as Literacy and would probably say it is UW. Also if you notice that a baby/young toddler suddenly starts making marks with their index finger when in the past it would tend to be the whole hand then you could class it as physical. Basically have faith in yourself to recognise what the child is doing/showing you/experiencing.

[VeggieSausage]

Also virtually each type of activity can be linked to every area of learning...so if they are making marks it could be PD, UTW, EAD, CL etc....