TBH, the longer I do this job, the less faith I have in 'activities' all round. If something takes me 30 minutes to plan, 15 to set up, and another 20 to clear up after, yet it only keeps the children’s attention for 5 minutes (and that’s usually the case) then I have to ask myself the most basic question: where we do want to be, and are we getting there?

So I tend to set up any sort of messy play in the garden and let them get on with it. In winter, we go to messy times at the local children’s centre or play forum. If they like clearing up so much, they’re welcome to!