5 Child Development Benefits to Messy Play

There’s one phrase to describe what my kids are currently doing in my kitchen: making a mess. They’re elbow deep in an oozing, white concoction and giggling as they try to cover up several of my son’s cars. The kitchen floor is splattered with white dollops and I’m 99% sure they’ll need new shirts by the time they’re done playing.

Prior to this, these two children spent most of the day fighting and pushing each other’s buttons. Now they’ve been happily playing together for at least 20 minutes. And the splatters on the floor? Easily swept up when it dries. So this play, although messy, is worth it in my eyes.

My tolerance for messy play is high, undoubtedly due to the quiet it brings me. But messy play, also referred to as sensory play, has benefits beyond keeping momma’s sanity and these benefits happen to be grounded in sound child development. This post does a great job of breaking down the benefits of messy play and highlights how it helps a child learn. This article on sensory experiences and this one on the importance of messy play are other great resources to further explore the concept.

Admittedly, it takes a certain ability to turn a temporary blind eye to spots on your kitchen floor and arguably even longer to be okay seeing your child covered in mud for the sake of sensory play. And it’s probably not something you want to encourage when you’re on the way to preschool drop off. Here’s some advice that’s helped me to keep my sanity in the midst of messy sensory play.

Learn Your Tolerance for Messy Play

I’m the first to admit I have a pretty high tolerance for kid mess for the sake of sensory play. I realize not all people are like this! Take my husband for example – it’s a good thing he works a lot and isn’t home to see all the messes we make in a day’s time. Ahem. One mom’s limit may be using playdough while another mom might be making a mud pit to help her son simulate the demolition derby scene from Cars 3. And both ways are perfectly fine! Personally, something that helps me is understanding how children benefit from their sensory play. When I can reassure myself that what my kiddos are getting into is actually helping them learn, it makes encouraging, or even just tolerating, the mess easier.

Utilize the Outdoors as much as Possible

Perhaps you’re thinking, “There’s no way I’m going to let my kids make a mess in my kitchen”, even if it has great benefits. I totally get it. The bulk of our super messy play is done outside and that helps tremendously with clean up. I probably won’t ever be okay with bringing mud into the house, and that’s fine because we can play in it outside. Being outside not only helps with cleanup but it also curbs the volume of the play. Some things that can be explored, like dried corn or beans, can be LOUD when poured into different containers. The noise isn’t nearly as loud when there aren’t any walls to echo the sound!

Consider Using a Sensory Table

Aside from when we use playdough, all of our indoor messy play is done in our sensory table. There are commercially made tables; however, an under-the-bed storage tote is also a great, inexpensive option. These tables can be used from a very young age (with supervision especially if there are small parts) and are a great way to contain a mess while indoors. Some of our favorite things to use in the sensory table are water beads, kinetic sand, soapy water, ice, colored water with eye droppers for color mixing, and a cornstarch/water combination.

Expect Clothes To Be Messy

If a child (or a parent) is concerned about getting clothes messy, it’s difficult for them to become fully immersed in their play. They probably won’t get as much out of an experience, especially if the play is super messy. Granted, being messy won’t even be something some children pause to consider, but for those that do mind, taking the burden of caring about getting a good piece of clothing dirty off their mind is a gift. Hand-me-downs, thrift stores, and garage sales are all great ways to save money on clothes and be more welcoming to messy play. Rain boots are also a great investment! Mud can wash right off of them and wearing them can extend the life of ‘good’ shoes quite a bit.

Create a System for the Mess that Kids Can Use

Giving kids responsibility helps them take ownership over their items and can be a good teaching tool as well. It also cuts down on the parental load and who isn’t for that?! One of the best systems that works for our family is a hanging drying rack placed over a floor vent. This is a great spot to hang wet or snowy clothes and, because it is kept at kid height, there is minimal work on my end to keep the system going. A boot tray is a great spot for muddy boots and a laundry basket by the door can act as a catch-all for clothes that need to be taken off right away. The younger the kids are, the more help they may need to keep the system going; however, starting things like this early on can really pay off in the long run.

Moral of the story?

Messy play can look different in different houses. It’s okay if you don’t want to go right out right now and transform a dirt pile into a mud pit. Start small and try something new. Maybe bring out those jars of playdough you stored high on a shelf or fill up a storage tote with water and measuring cups. Work your way up to the play that requires a change of clothes. Your child will have fun either way and there’s a good chance you’ll buy yourself some quiet mommy time in the process!