I am sure many are cringing at the word "messy" but don't worry! It doesn't have to be a mess on a large scale to have benefits for your babe!
We are sensory beings, and use our senses (touch, taste, sight, sound, smell, vestibular (sense of head movement in space/balance), proprioception (senses from our muscles and joints) to develop and make connections within our brain to make sense of our world!
Multisensory activities (activities incorporating multiple senses) are a great way to stimulate this development, and capitalize on your little ones natural curiosity.
Start small:
Pick an activity like crafting, or something that you do naturally each day like mealtime to explore.
Example: If during a mealtime, allow your little one to explore with one if the foods on their tray with their hands, and you feed them the rest. Eating is a great mutisensory experience as your little one interacts with their food through sight, smell, touch, and taste.
Take a deep breath:
Your little one may watch your reaction as they dive into those mashed potatoes with both hands, dump out sauce onto their plate, or squish their food into unrecognizable mush as they
simultaneouslypaint their own hair with it. Try not to panic at the mess! If you remain calm they likely will too, and take the experience positively. If your little begins to become upset, you can try to encourage play by interacting with the foods yourself, further verbal encouragement, or removing the food briefly from their area. It is okay to keep the experience brief! The goal is for the activity to remain a positive experience.
Rinse and repeat:
Repeated exposure to messy play helps build connections in your child's brain! Our children learn through doing-to engage and play with their environment using their senses!
-My very own mess-maker 😉
What have your experiences been with messy play?
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