Messy play with your toddler helps build their imagination and gives them confidence to use new words.
Check out the video below for some fun, messy play ideas!
How to make the most of messy play with your toddler
- While playing with your little one, you could ask them to describe how each item looks and feels. Don't be afraid to get messy! You could add sauces or soil to your mixtures to make it more fun!
- Build your little one's imagination by giving the messy mixture names, you could pretend that it's snakes or eels!
- As you're playing with your little one, talk through actions. For example, 'I'm moving the worms with my hands' or 'Look at the snakes slipping through my fingers.'
- Create conversations using new words, such as 'The wiggly worms are very excited!'
- When you ask your child about what they are doing, give them time to respond, you might be surprised by their answers!
More games to play with toddlers
Whether you decide to explore your local park or your garden, there are lots of different things you can play with! You could even try going on a sensory listening walk.
Please be aware that some plants can be harmful to babies. The RHS has a helpful list of potentially harmful plants here. If in doubt about anything your baby has come into contact with, seek medical advice from your GP.
Image caption, One easy idea for messy play is to mix cooked spaghetti with soil or mud.
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