It's no surprise that kids love making messes - that's when the learning happens! Check out our list of 5 messy things you can do with your kids that will teach them valuable skills!
Baking - From thumbing through recipe cards to shopping for ingredients, measuring and mixing, to setting the timer and waiting for the final product to finish. Oh and let's not forget about enjoying the tasty reward! Baking with kids can be such a valuable learning process. It teaches the importance of planning and preparation, being concise with the ingredients and responsible with the oven. It is such a great visualization of the kind of work it takes to make something from scratch. Baking is bound to get messy, but that's when the learning happens!
Gardening - Being around nature is therapeutic at any age! And there's no better way to immerse your family in nature than by gardening. Include your little ones in the whole process. From deciding on what to grow, to buying seeds, planning out where to plant them, and then digging in and getting dirty! Whether you'll focus on maintaining a flower garden by keeping it weeded, and watered or you want to show them how vegetables are grown from start to finish, gardening is one of the most rewarding experiences for both kids and adults alike! Grab this watering can and rake perfectly sized for your little helpers.
Arts & Crafts - It's never too early for arts and crafts. Even the smallest children can enjoy and benefit from activities like finger painting, simple cutting and glueing and even threading. Choose a theme: maybe there is a special holiday or birthday coming up. And don't be afraid to get messy! Let your child express themselves in their own way. Then when it's time to clean up, show them how important it is to return their work space the way they found it, ready for the next creative session!
Sensory Play - There are tons of recipes out there for creating your own homemade, non-toxic sensory items. Slime, dough, jello bins, pasta towers - you name it! Engage all of the senses with things of different textures, sights, sounds and smells. Most recipes call for items you might even have hanging around the house - so it's a very low cost way to entertain your curious learners for an afternoon.
Car Wash - What kid doesn't absolutely love playing with the hose! So give them some soap and a sponge and put them to work - they'll love it and you might just get a clean car out of it! This is one activity where more of a mess means MORE clean! Not only will they have fun, but you can help teach them the importance of taking care of their things. They could even bring their bikes into the mix. Shine up all your rides and take pride in your sparkle!
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