Tagged with 'imaginative play'

[caption id="attachment_6407" align="alignnone" width="800"] Photo Credit: https://iowaccrr.org/[/caption]The thought of messy play might make your toes curl, but there are so many good reasons to let your little ones dig in and get dirty! Messy play fosters curiosity and encourages exploration; it builds creativity and imagination, communication and language development, fine motor skills, independence, and self-confidence. In a nutshell, messy play teaches kids to live outside the box. Now that spring has sprung, set your sweeties up outside and let them loose with some of our favorite messy play activities, like:

Oobleck!

Always a hit, Oobleck is oogey, gooey, and so much fun! Mysteriously, it’s a solid when you smash it but a liquid when you pick it up (visit our friends at TheBestIdeasForKids for the scientific explanation). To make your own batch, just mix 2 cups of cornstarch with 1 cup of water and a drop or two of food coloring in a large pan or bowl. Then show your little ones how to press down on the mixture to create a solid and scoop it up and drizzle it through their fingers to see its liquid form. Drizzle drops on top of each other to make a 3-D sculpture or see if you can smash it down with a potato smasher.[caption id="attachment_5904" align="alignnone" width="646"] Photo Credit: thebestideasforkids.com[/caption]

Shaving Cream!

Kids can’t get enough of shaving cream! Squirt a can into a pan or bowl and let them squish and scoop it. Push their hands down to make a hand print or see if they can make a cloud or other basic shape on a separate pan. Let them cover their arms and legs with the cream, then spray them off with the garden hose. Fill a sensory tub with shaving cream and add objects for kids to discover in the fluff. Then add a few drops of food coloring and let them swirl the colors together with a craft stick to create amazing rainbows! The experts at ArtfulParent have rounded up 60 of their favorite ways to play with shaving cream, here.[caption id="attachment_5905" align="alignnone" width="572"] Photo credit: artfulparent.com[/caption]

Mud Cakes!

April showers bring May flowers – and mud! Kids are drawn to mud puddles like fish to water and for once let them dig in! Mud play is proven to boost immunity and being outside is shown to improve mental health and even kids’ eyesight. So grab a bucket, a small shovel or spoon, maybe even some old pots and pans, and make some mud. Stir it up and squish it around – then show your kids how to shape the mud into a brick or cake and set it in the sun to dry. Dig a trench and pour some water in to make your own river. Visit Mom365 for more awesome ideas for playing in the mud.[caption id="attachment_5906" align="alignnone" width="500"] Photo credit: blogmom365.com[/caption]

YES! Messy Play without the Mess!

For those times when you just can’t deal with the dirt and would like to limit the mess, put out a pod of Playfoam®! It’s squishy and squashy and perfect for squeezing, smashing, and even sculpting – but it won’t stick to carpet or clothing and it never dries out so you can get squishy again and again. But don’t take our word for it! Check out GrannySmithsDiary for some great messy play ideas from a super-engaged Grandma as well as the reasons she puts out Playfoam for her darling granddaughter, Daisy.[caption id="attachment_5907" align="alignnone" width="598"] Photo credit: @carlson.toys[/caption]And for even more messy play ideas, check out our Pinterest Board!  Take a deep breath, dig in and have fun! 

"Teacher, table for 2!"Our Deal of the Day today features imaginative play the environmentally friendly way with our Classroom Café Dining Play Set! This dining play set includes 58 pieces of everything you need to set up a café-themed imaginative play area in your classroom with a green twist! Each adorable and sturdy piece is made of 100% food-grade recycled plastic. Get our 58-piece Classroom Café™ Dining Play Set for only $49.99 (down from $89.99) until midnight PST tonight at: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/classroom+caf-+dining+play+set.do Plus, to get free shipping on your Deal of the Day order, enter promo code EIFREE at checkout."