"Let them explore in the mud and build dens with boxes. Let them experiment with paint and imagine all day. For a child learns the most when they are allowed to play".
Parents/Carers
We wanted to let you know that sometimes your child may come home from school looking a little bit messy and not how they left you in the morning. We do apologise but there is a very good reason for this; your child has been delving into their tactile and sensory play. Messy play fosters your child's curiosity, imagination, experimentation, language and practices good concentration.
Messy play is key to your child's development throughout their EYFS learning journey. It's benefits are:
- Fine Motor Skills
They are learning to refine their fine motor skills
by using the muscles in their fingers, wrists, arms, toes and shoulders to make
small movements. Children also practice coordinating their fine motor skills by
combining muscles together when picking up different objects throughout messy
play.
- Gross Motor Skills
Taking messy play to the next level also helps to
develop children’s gross motor skills as well. Children use the larger muscles in their arms, legs,
feet and body to make bigger movements which support balance, coordination and
strength.
- Muscle Strengthening
When children practice fine and gross motor skills
in messy play, they are strengthening their muscles and developing muscle
control in their body.
- Hand Eye Coordination
Experimenting with messy play through touch also
enhances the children’s hand-eye coordination. Certain messy play activities
prompt and improve children’s concentration, such as cutting shapes out of play doh
or throwing goo
at a target,
which helps children develop their hand-eye coordination.
- Body Control & Balance
Messy play is an extremely hands-on sensory
activity, which enhances children’s body control and balance through the large
and small movements that they make when they play
- Spatial Awareness
Messy play also makes children more body aware,
which gives them the opportunity to learn about boundaries.
We thank you in advance for your understanding and ask if you have not already done so to please bring in a spare set of clothes for your child to leave on their peg.
Reception Team
