Balanced Mom & Happy Kids
Sensory / Messy Play
Come and join us for a fun hour of messy/sensory activities for babies, toddlers and of course their guardians so all the mamas and papas can see the excited faces of their little ones, making sure that you don’t miss out on all the fun.
Each class will have a different theme, so the children can try different things. The classes will be 60 minutes long, after that we can get a coffee or tea while we are getting cleaner, cause hopefully all the kids will be messy
Location
The classes are held at Huis van de Wijk De Halte / Bibliotheek Overschie in Rotterdam, free parking is available underground from the Baanweg side
Hoge Schiehof 39, 3042 AZ Rotterdam
Sensory / Messy Play
From €15
About sensory / messy play
Children naturally use their senses to explore their surroundings. While the five senses – taste, smell, sight, sound, and touch – are well known, there are also internal senses like balance, position, and movement. Messy play stands out from other types of play by emphasizing sensory engagement, enhancing the experience. It also fosters scientific thinking through enquiry, experimentation, hypothesizing, researching, and investigation.
Why is it important?
Fine and gross motor skills
Messy play encourages children to pick up objects and manipulate textures and materials, which flow through their hands and fingers. This activity helps develop fine motor skills, such as the small movements needed to hold and control a pencil, use cutlery, thread a needle, or tie shoelaces. For babies and very young children, touching objects often leads to them putting items in their mouths, so it’s important to ensure the materials are edible.
Hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, body control, and balance
Hand-eye coordination allows children to track the movements of their hands with their eyes, a key skill for reading and decoding. Spatial awareness helps children understand where they are in relation to objects or other structures. Body control and balance enable children to be aware of where their body parts are in space.
Creativity
Messy play stimulates a child’s imagination as they create shapes, forms, and objects in an exploratory manner.
Problem-solving
Through messy play, children can improve their focus and problem-solving abilities. They learn to select and use resources appropriately, often completing a task from start to finish. Early science concepts like cause and effect and the transformation of solids into liquids are explored in messy play.
Language development
As children explore materials, they may use words like “gooey,” “crispy,” “slimy,” and “soft” to describe what they feel. You might also hear “icky” or “yuck,” which is a sign that they are making decisions about how things feel. Supporting language development is enhanced by adult prompts, helping children understand how things feel and how to describe them. Experiencing the environment with multiple senses at once promotes learning and language growth.
Building relationships with others
When playing with a sibling or friend, children engage in conversation as they explore messy materials, introducing new words to their vocabulary. Playing together or side by side provides valuable social experiences, teaching skills like sharing, cooperation, and kindness – essential for later life. Children learn to trust others and work together.
Cognitive development
Messy play helps developing brains form neural connections and teaches children to recognize differences and similarities. Sensory-based, self-directed play encourages discovery, making it ideal for children with diverse learning styles.
Inclusive play
There’s no right or wrong way to engage in sensory-rich messy play, which makes it especially beneficial for children with special needs or those who prefer hands-on learning.
Tips to get children involved:
Encourage children to embrace getting messy. Parents shouldn’t hesitate to join in – roll up your sleeves and enjoy messy play with your child. What may appear as a mess on the surface is actually offering your child a unique learning experience.