Messy play – Autumn fun cheat sheet

Quick, quick! Autumn is disappearing fast… before the crunchy leaves get blown away have a go at some seasonal messy fun.

Here is a very quick and easy cheat sheet to getting down and messy.

1 – Get out and about in search for some autumn delights

We were on our way back from a trip out to the park when little button started to collect autumny bits and bobs on her own accord. She was particularly after big crunchy leaves, so I encouraged her to count them, jump in them, and swoosh, squeeze and crumble them to her hearts content. We listened to the different sounds they made and counted the ones she wanted to bring back home with her.

This could work with an assortment of items and older children might enjoy the challenge of a scavenger hunt if you wanted to plan this activity. For us, this works best as an impromptu thing to do and we often have lots of giggles as we end up dropping a trail of bounty all the way home.

2 – Lay it out

Once home, get all the collected stuff in one place. We bundle everything on a plastic mat or large sheet of paper on the kitchen table. For little ones, now is a great opportunity to get them changed into some clothes that you don’t mind them getting paint on. A pit stop for drinks and snacks will give you a moment to set up the next bit.

3 – Dig out the STUFF

Yes, I mean it. Paint, glue, sparkles and glitter, things for sticking – basically a random sample of everything you can find would be great.

4 – And off they go

Stand back and let them go. The idea of this activity is to allow your little one to play and experiment with their autumn treasure. Don’t worry about the end result, it’s the learning and fun in between that counts.

Messy play allows the little ones to get really stuck in to child-led activities of discovery and play. This can help them to develop their creativity, physical development, communication and social skills.

What is your little ones favourite messy play activity?