Say the words 'messy play' and most practitioners see images of sticky, drippy little hands coming towards them.
But while the 'clear up' factor might be high, so too are the benefits of such play, as Tarina Bowring from the Hull Childminding Network explains. 'Messy play gives children so much. They learn about different textures and consistencies and see how things can be changed from solids to liquids.'
For Leanne Walker from Patchwork Pre-school in East Sussex, seeing the way in which children learn to concentrate is one of the key benefits. 'Just last week, we put out wet sand. The children loved it and were digging and building with it. It was not just the children, though, who enjoyed it. I found myself playing alongside them and exploring its properties.'
For Steve Bailey, who runs a parent and toddler group and also works as a playworker in Bexhill, East Sussex, messy activities span the age ranges. 'We put out playdough and other materials for each session and I see that every age group enjoys it, including the parents who sometimes play with it long after the children have left the table!'
Messy play also has a certain 'magic' about it. Sue Bayliss, an early years adviser who specialises in inclusive education, says, 'One of the things I try to do when I visit and advise settings is to ensure that there is adequate sensory or "messy" play on offer. It is surprising how many times I have been called in to advise settings about a child's behaviour, only to find that once sufficient sensory materials are available the supposed problem disappears. This goes to show how important sensory play is in engaging children.'
And it's not just about providing for children with recognised learning needs, Sue suggests. 'Sensory materials are fantastic motivators for children and it's so easy to extend children's learning through a sensory medium. A child's name can be hidden in the sand tray, while a reception child can have enormous fun making letter shapes in shaving foam.'
Having extolled the virtues of messy play, it would be unrealistic to ignore the difficulties that some practitioners face when providing for it.
It is not unusual to find pre-school groups who are not allowed to use sand in the church hall or childminders who do not have space indoors for sand and water trays. Reception teachers do not always fare well, either. One reception teacher came back from the summer break to find that the entire room had been carpeted, apart from one tiny strip.
Game over, one might assume. But not when it comes to early years practitioners who are nothing if not resourceful. One pre-school in High Wycombe embarked on a mammoth campaign to collect tea bags which they dried out on radiators to provide an alternative to sand. A childminder in Kent uses peat (from a sustainable source) in washing-up bowls in her house, while a reception class in north London has conquered the carpet with a piece of floor vinyl that is ceremoniously unrolled for play.
Finally, it is worth thinking about those children for whom gloop, sand and playing in shaving foam actually causes them distress. Their sense of touch is particularly sensitive and playing with materials gives them the equivalent of a sensory overload. For these children, Sue Bayliss recommends a programme of desensitisation by, for example, making sure that dough is at room temperature and wrapping it in a clear bag, or by having a wet cloth on hand so that children can wipe their hands at any point.
'It is important to be supportive towards these children and to understand that pressure from adults makes them more reluctant,' she says. 'Children tend to respond when they feel in control and know that they can remove their hands at any time.
