y s s e m
LET THEM GET
26 september 2021 kcparent.com
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t’s a tradition in our family on our children’s first birthdays to set them in the bathtub in their diaper with paint and a canvas and let them create their own first piece of artwork. A parent is present (or the whole family to watch!), and we use nontoxic paint. But yes, there is a huge, fun mess! Usually the artwork is created with their fingers or whole hand, but it’s not ever a surprise for some toes and feet to get in on the action too! Children are made to be messy—and not only learn but thrive when they are encouraged to explore and make a mess! When we think of a child’s getting messy, we usually think just of the mess itself. What if we shift our mindset to look at mess-making as children’s having a creative space to explore their surroundings using their senses? We explore most things with our hands and eyes, but what happens when we encourage our children to explore something with all their senses instead? Their whole view of something might quickly shift, opening the possibility to new ideas. What a fun way to learn! When parents start thinking of this new way of playing, we often struggle with where to start. Do we toss them outside into a muddy puddle or do we guide them a bit more? The answer of course depends on your children and how they like to learn. Some children will gladly run into a muddy puddle. Other children might need to be told it’s okay to get in. A great place to start getting messy is in the kitchen. Food and liquids offer almost unlimited options for exploration. You can see, touch, taste and smell the items—and some you can even hear! Adults know what a bag of frozen peas feels like. When children help cook, we usually give them the task of pouring the frozen peas from the bag into the pot. But what if, instead of telling them to pour in the peas right away, we give them time and space to explore the peas? Encourage your child to stick a whole hand into the frozen bag or pour the peas over those little palms. What does it sound like when we drop the frozen peas on the counter or the floor? What does it feel like when we add water to the pot and the frozen peas? Watch your child pour liquid over the peas to see them defrost. Try to encourage putting one—or even a handful— into a curious mouth. How does your tot react? Excited? Shocked? It’s probably a new batch of sensations that are super fun!
