The Importance of Messy Play: Learning Through the Senses
Messy play is often one of the most loved activities in any early years setting. From squelching in mud to pouring coloured rice or finger painting, young children are naturally drawn to hands-on sensory experiences. For adults, it can sometimes look like chaos—but messy play is packed with learning opportunities.
What is messy play?
Messy play refers to any open-ended activity that involves materials such as sand, water, mud, paint, jelly, foam or other substances children can explore freely. It allows children to touch, smell, squeeze, pour and manipulate different textures without pressure to produce a finished product. Unlike structured arts and crafts, messy play focuses on process over outcome. This freedom gives children a safe space to explore, experiment and make sense of the world around them.
How messy play supports brain development
The early years are a critical time for brain development. Research in developmental neuroscience shows that repeated sensory experiences in early childhood help to build neural pathways that support later learning. According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, young children learn best through sensorimotor activities—interacting physically with their environment to construct understanding.
Messy play engages multiple senses at once, which enhances memory and learning. When a child squishes cornflour slime or pours water from one container to another, they are developing cognitive connections through hands-on discovery. The more varied the sensory input, the richer the brain development.
Building communication and language
Messy play is also a powerful tool for supporting language development. In a study by the University of Sheffield (Mann, 2013), researchers observed that children engaged in sensory play use a wider range of descriptive language. Words like “sticky” “cold” “rough” and “squelchy” become part of their vocabulary as they try to describe what they feel.
When adults join in and talk to children during play—narrating what’s happening or asking open questions—it further boosts language skills. For example, saying “I wonder what will happen if we mix the red and blue paint?” encourages children to think critically and use expressive language.
Encouraging creativity and problem-solving
Because messy play has no ‘right’ answer or end goal, it promotes creative thinking. Children are free to make their own decisions about what to do and how to do it. They might experiment with mixing colours pouring faster or slower or seeing what happens when they add more water to dry sand. This kind of exploration builds problem-solving skills and scientific thinking. According to research by Whitebread et al. (2012), children engaged in imaginative and exploratory play show greater levels of self-regulation and higher-order thinking—skills that are essential for lifelong learning.
Supporting physical development
Messy play is also a chance to develop fine and gross motor skills. Scooping flour into a bowl stirring paint with a stick or squeezing sponges all help strengthen the small muscles in the hands and fingers. These movements lay the groundwork for later skills like writing buttoning clothes and using scissors. Larger scale messy play such as outdoor mud kitchens or water walls can support gross motor skills including coordination balance and spatial awareness.
Social and emotional benefits
Messy play can be a calming and therapeutic activity especially for children who may struggle with emotions or sensory processing. The repetitive nature of some sensory play—such as pouring or squishing—can help regulate emotions and reduce anxiety. In a shared messy play space children also learn important social skills like turn-taking cooperation and empathy. They negotiate who gets to use the tools solve disagreements and sometimes work together to create something new.
Supporting messy play at home
You don’t need expensive resources to encourage messy play. Everyday household items can be just as effective. Try using:
- Cornflour and water (oobleck)
- Cooked spaghetti with food colouring
- Shaving foam on a tray
- Dried rice or lentils in tubs with spoons
- Mud and water in the garden
- Water and bubbles in a washing-up bowl
The key is to provide materials and then step back—letting your child lead the play while you follow their interests.
A little mess is worth it
It’s natural for parents and carers to feel hesitant about mess. But when we understand the depth of learning that takes place during messy play it’s easier to embrace it. With a few towels some old clothes and a relaxed attitude you can support your child’s development in a joyful and meaningful way.
As early years specialist Sue Palmer puts it: “The most powerful learning is rarely tidy.”