Latest News
Careers
Contact Us
Sign in or register

Email Invalid Email Address

Password Invalid Password Address

Forgot your password?

Don't have an account yet?

Create your YPO account today to enjoy exclusive offers and discounts, easy order tracking, saved wishlists and more.
Register

Messy and sensory play in early years

Blog
Cosy Direct
15 Jul 2024

Mud, glorious mud! Nothing beats messy play and sensory play in an early years setting. We love outdoor play at Cosy and want to share that love through some easy to set up, exciting activities for your little ones. Without further ado, let's get messy!

1. Potion play

Encourage little ones to explore their senses and experience different textures, all while practising counting and early reading skills with this super fun activity. Provide a selection of loose parts and wet/dry items for potion making. Add various utensils, pots and pans and encourage the children to create their own potions! You might like to incorporate counting simple loose parts or adding written instructions if children are
ready for reading.

Potion play

What you'll need:
• 807002 – Cosy Pouring Pot Trio
• D43766 – Cosy Complete Mud Pie Kit
• 801659 – YPO Play Tray - Black
• 801663 – YPO Play Tray Adjustable Height Stand
• Natural loose parts like mud, leaves, sticks, twigs and stones

2. Mud cake making

Make the most of your mud kitchen for your little chefs and create these fun, messy cakes. Show children a selection of different recipe books or laminated recipe cards for inspiration and encourage them to make their own mud cakes. Mmm, delicious!

Mud cake

What you'll need:
• D57373 – Cosy Kitchen Corner Units
• D43766 – Cosy Complete Mud Pie Kit
• 803022 – Play Sand
• Messy play resources – mud, water, and loose parts
• Old recipe books or printouts

3. Bird pizzas

Don't leave our feathered friends out when it comes to treats! Why not make a set of bird pizzas this spring? Place your bird treats in containers big enough for children to scoop into. Encourage children to use a variety of different tools (spoons, sieves, etc.) to add
treats to their bird pizzas. Why not set up a little spot nearby to see which birds come to join in once the pizzas are ready?

Bird pizzas

What you'll need:
• 821075 – Cosy Sifters, Stirrers, Scoopers and Skimmers
• 801659 – YPO Play Tray - Black
• 801663 – YPO Play Tray Adjustable Height Stand
• A selection of seeds, oats, and other bird friendly treats
• Wooden rounds, paper plates or paper circles

4. Squish and squelch

This fun, messy activity is perfect for sensory seekers and is sure to entertain your youngest learners. Lay out your squish and squelch resources across your play tray and ask the children how they might use them. Then, add in some fun, taste safe, messy play items like oobleck, whipped cream, or crazy foam! Learners will love exploring the textures!

Squish and squelch

What you'll need:
• 801659 – YPO Play Tray - Black
• 801663 – YPO Play Tray Adjustable Height Stand
• D42969 – Cosy Niki Buchans Squish Squelch Kit
• Foam or whipped cream
• Oobleck

5. Muddy mark making

Mark making can happen anywhere, but mud on a play tray has to be a favourite! Lay out your scooping and mark making resources on your play tray alongside a good dollop of mud, sand or other wet resources. Help little ones explore mark making with modelling and simple shape prompts!

Muddy mark making

What you'll need:
• 801659 – YPO Play Tray -Black
• 801663 – YPO Play Tray Adjustable Height Stand
• 821075 – Cosy Sifters, Stirrers, Scoopers and Skimmers
• 803022 – Play Sand
• 307301 – Smooshy Sand
• Tracing cards or simple mark making prompts

This article has been taken from our latest early years magazine, Little Learners. For more inspirational early years content like this, you can subscribe to receive our magazine for FREE or find out more on our Little Learners homepage.

Author

Cosy Direct

Cosy promote a natural, engaged and active childhood by supplying sustainable nursery and educational equipment worldwide. As a home of new ideas, they’re continually innovating and developing their product range with teacher-led research and play in mind. Champions of rural and real-life childhoods, where children are encouraged to play and take part in adventurous activities that enable them to learn and develop whilst having fun.