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I’ve got some messy play ideas to get you started on some fun with the kids! They’re going to absolutely love you if you allow it to happen!

Yes, messy play.

Oh… its such a mess! I don’t want my kids to make a mess! Noooo!!

Sound familiar? I just had a similar freak out not too long ago when I challenged my newsletter subscribers with a messy activity.

But wait! Give it a chance and your kids might just change your mind about the mess.

Just remember that messes can be cleaned up. Stains will be fond memories. Cleaning up can be part of the fun. And thanks to our sponsor, Clorox, for having clever cleaning hacks and handy supplies to make it easier than ever to clean up our messes!

First of all, what is messy play?

I think its best explained if I give you examples of the activities that I mean.

8 Messy Play Ideas for Kids

To help save on the messiness that gets made, try preventing it (at least a tad) with these 10 tips to keep messy play clean.

1. Shaving Cream. This is always a hit with the kids, but always a mess on their clothes (face, hands, feet) and the table and chairs, not to mention the sink and everything else they touch on their way to washing up. Add some color to the fun, or work in some writing practice! See shaving cream sensory play.

2. Mud, Dirt and Sand. My kids love dirt. They dig in it almost daily. Dirt and sand get drug in the house by the cupful. Not on purpose, it comes in their shoes, tucked in their socks, or cuffs of their pants. And when its mud… that calls for a wash down outside before coming in. There is something so fun about a parent asking their kids to play in the dirt! See mud target practice and 30 ways to play in the dirt.

3. Flour play and other pantry items (such as oatmeal, rice, corn meal).It may get dumped and tracked around the house, but kids love these mini indoor sandboxes! See flour sensory play.

4. Painting. While painting may be messy on the child’s hands and around the paint surface, beautiful creations are made! See 50 methods for painting.

5. Play dough. While its actually somewhat clean if you have careful kids, I do not and play dough ends up in all places, crevices, and on the floor and then stepped on. Not to mention all the little places in toys that it wedges itself into. See construction site play dough and how to make homemade play dough.

6. Water play. There’s bound to be a mess of it! It’ll get dripped, poured, splashed and just run everywhere. At least water is clean, right? Water is always a favorite sensory activity among kids! See colored water transfer.

7. Yarn and glue creations. This is way more specific than any of the previous examples, but I find this to be the messiest of all. These yarn crafts are simple for young kids to try to create. They love to mix the yarn and glue together. See our yarn apple craft.

8. Glitter. Oh… glitter, how pretty you are! But glitter never proclaims that it wants to be pretty everywhere. And spread… But glitter… its what makes a project shine! See contact paper collage.

Why is messy play so important?

You know the saying – “Excuse the mess but the children are making memories”? That’s exactly it.

1. Children love it. I think that’s reason enough and the sole reason why I allow it in my house.

2. Exploring with their senses. In every sense!

3. It’ll create memories that kids are sure to remember. Remember that one time when Mom let us…..?

and 4. You’ll be the party! Don’t know what I mean by that? Read this.

If you need more reason than that, and are looking for actual developmental benefits, you can find some answers from Natural Child Magazine, Childhood 101 and Not Just Cute.

Just remember that messes can be cleaned up. Stains will be fond memories. Cleaning up can be part of the fun.

$50 AMEX Gift Card Giveaway

Enter to win a $50 AMEX Gift Card by commenting below with your favorite cleaning tip!

Need some ideas? Find some in the Clorox Tips.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/28/15 – 6/8/15. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected. This giveaway is open worldwide to participants age 18 or older. The Official Rules are available here.

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Disclosure: This post and giveaway is sponsored by Clorox.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Clorox via Burst Media. The opinions and text are all mine.