Last updated on November 16th, 2023 at 05:30 pm
If you are a regular reader of LTM you will know I am no fan of messy play, just yet! My two kiddies are still really little so I am hoping this small phobia of paint, playdoh, markers, glue, and glitter adorning my walls and floors, will go away.
Don’t get me wrong I am totally obsessed with crafts. I really am. I get it from my mother who is the queen of crafts and has every craft supply you could possibly think of. She is creative and ‘oh so’ talented too in her crafty ways. I am still a work in progress. But I know I craft in a neat and tidy way. I know my two children will not. If only I had one room that I didn’t care about with nothing in it but an old table and chairs that they could craft away in safely and shut the door when we were done. Then maybe I could handle it.
I know crafts and sensory play are a huge part of using their creativity and imagination which I know is SO important for their overall development which is why I am attempting to get over it or find an alternative to the messy side of it.
Ways around messy play in my house:
– Take them to messy play groups, make the mess there and come home clean.
– Have a messy playdate at someone else’s house full of craftiness, calling @Butwhymummywhy lol
– Have them craft at grandma’s when we visit in America and make all the mess they want there.
– Set them up in the garage, with a heater and make a mess in Daddy’s world.
– Or last but not least, create crafts like this below, that are minimal mess, fast and easy. Let’s not forget so adorable and still fun too.
Yesterday, we made these adorable Easter Bunny Hats from a kit from Hobbycraft. It had all the little pieces we needed all in one place, no messy glue or glitter were needed. Although I do love some sparkle, I will wait until the kids are 18 and can handle it in Mommy’s neat and tidy way. (half joking) The kids enjoyed making their hats and then laughing at each other wearing them afterwards. It was a fun crafty moment for Easter, one I want to do more of.
I know I will have to learn to get over the mess and relax a bit (a lot), to have more fun with the kids. After all, getting messy is what being a kid is all about. How bad of a mom am I for not letting my kids play messy?
Do you have crafty alternative projects for kids that don’t create a lot of mess, do share below?
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Aw these are super cute and the kind of thing I will be doing with my baby and toddler for Easter. I have had to give up my fear if messy play and embrace the glitter and glue! X
I really need to. hahaha I know I will eventually just need to wrap my head around it all. hahahha Set an area in my house for it and buy some supplies would be the first few steps. I have a while though before my two can probably do any of it yet.
Aw! These are so adorable, I didn’t realise Hobbycraft did kits like that, they’d be perfect for my year one class! X
I love hobbycraft they do everything. And I am a huge fan of kits for sure.
Those are sweet! One day I feel you’ll have to enter the messy world! I prepare very well for mess, which allows me to relax and enjoy it, so clothes, wipes, (bath, if need be!) are always on standby, along with plenty of bin bags/sheets etc. for covering the area x
That’s smart. Preparation. I need to get used to it I know. It will come I still have time. I need to stockpile supplies. We have nothing crafty in this house except scrapbook stuff. Lol
My son made one at school and he brought the hat proudly home and I am glad too that he made it thete cuz it means no cleaning is required =P
#letkidsbekids
Haha that’s great. I love school for project time no cleaning is the best outcome for all. Win win. Lol
Ahh they are so cute! And i love how something so lovely is your bad mummy moment too because i’m sure you don’t have a bad bone in your body! x
Haha you are too kind Katie. I can be shouty mommy ALOT too. I am very strict with my two if you would believe. Haha thanks for stopping by and commenting. I wouldn’t call not letting my children play messy lovely tho. Hahahahahahaha I hope I am not robbing them of creativity. Eeek
Aww they are very cute! I totally understand the messy play phobia – it helps we have a conservatory with just old furniture in that is our haven for messy play! xx #letkidsbekids
I am still thinking about creating the garage into a crafty play room. Wouldn’t that be great!!! Lol
I’ve had to just embrace the mess 🙂 Wasn’t easy, but I’m just about there now! Get a tuff spot, they are fab for containing it, or wait till the weather is better and do it all outside 🙂 #LetKidsBeKids
Thanks Sara. Great advice. I do think I need to make a space and actually get some supplies so they is even stuff to do. haha I still have a while yet as mine as so young still. I think I keep thinking them NOW and glitter but they aren’t old enough for that and when they are I won’t be so worried about them eating it. hahaha
Emmm, totally with you on the lack of messy play Jenny! I have such a glitter/paint/plasticine phobia. There must be some sort of parent therapy for this, surely?? Loved this wee post though, and the bunny hats are so sweet! Xx
Thanks that’s about as crafty as I let them get so far. Bad mum here. Hahahahahahaha yes there should be classes for messy phobia. Hahahaha
I am no fan of messy play. Not at all! I will give it a go one of these days but the thought of having to clean it all up afterwards really does not sound appealing!
Glad I am not the only one. Haha I have at least a few years before mine can handle glitter and glue anyways so time to get used to it. Maybe. Hahhaa
haha you guys are welcome at my house ANY time!! We are no strangers to mess!! You could also try the bathtub and wash it all away when it gets too much!!
x x
Hahah Thanks hunny. And the bathtub is a fantastic idea!!!
simple yet cute Eadter Craft. Love it #MiniCreations
So true but simple and no mess is my middle name. Lol
Ah what a lovely idea, and I hear you on messy play. I am not very good and I am not too great on crafts either, although I try and do some occasionally. I am trying to do baking as my creative thing with Mads as that is what she seems to love the most! x
Baking is the best craft anywhere. I have the best memories with my momma cookin in her kitchen with her. LOVE IT. I wasn’t much for the glittery mess even back then but I do try and I do pretend I am miss crafty. Doesnt always turn out how I want but it’s effort. lol I wish I had one room like a play room that we could totally be messy and toys everywhere and just shut the door each night never to be seen by anyone. But then if I had one I bet I would sneak in at night and clean it. hahahah
These are very cute bunny hats! My boys love crafty stuff and do get mess everywhere but I just make sure the mess is contained to one room and that I have time to clean up afterwards as I’m not keen on mess either! #minicreations
I think I just need to make a messy place in the house somewhere where we can all be creative and I can clean later but not hyperventilate. lol Doesn’t help our house isn’t really child proof silly us! 😉
I love your Easter crowns. I was massively against messy play but eventually the kids wear you down and you will be wallowing in paint and glue! It is easier if you strip them down to just knickers first then you only have to shower them off and not get paint out of clothes! #minicreations
Good idea. Hose them down style I love it. I know they will get me to be messy someday but they are still little I will wait a bit. hahaha Until then hobbycraft do enough kits like these to keep us going.
Totally with you on this. I sometimes feel guilty that I don’t do more with my kids but honestly they wouldn’t like me when I’m crafting!
Glad I am not the only one. lol Hopefully I will get better with age, their age not mine. hahahah Or maybe both.
Love the cute easter hats. It can be very difficult to work through the messy play thing. I love my kids doing crafty, messy play, but it has taken me a while to relax on the mess front. Now I have got used to it and it doesn’t bother me much, most things wash out. I did see someone do messy play in the bath to keep it all contained???
Thanks for linking #LetKidsBeKids
Someone recommended the bathtub great idea. hahaha I do think with time and doing a lot more when they are a bit older I will do better with it. 😉 Thanks for hosting my lovely.
Lucas says – OOHH Miss Jenny, you know you’re gonna have to invite me round so I can teach you the true joys about messy play!!!! Great Easter Bunny Hats though xx
Thanks for linking to #minicreations
Thanks Lucas we do need to let loose don’t we? hahaha Glad you like the hats! We do.