Slime, mud, foam: Nambour gets messy for child development
More than 1000 people have dived into mud, slime, goop, and foam in Nambour for ‘Messy Play’ to aid young children’s development.
Messy Play is focused on unstructured play where children are free to explore a range of sensory experiences, from squeezing foam through their fingers, climbing in pits of rainbow- coloured rice and sand, to sitting in green slime, and discovering edible mud.
The event was one of five Messy Play celebrations around Queensland this month, hosted by Play Matters Australia.
Sunshine Coast Hub Coordinator Michelle Poole said Messy Play allowed children to explore textures, tastes, and smells, which promotes their sensory function and the development of tactile and fine motor skills.
“It also helps with imagination, curiosity, experimentation, and concentration, and importantly gives children and their caregivers a chance to meet other families.
“We know 90 per cent of a child’s brain develops by the time they turn five, so the more opportunities children have to engage in fun, messy, sensory play, the better.
“The events also serve as a way to show parents and caregivers how simple pantry items, like cocoa, pasta, and chia seeds, can be used to create extraordinary play experiences at home,” Ms Poole said.