Messy Learning Lab: Moon Sand, Floam and Planning Ideas

Moon sand is a great sensory substance for toddlers to explore. It sticks together easily, so it can be molded  and squeezed. I added a few puzzles pieces with large knobs and stamps with elastic handles to make impressions in the sand.

Floam, or foam dough as I've seen it advertised in stores, was a big hit at the previous MLL, so I put it out in a slightly new way by adding golf tees. The children made snowmen, hedgehogs and monsters.

There are lots of resources online for planning messy activities. The library is also a great place to find ideas. I suggest looking in the science area of your library. We have a preschool section, but you can also find fun experiments in Science Fair books. Other sections I frequently pull books from are the parenting section (especially for toddlers) and the craft section. I'll be offering more Messy Learning Labs in May, so check my blog for even more messy play ideas.

Messy Learning Lab: Rainbow Floam and Rice

Last week, I dumped the rice I had left from making raindrops for another craft into three ziplock bags and squirted some liquid watercolor paint into it. I rubbed the paint all around in the bag until I had a color I liked and spread it out to dry.

Scooping, dumping and pouring galore

Most of the rice ended up on the floor and that's fine because it's so easy to sweep up.

Floam is a foam substance that sticks together but doesn't make hands sticky. It is the biggest hit with parents so far! I ordered several bricks of floam from Discount School Supply for the library's playgroup last year. I don't think it dries out as I've kept it in the original bags with no problem.

As you can see, all the colors mix into a giant ball of floam. I think it looks beautiful. Plus, if you pack it tight enough, the pieces bounce! For clean-up, I simply break the floam apart into 6 bricks and stuff them back in the bags. I use the large pieces to "suck" up the rest. Easy peasy!

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