My Favorite Mess and 7 Reasons to Love It

Some messes are better than others. Some help them learn big lessons. Some are more fun.

At times it’s everything I can do not to lose my mind when she makes another giant mess. Can I get an AMEN?? I know I’m not alone in this. Do a quick google search though, and you’ll reveal hundreds of articles touting the importance of letting them make messes, get dirty, and try to do things on their own even when they might spill or break stuff. It’s a constant battle for me to not take over or cringe when I see my daughter doing things that will inevitably make messes.

Here’s two things I’ve learned so far in my motherhood journey.

1. It’s ALWAYS less stressful when I know it’s happening beforehand
2. She ALWAYS has more fun when mommy tells her to go ahead and get messy
   

I’ve found several fun messes I actually enjoy letting her make. We love to mix sidewalk chalk with water to make a sort of chalk paste. It creates a really interesting and different texture that’s more like painting and she loves it. Another crowd favorite, especially for a rainy day, is letting her wash dishes all by herself. I fill up one side of the sink with tons of warm soapy bubbles and the other with clean water and just let her go to town on as many dishes as I can. (Added bonus if they were actually dirty and now I don’t have to wash them!)

Those are super fun messes that I really don’t mind helping her clean up afterwards.


But our favorite mess of all is making a Kitchen Concoction.

First off, let me just say that hearing a preschooler trying to pronounce the word concoction is pure gold. #worthit

Also, this might be the least expensive activity ever that will also hold a child’s attention for at least a solid hour. And it requires nothing you don’t already have.

Most kids love to cook or bake with their parents but given the freedom to not have to follow instructions and do it the right way is even more fun! We pull out several small cups and most of our bigger mixing bowls along with measuring cups and spoons, whisks, etc. I give her small amounts of whatever I have on hand to spare - flour, sugar, sprinkles, spices or varying colors, cocoa powder, water, corn starch, etc. The options are only limited by your pantry. I tell her it’s ok if it gets a little messy we’ll clean up together when she’s done. Whatever message you can use to communicate that they won’t get in trouble, without challenging them to make the biggest mess humanly possible.


Here’s 7 reasons why I love it so much:

1. SHE LOVES IT.
2. She’s proud of her herself.
3. She’s practicing pouring, mixing, measuring, sprinkling, etc without me hovering over her worrying if our cookies will turn out just right.
4. As she practices, she’ll get better at making less of a mess when doing these things. Which means I get to let her have more autonomy when we cook / bake for real.
5. She’s exploring and learning what happens when you mix corn starch and water. Or that it turns turns colors when you add cocoa or paprika. She discovers tons of new and different ways she can mix things and change them and make new concoctions of all kinds! SCIENCE!
6. She associates cooking / baking with these incredible experiences as well as the more challenging ones with mommy. Nothing is fun if it’s hard (or full of rules) all the time.
7. It entertains her for at least an hour every time. That’s a win for any activity!
   
   

Side point: it’s hilarious when the hubby comes home and kiddo is SUPER EXCITED to have him try a bite of her very special Kitchen Concoction. And maybe you neglect to tell him there’s about a cup of salt in there. ;D



Try it out, you might find a new favorite mess.