Last Updated on May 9, 2023 by Project Party

Are you looking for the perfect activity to entertain toddlers at your next party? Look no further than messy play! Messy play is a great way to keep little ones occupied, while also helping them develop their imagination and creativity.

Grace Ell and Tess McAllister of Bee Wild Sensory, located on the Gold Coast in Queensland and the Central Coast in New South Wales, know all about running fun-filled activities for toddlers. Here she shares her top tips and tricks on how to plan a successful messy play party. Whether it’s an indoor or outdoor event, they will provide everything you need from sensory bins filled with unique materials to engaging games that will keep your guests entertained for hours.

So get ready for some fun – let’s dive into planning an unforgettable messy play party!

Get Messy: Engage Your Child’s Senses and Creativity with Bee Wild Sensory

Looking for a fun and educational way to engage your child’s senses and creativity?

Meet Tess and Grace from Bee Wild Sensory, a company passionate about providing sensory experiences inspired by nature, and have locations on the Gold Coast and on the Central Coast. They source as many Australian-made, natural and recycled tools and materials as possible so children can have a wholesome and hands-on experience during their sessions. Bee Wild provides homemade playdough with no nasties, along with various other activity stations such as potion-making, mud pies, water play, cloud dough and much more.

Bee Wild Sensory believes that sensory play is a vital component in the healthy development of young children’s minds and bodies. By regulating and calming their central nervous systems, honing their fine and gross motor skills, enhancing their social interaction, physical and emotional well-being, and supporting their brain development, children gain essential life skills. Bee Wild Sensory’s party workshops are inspired by the natural world, children can have a truly wholesome and educational experience.

Why Sensory & Messy Play is Essential for Healthy Child Development

What exactly is messy play? According to Grace at Bee Wild Sensory:

“Imagine your child inserting his little fingers into a tray of cold and squishy jelly for the first time. He is exploring and experiencing a new sensory sensation through this play. That is what sensory and messy play for children is all about. Sensory play is any type of play that engages one or more of the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Children can also hone their gross motor skills through activities such as jumping, climbing, and crawling while developing their fine motor skills through activities such as painting, drawing and sculpting using playdough.”

“By engaging all of their senses, children can have a deeper, more holistic understanding of the world around them. They can learn about the properties of different materials, the importance of cause-and-effect, and work on their problem-solving skills, that’s why we make sure that we provide activities such as potion-making, mud pies, water play and cloud dough, sourced from natural and recycled materials. Plus, messy play is just plain fun! Our party workshops are dedicated to creating unique experiences that will allow children to get messy, creative and most importantly, have a great time.”

Exploring the Essential Benefits of Messy Play Parties for Children

Why might you have messy play activities for a party and what little people is it suitable for? According to Tess at Bee Wild Sensory:

“Every child loves to get messy, and what better way to celebrate a birthday or special occasion than with a sensory, messy play party? When planning an event, parents are always looking for unique and engaging activities for their little ones, and our messy play parties are specially designed to deliver that experience. The activity stations we provide, such as potion-making, mud pies, water play, and cloud dough, are suited for children of all ages from 1 to 3 years old, and can be tailored to suit specific interests or themes requested by the parents.”

“Parents of young children may hesitate to include messy play in their party planning, worrying about the potential clean-up afterwards. But at Bee Wild Sensory, we take care of everything. We provide all the tools and materials necessary for a fun, educational, and most importantly, hassle-free experience. So come along and let us create the ultimate sensory experience, your little ones will have an amazing time exploring and engaging their senses while making colourful memories that they will cherish for a lifetime!”

Planning the Party – Essential Tips to Consider

According to Bee Wild Sensory, here are 5 essential tips on how to plan a successful messy play party with a professional company:

• “Have a theme or an idea in mind, or consult with the company to come up with a tailored experience.”
• “Schedule the messy play activities wisely, implying that some activities can be scheduled towards the break of the party.”
• “Take note of the age range of the children attending the party and inform the company before planning the activities.”
• “Choose an appropriate outdoor or indoor location that suits the number of children attending the party and notify the company of it.”
• “Don’t forget to have a change of clothes for your little ones and communicate with parents to bring spare clothes and even a towel for your child to be clean in comfort after the party.”

Fun-Filled Activities for the Ultimate Messy Play Party Experience

As the owner of a messy play and sensory party business, I can give you five great reasons why messy play parties are a good idea:

1. Messy play activities can be themed – Whether your child loves dinosaurs, unicorns, or superheroes, we can create a messy play party theme that will keep them engaged and excited throughout the party. Themed activities make the party more fun and exciting for children.
2. All products used are natural and taste safe – Safety is always our top priority, which is why we only use natural and non-toxic products in our messy play activities. Children can explore and play without parents having to worry about harmful chemicals or toxins.
3. It’s educational for little ones as well as fun – Messy play activities are not just about getting messy and having fun; they can also be educational! Children can learn about cause and effect, colours, textures, and even basic science concepts through their play. Our parties are designed to be both fun and educational for little ones.
4. There are lots of activities that kids can go around and play with to keep them interested – We offer a range of different activities at our messy play parties, so there’s always something new and exciting for kids to explore. From slime-making to sand art, there are plenty of options to keep kids engaged and interested.
5. It promotes creativity and imagination – Messy play activities are all about letting children’s imaginations run wild. By providing a safe and fun environment for children to explore, we encourage creativity and imagination, which can help foster a lifelong love of learning and exploration.

Overall, messy play parties are a great idea for parents who want to create a fun and engaging environment for their children to explore and play. They are safe, and educational, and promote creativity and imagination, making them the perfect choice for kids’ birthday parties and other special events.

Passion for Play: Bee Wild Sensory on Why They Love Running Messy Play Parties

“I have always had a passion for play-based learning and creating hands-on, sensory experiences for children. Seeing children’s faces light up when they are exploring, creating and engaging with the world around them is a truly magical experience. Running messy play and sensory play parties allows me to share this passion with parents and children alike while creating a fun and educational environment. To see the joy and happiness these activities bring to the children always warms my heart and reinforces the importance of sensory play not only in childhood development but for life.”

“Through our messy play and sensory play activities, we can enhance children’s creativity, imagination and self-expression, while providing an inclusive and fun environment for all children, especially those who may not enjoy traditional activities. These parties not only encourage children’s social development and problem-solving skills, but they also provide parents with a hassle-free day of fun activities. Seeing the children’s faces light up and the joy in their laughter as they explore and engage with the sensory and messy play activities is what motivates me to continue doing what I love every day.”

Messy Play: Joy While Encouraging Creativity, Imagination and Self-Expression

Through our messy play and sensory play activities, we can bring joy to children of all ages while encouraging their creativity, imagination and self-expression. Our parties provide parents with a hassle-free day of fun that will leave lasting memories for the whole family. We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and included no matter what they enjoy doing.

At Bee Wild Sensory, it’s our passion to make sure your little ones have an amazing time exploring, engaging their senses and making colourful memories – so come along today and let us help you plan the ultimate sensory experience with a messy play party!