Playdough and other fun things to make

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl then let the kids knead it on a clean, flat surface you won’t mind being stained by food colouring. Let them collect stones, leaves or whatever to incorporate into their playdough designs.

Goop

You need

•      Large plastic tub

•      Cornflour

•      Water

Sprinkle enough cornflour into the tub to cover the base. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, letting your child mix it in until you have a thick paste. Keep adding cornflour and water until you have the desired amount and consistency. Give your child scoops, spoons and small plastic containers for pouring and scooping.

Cream

You need

•      Shaving cream

•      Food colouring

Squirt blobs of shaving cream onto a table. Add a few drops of food colouring to each blob and let your child mix the cream and colours together. Encourage them to use their fingers to draw pictures and patterns. Make scrapers for them to swirl by cutting patterns into squares of ice-cream container lids.

Slime

You need

•      Laundry soap flakes

•      Green food colouring

•      Water

Dissolve 1 cup of soap flakes in about 1 litre of warm water. Give it a good whisk, then set aside for 30-40 minutes. Mix in a few drops of food colouring. Let your child enjoy the ooey-gooey slimey feeling of this mix oozing through their fingers. Plastic animals and dolls, whisks, spoons and containers are fun things you can add to this mess!

Water

You need

•      Large plastic tub

•      Water

•      Food colouring

•      Dishwashing liquid

Add a few drops of food colouring to change the colour and dishwashing liquid to make bubbles. Your child can wash dolls, toys, dishes or odd socks, pour and measure with jugs and funnels or play with plastic sea creatures.

Tips for mess control

•      A baby bath is perfect to contain most of these messy activities

•      Dress your child in old clothes and a waterproof smock or apron

•      Provide a range of materials for your child to use so they don’t go searching on their own

•      Set some boundaries for the play; for example, “You can only use the things in this bucket with the slime and it needs to say in this container” If the boundaries aren’t adhered to after a couple of reminders, pack the activity up and try it again in a few days.

•      Don’t forget the sun protection and drinking water on hot days and try it again in a few days

•      Slime can be kept in an ice-cream container for up to a week.

For more play ideas from Belinda Butler visit her blog