Messy play with compost and gardening with Mummy

It’s spring time and it’s time to take the builder’s tray outside for some messy play. Messy play outside is even more fun than messy play indoors. And it’s still possible do messy play in a small space outside. For messy play with compost you just need enough room for a few flower pots and a small bag of compost.

As with all kinds of messy play take some quick health and safety checks before setting up the play. By using the builder’s tray outside, you know that your toddler has a secure and comfortable base for their play. Using fresh compost for play also removes any concerns about what might be on or in soil taken from a garden.

Compost is a different kind of play material to sand, mud or dough. It’s a new texture for a toddler to experience and when mixed with water, the texture changes. A couple of weeks ago, Daisy spotted one of the full flower pots on the patio. It had been raining heavily and the compost in the flower pot was very, very wet. Daisy was fascinated by the tactile experience of handling this very wet compost.

Daisy’s latest experience of messy play with compost gave her an opportunity to play with fresh compost when she joined Mummy in the garden where Mummy had to plant some marigolds into flower pots. She could see how Mummy put compost into the flower pots and in her play, Daisy could then copy Mummy’s actions.

After Mummy had removed the small marigold plants from the tray Daisy had the opportunity to fill those compartments of the tray with fresh compost. And to then repeat the process.

It’s the process of playing with the compost that’s important at this age and a toddler will enjoy repeatedly pouring, tipping and filling with the compost. Watch Daisy in the video below, filling the pots with compost.

 

If it had been warmer then without wearing her yellow wellies, Daisy would have been able to play with the compost and to experience the sensations of walking bare foot on the compost.

Always put out some warm soapy water and a towel, ready for everyone to wash their hands after play.