Messy Play Inspiration

Get some inspiration and take your messy play tuff trays to the next level!

Messy Play Inspiration – we all need it from time to time! Little Learners Franchisees are working hard all across the UK to deliver the BEST tuff trays and activities for your little ones – take a look!

Take a trip to the fairground with Aisha at Little Learners North West Kent! A simple but colourful base (you could use dyed rice, cereals…) is a great foundation for toys, scoops and buckets! Little ones can work on their fine motor skills by filling up these adorable popcorn bags, as well as get imaginative with a range of fairground style toys!

Messy Play – without the tuff tray!

Sometimes the simplest activities are the most fun! You don’t always need a tuff tray for a lovely time full of learning… check out these activities that don’t need a tuff tray!

Beckie from Little Learners Southport used an everyday dish to create this adorable dino messy play activity – simple sensory rice in green and black and some dinosaur toys. Easy! The chunky handles on the dish also create an opportunity for little ones to build up their arm and hand muscles, both important for developing writing skills. Just make sure to use a plastic dish, not ceramic.

Our dedicated mark making and messy play centre – Playspace Ashington is OVERFLOWING with messy play inspiration, literally. Our activities often spill out of the tuff tray and on to the floor and our learners LOVE it! Clean up is just as easy (no cumbersome trays to deal with) and all that space allows our little ones to really explore and move those muscles. You can replicate the photo above with some dyed spaghetti and our Milestone Cards!

Grab a roll of old wallpaper and get out the paint just like Little Learners Aire Valley! Wallpaper can often be sourced for free from your local shop or you can buy damaged/faded rolls super cheap. Roll it out, stick it down and get messy with brushes, hands, feet… whatever you have at hand! Mark making isn’t just about using a pen, little ones begin to understand how their movements translate to shapes (and eventually letters) even when using their toes!

Inspiration from our Franchisees

Tuff Trays are great for a party too and this messy play activity is sure to be a big hit with any horse fan! Use oats or crushed up biscuits to create a fully edible tray and adorn this with tools, accessories or other messy play materials – whatever you have at home! Great work from Anita at Little Learners South Colchester!

Take a leaf from Kim’s book and create your very own Disney Tray! Little Learners Winchester created this adorable tray using random Disney items and lot’s of creativity! Flour snow, biscuit windows and a cereal tower… that’s your morning snack sorted!

If you’d like to run your own Little Learners Classes, why not check out our franchise opportunity HERE!