Our waterproof memory foam play mats have wipeable, sealed upper layers making them perfect for messy play sessions.
Halloween is made for messy play; from helping de-seed a jack-o-lantern, to mixing up bubbling potions, little ones will love all of the immersive activities they can get stuck into.
Because we love sensory play, especially Halloween-themed, as much as the kids do, here are some of our favourite activities and small businesses to help you bring your own spooky spectacle together. Not forgetting your Totter + Tumble play mat as the base for your fun, to keep you all comfy!
Image credit: Bubbling Potion by Play At Home Teacher
Hubble Bubble Potion Making
Have you ever had an accidental bicarbonate soda fountain? Our favorite all-natural cleaning ingredients can be mixed up for a safe, fizzy potion and they are fine on our play mats should there be any spillages! In your cauldron (or bowl!) add 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 12 tablespoons of bicarbonate soda and a squeeze of washing up liquid. They’ll love stirring it all up, hubble bubble style. You could add a sprinkle of glitter for even more magic, be wary with food colorings as they could stain.
Tip and Pour Sensory Rice
If you aren’t brave enough to let them loose with liquid potions, colored rice is a just-as-fun alternative. You can make your own or creative, small brands like Arbor Inspirations, have sensory trays with colored grains ready to go. Perfect for filling up a play tray, you can hide halloween characters in the rice and encourage your child to find them, depending on their age and stage, by pouring, scooping, fishing out with big tweezers (ideal for that pincer grip development) or feeling for them with their hands.
Image credit: Halloween Sensory Grains by Arbor Inspirations
Wash and Scrub Pumpkins and Gourds
Water play but make it halloween! All you need is washing up bowl of warm bubbles and a selection of mini pumpkins and gourds to scrub up! Your little one will enjoy smothering them in bubbles (hair wash time is always a giggle when it isn't you!) and then polishing them off with a cloth at the end too.
Scoop and Squeeze Pumpkin Doh
We love the PlayTRAY by Inspire My Play and their beautiful Instagram feed is packed with prompts for sensory play too. This all natural recipe for a pumpkin pie spice cloud dough works as a non-ghoulish Halloween activity and is ideal for Thanksgiving as well.
Image credit: Pumpkin pie spice cloud dough by Inspire My Play
Scoop and Paint Jack-o-lantern Designs
De-seeding jack-o-lantern is a bit of a grim job, but most kids go wild for it. Simply cut the top off, and let them scoop out the gunk, with a big spoon or their hands if they want to get really into it. Don’t forget to keep the seeds to roast up a tasty and healthy treat. Once that mucky job is done, they can paint a design on the pumpkin, or you can carve a design of their choice - no pressure.
Mixing Up Mud Pies
You’ve got to have mud pies on the menu for Halloween. For our favourite recipe, you'll need 3 cups of flour, 1 cup of cocoa powder, 1 cup of sugar and 3 cups of water. Depending on your child's age, they may like to pour all of the ingredients themselves before mixing them together. For that Halloween effect, stir in cooked spaghetti or jelly worms, before dishing them up in little ramekins or foil cases! Yum.
Messy play is a must for children's sensory development and our wipeable play mats are the ideal spots for playing on. Just remember, they aren't stain proof, so wipe any spillages up as quickly as you can. If you need any cleaning advice, our full Care Guide is here.