Are you ready for some Halloween messy play? This fang-tastically fun filled activity is perfect for babies and toddlers. Introduce the idea of Halloween to your little one in fun and family friendly activities like this one. Keep reading for all the details of my Spooky Spaghetti & Pumpkin Pie messy play tray!
What
if I don’t celebrate Halloween?
Some people choose not to celebrate Halloween for
religious or other personal reasons. That’s absolutely fine! These activities can be enjoyed as
a celebration of Autumn instead.
Spooky Spaghetti & Pumpkin Pies
Messy play is a great way to celebrate Halloween
with babies and toddlers. This gruesome
messy play tray is perfect for little hands to explore a variety of textures.
If you are a fan of the blog, then you already know how much I LOVE Messy Play!
And this Spooky Spaghetti & Pumpkin Pie activity is packed with colours,
textures, smells, sights and sounds that are guaranteed to stimulate all of
your child’s senses.
How to make the messy play tray
So let’s get started! I have separated the messy play tray into two recipes. The first recipe is for the Spooky Spaghetti, and the second is for the Pumpkin Pie Sensory Tray.
The second recipe is more of a serving suggestion for the ingredients I used. Don’t worry about following it to the letter. Just have fun and put your own spooky twist on things!
Spooky
Spaghetti
To make the spooky spaghetti you will need a
saucepan, a colander and a fork.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 packet of spaghetti
- Water
- 1 tube of Purple Dr Oetker Gel Food Colouring
Instructions:
- Place your spaghetti in a pan and cover with water. Cook to packet instructions then drain in the colander
- Transfer your spaghetti back to the pan and add a generous dollop of food colouring. Stir through the spaghetti and add more colouring until it is slightly darker than you want your finished product to be.
- Rinse the coloured spaghetti under cold water to get rid of the excess and ‘set’ the colour.
- For super slimy spaghetti, play straight away. For drier, tacky spaghetti, refrigerate in a ziplock food bag over night.
Pumpkin
Pie Sensory Tray
For my Pumpkin Pie
Sensory Tray you will need some kind of baby-safe container. I used a plastic
snack plate with several small compartments. You will also need a baking tray
or loaf tin. I popped everything on top of a tuff tray, but if you don’t have
one you could use a splash mat, large towel or keep it contained on hard
flooring that’s easier to clean.
Ingredients:
- 1 can of Buddy’s Pumpkin Puree
- Ground Cinnamon
- Cocoa Powder
- Vanilla Sugar
- Chocolate Sprinkles
Instructions:
1.
Scoop the pumpkin puree out of the can
and into a safe container that is easy for your baby or toddler to access.
Dispose of the can safely and out of reach of your child.
2.
Fill a baking tin with the remaining
ingredients. Serve the ingredients alongside one another but in distinct lines.
This will allow your child to explore cause and effect and experiment with
different combinations.
Our Tuff Tray was also served up with some
utensils, bowls, silicone cupcake cases and Halloween decorations. Make sure
you include something to transfer with like a spoon or a ladle. Another bowl or
cupcake case for your child to transfer into is also a good idea. Cupcake
cases, baking trays or cake tins are a great option because it helps your child
familiarise themselves with these common kitchen items. You can introduce new
vocabulary and support your child’s ability to recognise, label and utilise tools.
Are
you ready to get messy?
This is messy play so remember to put boundaries in place to keep the mess at a level you are comfortable with. It’s always a good idea to keep a towel and a change of clothes nearby when engaging in messy play.
Remind your child that the materials are only for playing and not to put
them in their mouth. Everything here is taste-safe but it isn’t edible. Messy
play is a great way to teach your child about boundaries, so don’t shy away from
setting these limits and repeating them as needed throughout the play session.
Top
tips for a quick clean up
Once your child is clean and dry, pop them out of
the way with a toy, book or screen to keep them occupied for 10 minutes. Scoop
as much of the mess into a bin bag as you can. These ingredients can actually
go in your compost bin! Hooray! Once the worst is removed and all your utensils
are in the sink, give your tuff tray a clean with anti-bacterial wipes or
spray. And voila! You are ready to play another day.
What
other Halloween activities do you have planned?
So that’s how to make my Spooky Spaghetti & Pumpkin Pie messy play tray! It’s a fang-tastic Halloween activity for babies and toddlers. What other activities have you got planned?
If you need more spooky play inspiration, grab my FREE HalloweenActivity Bundle now! Remember to tag me in your posts @craftytoddlercompany and
email me vikki@craftytoddlercompany.co.uk because I would love to hear from you!
If you liked this, you might also like:
- Halloween themed nursery rhymes to sing in October
- Homemade
Halloween cinnamon biscuits to make with toddlers
- How
to celebrate Halloween with babies and toddlers
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