How messy play actually keeps my house clean

I've started getting a bit more into messy play recently. I used to say that Harry could do enough of that at nursery, but now that he has moved to a new pre-school they don't seem to do it as much, and Mia hasn't been much to nursery yet so I don't want her to miss out. I've also discovered that it's one of the few activities that they can both do together. They each play in their own way - Harry has proper role-play going on and Mia is content just to tip things in and out of containers - yet they are both using the same materials and in the same place. It also keeps them both busy for ages, as does the subsequent bath.

Many people are put off messy play because of just that - it's messy. But I've found that thanks to our new found interest my house is actually cleaner!

I use a shower curtain on the floor in the kitchen, which is good for dry things but although it absorbs water it is not entirely waterproof. Water is usually involved in our play, so the floor is nice and wet when we've finished. I can wipe it up quickly with a few old towels, which gives the floor a good clean too.

I'm also getting the hoover out a lot more, to clean up the trails of mess created from the real kitchen to the play kitchen (to grab more things to make messy) and up to the bathroom. While the hoover is out I tend to do a quick whip round the rest of the downstairs too, so I'm also getting more hoovering done.

I'm even finding that the washing machine is going on more reguarly too, as the shower curtain needs a wash afterwards as do the clothes that they've been wearing. It means that I'm keeping well on top of the laundry!

So don't be put off trying messy play, it has its benefits!