Messy Space Trays
Oobleck Space Trays! So much fun to be had ‘Out of this World’
This simple play tray is great for developing your Story-Explorer’s fine motor-skills, language acquisition, social and emotional skills, learning about the world, early problem solving skills and most importantly of all, leads to lots of imaginative play!
Quite simple to set up! Munchkins love Messy Play of any kind and Oobleck is perfect for your Story-Explorer to explore different colours and textures which all add to their sensory experiences!
Oobleck is simply a suspension of cornflour and water that behaves like a liquid or solid depending on how much pressure you apply! Try to grab some in your hand, and it will form a solid ball in the palm of your hand until you release the pressure. Then, relax your grip and it will flowout between your fingers!!
Keep in mind, cornflour does not dissolve in water like salt or sugar would. Instead, the tiny starchy particles are suspended in the liquid, if you let it sit long enough in a bowl or glass, the cornflour will settle to the bottom leaving a layer of clear water on the top. This is why it is very important not to pour Oobleck down the drain. Should the suspension separate in your drain pipes, you will be left with a hard clump of cornflour that will block your drains. The simple way to get rid of Oobleck is straight into the bin!
Please consider any food allergies or intolerances before using products, and your Munchkin is supervised at all times when exploring with Messy Play.
Oobleck is wonderful fun, so …
For this ‘Space Tray’ playtime we used;
Small toys (inedible) of age appropriate quality (and suitable for even your smallest Munchkin)
A blue plastic sheet or tray
Towels for the mess!
Mixing spoons
To make the Oobleck Alien Space Gloop, we used;
Cornflour (ready to be mixed with water)
Food colouring (or suitable safe alternative of your choice, that is baby friendly and suitable for your smallest Munchkin)
Place one part cornflour in a mixing bowl, add one part of water and stir well. Adjust to your perfect consistency by adding more water or cornflour until you get the mixture to a consistency that ‘tears’ when you quickly scrape your fingers through it and then ‘melts’ back together again.
Put some of the mixture on a tray or messy mat and let your Story-Explorer make their own discoveries about what they can do with it.
Watch as your Munchkin explores, squeezing, squishing, scooping and pinching!
To add to the fun, we paired the finished Messy Tray up with a story that is ‘out of this world!’ 📚
Have fun and explore space!!
