Written by Judith Lynn - Paediatric Nutritionist - Founder and Owner of Little Monkey Nutrition.

Welcome to the delightful world of mess during weaning, where every squish, splash, and splatter is a step towards nurturing adventurous eaters and expanding the horizons of food and nutrition variety. For many parents and caregivers, the journey of introducing children to new foods can feel like navigating a maze with no clear exit. Fussy eating is a common challenge, but the solution might just be found in embracing the mess and encouraging sensory exploration. Let's dive into the scientific evidence supporting messy play as a catalyst for improving food variety and reducing fussy eating habits.

Cognitive Connections: The Foundation of Curiosity

Messy play, particularly with food, engages children in a multisensory experience that is crucial for cognitive development. According to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, children learn about their world through direct experiences with their environment. When children interact with different foods during messy play, they're not just playing; they're conducting experiments. Through these experiments, they learn concepts like cause and effect, shape, size, and texture. This hands-on exploration fosters a natural curiosity about foods, making them more open to trying new things.

Motor Skills and Independence in Eating

The development of fine motor skills plays a significant role in a child's ability to explore and enjoy a variety of foods. Messy play with food offers the perfect practice ground for these skills. The varied textures and materials in messy play strengthen muscles and improve coordination, laying the groundwork for fine and gross motor skills. These help form  building blocks for complex learning tasks, problem-solving, and creativity, as noted by Isenberg and Jalongo (2000) and supported by the work of Case-Smith (2000) in the context of motor skills development. As children grasp, pinch, and scoop different textures and sizes of food, they're honing the coordination and dexterity needed to handle a variety of foods confidently. This independence in eating encourages them to be more adventurous with their food choices since they're not limited by their ability to manipulate the food.

Emotional and Social Development: The Joy of Eating Together

Messy play with food is often a communal activity, providing a shared space for emotional and social development. It's an opportunity for children to observe others engaging with new foods, which can pique their interest and reduce anxiety around trying something unfamiliar. The social aspect of eating together, combined with the positive reinforcement from caregivers and peers, can make new foods seem more appealing. This shared joy in discovery helps to dismantle the fear or reluctance that often accompanies fussy eating.

Goleman (1995) introduced the concept of emotional intelligence, which begins in the early stages of life. Messy play with food offers an outlet for expressing feelings and can significantly reduce anxiety around foods by providing a physical and emotional sense of freedom. Moreover, as children engage in these activities, they often do so alongside peers or adults, fostering social interaction. This interaction is critical for developing cooperation skills and understanding social dynamics, as highlighted by Parten (1932).

Language Development and Sensory Vocabulary

Discussing the sensory aspects of food during messy play can enrich a child's language and provide them with a way to express their food experiences. Vygotsky (1962) pointed out the importance of social interactions and language in cognitive development. Descriptive words for textures, tastes, and smells introduce a new vocabulary that children can use to articulate their likes and dislikes. This ability to communicate about food can lead to more meaningful conversations about food choices and preferences, making it easier for caregivers to introduce variety in a way that respects the child's developing palate. This enriches a child's language and understanding, a concept further supported by Roskos and Christie (2000), who noted the natural opportunity for language development that play provides.

Furthermore, research by Fan et al (2024) showed that movement and sensory experiences are linked to significant increases in learning potential. Engaging the senses creates more pathways in the brain, supporting memory, attention, and decision-making processes. This enhanced learning ability underscores the value of sensory play with food in preparing children for future academic and personal success.

Enhanced Learning Abilities and Decision Making

The sensory integration that occurs during messy play with food enhances overall learning abilities, including attention, memory, and decision-making skills. When children are actively engaged in exploring foods through their senses, they're more likely to remember their experiences with those foods, including whether they enjoyed them. This memory can make them more willing to try those foods again in the future or to explore similar foods. The decision-making skills developed through these explorations empower children to make choices about their food, further reducing the likelihood of fussy eating.

Scientific Evidence Supporting Messy Food Play

Research has highlighted the role of sensory experiences in reducing food neophobia, the fear of new foods, which is often observed during weaning. By allowing children to become familiar with the look, feel, and smell of different foods, messy play can help desensitise them to new textures and flavours. This desensitisation process is crucial as it can lead to a more positive attitude towards trying new foods and, consequently, a more varied diet.

A study by Dr Gillian Harris, a child psychologist and food acceptance expert, emphasises that sensitivity to touch has the most significant impact on the acceptance of new foods. Messy food play can help overcome the discomfort some children feel with new textures, such as slimy or stringy foods, by providing repeated, non-threatening exposure.

Embracing the Mess for Nutritional Variety

As we recognize the importance of these experiences, it becomes evident that embracing the mess is not just beneficial but essential. The mess can always be cleaned up, but the opportunities for development that messy play provides are invaluable and fleeting. Let's make the most of these precious moments, fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity in our children as they explore the world through their senses. 

By embracing the scientific evidence that supports the benefits of sensory play with food, caregivers can create an environment where fussy eating is replaced with curiosity, joy, and a willingness to try new things. So, let's roll up our sleeves, dive into the sensory world of food together, and celebrate each messy step towards nurturing adventurous eaters.

In Conclusion: Messy Play During Weaning Reduces Fussy Eating Tendencies

A study published in the Journal of Paediatric Psychology found that repeated exposure to a wide range of flavours and textures from fruits, vegetables, and proteins during weaning increases the acceptance of these foods in later childhood (Maier et al 2007). This sensory exploration helps in developing a palate that is more accepting of diverse foods, thereby reducing the likelihood of fussy eating. The tactile, olfactory, and gustatory stimulation provided during messy play with food encourages children to explore and enjoy a variety of foods, making them more adaptable and less resistant to new food experiences as they age. By integrating sensory play into the weaning process, caregivers can significantly influence a child's openness to new foods, laying the groundwork for healthier, more varied eating habits throughout their lives.