Lifestyle

Why You Should Let Baby Get Messy With Food

Many parents are quick to stop a babies mess in its tracks, but did you know there are actually many benefits to allowing your child to get messy with food? Discover more about these benefits and how you can spend more time making memories and less time worrying about the mess!
Why You Should Let Baby Get Messy With Food

This post and giveaway were made possible by iConnect and Dreft. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. #MessiestBabyContest

I look back at all of the crazy things I use to do when I was first time mom and can’t help laugh at how over the top I was! Now as a mother of three children you would think my life is more hectic and stressful, but it many ways I worry and stress much less. You learn to let go of all those little things and focus your energy on stuff that really matters. One thing I have really let go of is stressing myself over the kids getting messy. Almost 11 years of parenting behind me and one of the biggest lessons I have learned is that my children getting messy is a major part of their growth and development. So here are some reasons why you should let your baby get mess while eating!

Why You Should Let Baby Get Messy With Food

IT IS OKAY TO LET THEM GET MESSY! PLEASE LET THEM GET MESSY!

Did you know that studies show that smashing, throwing and playing with food actually helps your baby learn? Meal time can be a really great sensory activity for them and this is how they explore, grow and learn about the world around them. The stimulation they get from the smell, taste, touch, and sight that each food gives baby is a another great learning experience for them. 

Allowing your baby to play with their food helps them to have self-confidence when it comes to feeding themselves. During the first several months of their lives, your baby relies on you for absolutely everything. Feeding themselves is often times one of the first activities that a baby can learn to master all on their own.  

Bringing a spoon, fork, or even their hand to their mouth is a fine motor skill that all babies must learn.  By encouraging your baby to do this independently at meal time will allow them to master this skill even faster! Things will get messy, but remember… that is OK!

Why You Should Let Baby Get Messy With Food

Lastly, just remember… messes are a pain to clean but they are not impossible! A Dreft survey with Wakefield found that 87% of moms frequently encourage their children to pick activities that are unlikely to get them messy. The survey also showed that 88% of moms have let their children play in only a diaper specifically so they don’t get their clothes messy! And a shocking 80% of moms have actually thrown out clothes because they felt the mess wasn’t worth washing out. I cringed when I read this because I know all too well that stains are fairly simple to remove… if you are using the right product!

Dreft is the #1 baby laundry detergent choice of pediatricians and a trusted brand for more than 80 years. Parents of messy babies can rely on Dreft Active Baby detergent to help remove 99% of baby food stains and other outdoor messes. With Dreft, parents can stop worrying about the messes and enjoy all the beautiful and memorable moments they have to share with their little ones.

Why You Should Let Baby Get Messy With Food

With two children and one on the way, Actress Molly Sims understands the value of messy play and has embraced the messy journey of #amazinghood in her own personal life!  On October 25th, she got a little messy with her adorable little ones and helped Dreft launch a nationwide search for Dreft’s America’s Messiest Baby at the Dreft Messy Play Date Partyin New York City.

Why You Should Let Baby Get Messy With Food

The Dreft America’s Messiest Baby Contest is inviting families to submit photos of their favorite messy baby moments for the chance to win prizes, including the cover of the May issue of Parents Magazine! Simply post your photo on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #messiestbabycontest. Winners will also receive a supply of Dreft laundry detergent of course!

26 thoughts on “Why You Should Let Baby Get Messy With Food

  1. My babies messiest moments are when she plays with her Spaghetti and Meatballs or takes her cupcake and stuffs it in her face and gets it all over herself. She is so cute when she eats!

  2. My son is no longer a baby but he still gets messy when he eats pomegranates.
    That stuff stains everything! So I make sure I wear old clothes and have plenty of baby wipes at hand.
    thanks!

  3. My son liked to play in his dirt pile in the yard. After a heavy rain he went out in it and came back covered in mud.

  4. One of my kids’ messiest moments was playing with flour while I was busy in baking. They got creative for making their own version of birthday cake with fruit and flour.

  5. My niece makes a huge mess whenever she bakes desserts. Last year she made a cake and the frosting was everywhere!

  6. One of my grandsons messiest moments was his birthday smash cake. He had blue frosting and cake every where.

  7. One of my son’s messiest moments when he was little was when he would finger paint. I would always put down a plastic tarp and let him have fun being creative!

  8. I don’t have any babies, but the messiest moment I ever experienced was my oldest nieces first birthday. She had her own birthday cake and dove into it head first. By the time she was done, there was cake and frosting everywhere!

  9. One of my baby’s messiest moment was when we were at the church and she spilled all the milk she was drinking on the carpet. It took us hours to clean that off. Thanks for the chance to win such an amazing giveaway.

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