Benefits of Play

A couple of years ago, I had a program at the library called "Ooey Gooey" which was an open-ended art class for preschoolers. We used all different non-toxic, mostly edible products to paint- so whipped cream, food coloring, pudding, etc. I thought the kids would absolutely love getting their hands into the goop and painting. I was very surprised to see how many children were uncomfortable with having their hands dirty. They didn't want to get dirty and they wanted to wash their hands frequently. So, I starting researching this and reading about a shift in our culture regarding play.