Learn more below or use these quick links to the sign up forms.
Your little one is a messy sensory scientist!
An adorable, curious, little scientist that loves to investigate, experiment and explore. Join us for fun-filled classes designed to be completely hands-on where your child will scoop, squish, mix, mash, dig, dump, mix, mash, pour and explore in of the messy ways they love. Classes are skill building, a boost to early brain development and irresistibly fun!
An adventure from start to finish!
“No wrangle” classes for toddlers where they dive in right away and move from activity to activity.
Infant ages feature taste-safe, mouthing friendly and fully edible materials created fresh and not reused.
Adding sensory“messy”play to your baby’s week promotes skill building, brain development and supports their overall well-being- building a foundation for little ones to grow into happy, curious, emotionally regulated, confident little people!
-
Along with the colorful fun, the activities throughout the session are created with purpose to promote a child’s growth and development in big, meaningful, lifelong ways. It looks like mess making, but inside a child’s brain during play it looks like a fireworks show of activity.
There’s a reason you’ve been hearing “messy play” and “sensory play” talked about more and more. It packs a punch.
A session of classes helps your child:
Strengthen cognitive skills including reasoning, problem solving, decision making and executive function.
Be introduced to early STEM including spatial awareness, volume, cause and effect, sorting and multi‑step processes.
Use scientific processes to learn about new things (an ability they are born with that we can strengthen with practice.) Explore simple concepts like open/shut, over/under, float/sink.
Build gross and fine motor skills, tracking, balance, dexterity, pincer grips and pre‑writing skills.
Practice emotional regulation by creating a “sense-library” to help identify feelings within their body.
Use creative play parts to encourage language acquisition including colors, numbers, animals, textures, temperature, and themes.
Work on extending their longer attention span with varied activities and plenty of ways to explore.
Helps boost confidence and resilience as kids learn to trust their own abilities to solve problems.
Build up their sensory tolerance which promotes better eating and mealtimes.
Brain boost: Play activates multiple parts of the brain and sparks new neural connections they need for more complex tasks.
-
Mini-Scientist.
Your baby was born a scientist! From birth they innately know how to learn -it’s a crucial skill needed for survival!
Babies learn using the same scientific process as real scientists by observing, hypothesising, testing, concluding and applying.
With enough practice in the first few years, this ability can become a hardwired pathway in the brain. This means a brain that can take in and process information easier and faster.
This is a brain primed for learning before they even enter a classroom.
Sensory play is a great way to practice because it is attention grabbing and attention keeping, inspires curiosity, is open ended and child led.
*Articles cited are on the Benefits page.
-
It’s not just what a child is doing during sensory play, but how the brain naturally reacts to it. During the first few years your child is making the connections in the brain that will form the wiring they’ll rely on throughout life. The “spark” that creates a connection is new and unique sensory information (sensations.) Daily life has these, but adding sensory play activities is like adding a supercharged dose of connections making sensations to support this process.
Not only that, but this unique type of play activates multiple important regions in the brain at the same time. Important regions responsible for thought processes, emotional regulation, movement, memory and language.
When regions “light up” together, new connections can be made between them. These connections are what’s needed to move onto more complex tasks.
Scroll on this page to learn more about the process.
*Information is cited on the Benefits page.
Say YES to the MESS! Learn What Makes a Play Labs Class Special ← →
-
![]()
THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED PLAY
Baby & toddler safe sensory materials + multi-sensory activities designed to be attention grabbing and attention keeping.
Each naturally supports a child’s developmental level by building on skills they already and providing opportunities to try new ones.
-
![]()
EXCITING MESSY MATERIALS
Each class features multiple sensory activities and each activity features its own unique Play Labs messy materials, engaging themes, sensory tools, toys, animals, dinosaurs, trucks and more.
Infant ages enjoy edible and taste-safe materials, perfect for those mouthing. For ages 2-5, the fun also includes non-toxic, child-safe play like scented fluffy foams and baking soda fizzing experiments.
-
![]()
"THIS IS SO COOL!"
Our most heard quote! Drive trucks through messy town, splash in colorful water play stations, dig and dump in scoop & pour bins, swim fish through edible squishy oceans, swirl fizzy potions, pop giant flubber slime bubbles and dance along to the music.
-
![]()
CHILD-LED
Play is child-led with attention grabbing sensory stations set-up to be naturally engaging. Each class is guided by a responsive play teacher. During the session we learn about your child and get to know how to make their experiences even better. Many children begin as a Tummy Timers and return through Kindergarten (we even visit their classrooms!)
Messes are a child’s practice tries, their learning by doing and how they build confidence in their own abilities. Messy class is about the process. A chance to find out “what if I…”
-
![]()
Big Fun. Big Impact.
Supports better eating. Boosts confidence to independently problem solve. Creates a love of learning. Builds connections in the brain that support learning. There are so many benefits.
Let’s create a generation of curious kids, brave problem solvers, resilient, emotionally regulated kids that aren’t afraid to try things they’re not perfect at and keep going even when it’s messy. A generation of independent thinkers that find spaces to try out their big ideas. There are so many benefits to messy play, at home or with Play Labs, say YES to the MESS!
Create a Class
Have a Messy Play Park Playdate in Your Town!
Bring all of the fun to where you are- all you need is a group of friends, a moms group or other community group to get things started.
Each family signs up and pays for their child just like any other class.
Program Overview
Scroll below for information about classes by age.
Sensory Play Class by Age
-
Brain building, skill building classes that inspire your baby’s curiosity, encourage motor skill development, early language and offers small group socialization. Explore color, movement, texture and more in classes filled with sense-stimulating activities developed with input from early education teachers to support this period of amazing growth and development!
At this age, little explorers won’t be able to do every single activity each class (sensory overload), they won’t be missing out with fun play in stations packed with baby safe tactiles and manipulatives, squish bags, sensory bottles, water play activities, music, bubbles and more. For activities using edible materials, your little one will be able to observe the slightly older kiddos exploring and we recommend caregivers play as well!
-
We provide the fun and take care of the colorful messes when it’s done.
Cost includes handmade messy materials, multiple handmade edible activities, fresh and not reused. All cleanup after play.
Special lower rate use code “Tummy 4-5” at checkout!
8 week session after discount: $306
-
Your baby is changing every day. At three-four months, you now have a little person staring up at you, with wake times long enough for new experiences. Classes begin at 4 months. Here’s a guide to know if your baby is ready to join us.
Is your baby starting to work on physical skills like reaching and grasping?
Have they become aware when their environment changes (going outside vs home)?
Are they becoming curious about new things (staring at things for longer periods of time?)
These will mean your baby is ready and will benefit from classes!
Note: We want to encourage new moms and caregivers to join us by offering a lower cost and refundable classes for any missed classes for any reason. If baby sleeps longer, come late- many do! Sometimes it’s just about having the goal to do something out of the house, even if it doesn’t happen, right? Isolation is not only a possibility when caring for an infant this young, but a given.
-
Perfect for those putting everything in their mouths.
Big changes happen when a child learns to sit, crawl, and even starts walking! Your little one has quite literally changed their world view and can now engage in new and exciting ways! Classes feature multiple sensory activities, tools, bins, baskets, and unique messy materials made by Play Labs. Your child arrives to a series of sensory stations ready to be explored- each with a different theme, materials with endless ways to explore.
At this age, activities and materials are exciting for little hands and also safe to put in their mouths! Edible activities with baby safe ingredients like yogurt finger painting, rainbow spaghetti and ponds of pureed green peas!
Classes are relaxed with music and end with bubble “storms” and a stamp.
Recommended for ages 6-24 months
-
Cost includes all messy materials messy materials. Each class features multiple, each handmade, baby friendly, created fresh and not reused.
45-60 minutes of guided play.
All cleanup of all of the mess making fun!
8 week session: $340.00
-
Parents and caregivers can jump in and play along or step back and let their kiddo dive in on their own.
This is your child’s chance to learn through experience. In messy class they can make things overflow, dump a big bucket into a tiny cup, drop things that are too heavy or slippery. Classes are designed to be a space of “cause/effect” instead of “right way/wrong way.” As long as play isn’t hurting themselves or others, grown ups can take a breather from instruction and corrections.
Letting them explore in their own way promotes self-guided, independent play, confidence, longer attention spans, persistence, self-confidence, task persistence and sets your little one up for a love of learning!
-
Join us in the Play Lab and let your child dive into the world of messy play! They won’t believe their luck as they can scoop, squish, mash, dump, pour, splash and explore in all of the messy ways they love. These little problem solvers are now able to participate in longer and more complex activities, but getting and keeping their attention isn’t always easy. That’s not a problem in the Play Lab! Classes feature multiple sense-stimulating activities both group and individual (at their own sensory table.) The excitement grows as we add in unique sensory tools, trucks and animals, bubble blizzards, music and more. The best part, you leave the mess with us!
Messy play isn’t just fun, it’s a powerful tool to encourage growth and development. Activities are exciting and colorful to encourage your child practice important skills. We practice real life skills like pouring and scooping while also building on their skills of investigation, multi-step processing, task persistence and decision making. Classes promote physical skill building like spatial awareness, balance, coordination and builds up pre-writing muscles. Activities are opportunities to practice cognitive skills like reasoning, problem solving, independent play and independent emotional regulation. Inspire their curiosity in a way that lets them love learning.
-
Bring Play Labs to your child’s Pre-K or K classroom. Learn more.
Class is full of colorful, sensory play activities set-up to inspire their curiosity as well as use their scientific minds to explore, investigate and experiment themed, multi-step activities with big colorful results. Activites use non-toxic messy materials, unique sensory tools and other add-ins that extend engagement and expand play. Mini lab coats make these explorers feel like a real scientist.
We provide opportunities for creative open ended messy play as well as STEM themed activities. Color mixing with squirt bottles, tactile sensory bin mixes with up to 10 unique materials, buckets of flubber slime, potion making, fizzy science experiments and more!
Messy play isn’t just fun, it’s a powerful tool to encourage growth and development. Investigation, experimenting, multi-step processing, task persistence and decision making. Activities are opportunities to practice cognitive skills like reasoning, problem solving, independent play and independent emotional regulation. Inspire their curiosity in a way that keeps them loving learning!
-
8 week session $340.00
Cost includes all messy materials, most handmade.
A sensory program to get the most out of play.
All cleanup of mess makings! Park setup and cleanup, offsite of all of the tools, toys and other fun things we use during play.
-
Parents and caregivers can jump in and play along or step back and let their kiddo dive in on their own.
This is your child’s chance to learn through experience. In messy class they can make things overflow, dump a big bucket into a tiny cup, drop things that are too heavy or slippery. Classes are designed to be a space of “cause/effect” instead of “right way/wrong way.” As long as play isn’t hurting themselves or others, grown ups can take a breather from instruction and corrections.
Letting them explore in their own way promotes self-guided, independent play, confidence, longer attention spans, persistence, self-confidence, task persistence and sets your little one up for a love of learning!
Why take classes with us?
With Sensory Play Labs, we make sure each child is getting the most out of this powerful play!
-
… the most fun, the most colorful, the largest variety of materials-created new for each class, always multi-sensory, dozens of sensory tool types and each activity incorporates science backed research into what makes this type of play most effective. It’s also really, really fun!
Classes are welcoming and relaxed. A chance to play along with your child, meet other parents & caregivers or take a step back and let your child’s curiosity lead the way! Each class has multiple activities and messy materials, thoughtfully created to be exciting and safe.
The hilariously colorful photos are pretty epic too.
It’s not only what they’re doing, it’s what it’s doing for them.
Messy play is so much fun, but it’s actually how the brain reacts to sensory play that makes it have such a big impact on growth and development.
Brain boost.
Sensory play is so effective at promoting cognitive growth because it activates multiple areas of the brain simultaneously. When areas are stimulated together, they create connections. These connections form the foundational wiring a child will rely on for the rest of their lives.
These connections are what’s needed to move onto more complex tasks and supports thought processes, language, emotional regulation and memory. A connected brain is one that can take in and process information faster. This is a brain primed for learning.
From ages 0-36 months, your child’s brain is a supercomputer. During this incredible period of cognitive, physical and emotional growth, the brain can create more connections, faster, than it ever can again.
One way parents can support this stage is by providing opportunities for more connections. The “spark” needed to create a connection at this age comes from new and unique sensory information (sensations.) Day to day life provides a ton of these experiences, but because they are capable of more, sensory play is like a supercharged supplement.
(After play, big naps are often needed!) *Articles cited are on the Benefits page and even more research is being published.
Mini-Scientist.
Your baby was born a scientist! From birth they innately know how to learn about the world around them, it’s a crucial skill needed for survival! Babies actually rely on the same scientific process as real scientists by observing, testing, hypothesising, testing, testing, testing, concluding and applying, repeat. We can help keep this skill sharp by giving chances to practice. Sensory play is a fun way to bring out their inner scientist since it’s filled with open-ended, new and attention grabbing things to learn about. *Articles cited are on the Benefits page.