How Messy Play Supports Regulation in the Run-Up to Christmas

The weeks leading up to Christmas can be magical — lights, colours, music, celebrations — but for many SEND children, this time of year also brings big emotions and sensory overload. Routines change, environments get busier, and expectations rise. What feels exciting to one child may feel unpredictable or overwhelming to another.

At MessyBeanz, we understand how important regulation is during this season, and messy play can be a powerful tool to help children stay calm, grounded, and connected. As Christmas gets closer, here’s how sensory-rich messy play can support your child’s emotional wellbeing.

1. Messy Play Provides Predictable, Safe Sensory Input

With Christmas comes bright lights, loud music, new activities, and lots of social events. Messy play offers a stable, familiar sensory experience where your child knows what to expect. Soft sand, water, rice, foam, or playdough give children a consistent sensory anchor — something calm and soothing when everything else feels unfamiliar.

2. It Helps Release Tension and Big Feelings

Messy play allows children to use their hands and bodies in a way that naturally supports emotional release. Squishing, squeezing, pouring, stirring, and splashing all help release built-up tension and provide grounding sensory feedback. These simple actions can reset the nervous system, especially for children who become overwhelmed by seasonal changes.

3. Sensory Activities Support Regulation and Focus

Calming, repetitive movements found in messy play — like scooping rice, tracing shapes, kneading dough, or running fingers through water — can help children regulate their breathing, heart rate, and emotions. This can be especially helpful in December when days are full of excitement, changes in routine, and overstimulation.

4. Messy Play Creates Space for Connection

Christmas often puts pressure on families to “do more,” but messy play allows you to slow down and connect with your child in a gentle, meaningful way. Joining them at their level, entering their world, and engaging in sensory play helps strengthen relationships and offers children a sense of safety and closeness — something they may need even more at this time of year.

5. It Helps Children Prepare for Seasonal Sensory Experiences

Christmas brings new textures, smells, sounds, and lights. Messy play allows children to explore sensory experiences in a controlled, safe environment before encountering them elsewhere. This can reduce anxiety and help them feel more confident when facing festive activities like crafts, decorations, or holiday events.

6. A Calm Break from the Christmas Chaos

Sometimes, the most supportive thing you can offer is a quiet moment away from the noise. Messy play naturally invites calm. It gives children a peaceful space where they can decompress and feel grounded — a much-needed pause during an exciting but demanding season.

Supporting Children Through the Festive Season

At MessyBeanz, our sessions are designed to help children regulate through sensory play, especially during times of overwhelm. As Christmas approaches, messy play can be a gentle, joyful way to help SEND children stay balanced while still engaging in the magic of the season.

With textures to explore, calm spaces to retreat to, and a warm, inclusive environment, messy play gives children the tools they need to navigate the festive period feeling safe, supported, and understood.