Messy Party Ideas?

[proudmamanow]

My 5 yo dd (the aspiring party planner!) wants to host a messy party this summer. We think it would be fun and have agreed, with the proviso that she only invite a small number of kids (max 5). So we will have a group of 5-7 year olds plus likely some younger siblings (age 2 or so).
Any ideas for a messy party? We are planning on holding it outdoors in bathing suits.
-our younger daughter (and two of the guests) has pretty severe gluten & dairy intolerances, so no flour, pudding etc. please!

What kinds of things have you done in the past? I'm kind of stuck, other than mud, maybe body painting....?

[madskye]

My friends had a messy art party, so no worries about food.

They had a big white sheet held up between two trees that kids could splatter paint on. They had a long paper mural type canvas for kids to paint on and another sheet on the ground, plus rocks for them to paint.

It was really fun! And the pix were great!

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

For my ds cameron's 2nd birthday we did a painting party, i put roll's of lining paper on the floor and filled bowls with paint and let them paint with sponges, fingers, hands and feet
for caitlin's 4th birthday we had 2 paddling pools in the garden one with sand and one with water and they all played out side.

[MarchMummy]

Here's a great blog post about a messy party: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/20...oull-ever-see/

There are lots of good ideas and details about how she organised everything. (Some of her activities do involve flour, but not all.)

Sounds like lots of fun!!

[momshelper]

Jello/jelly makes for a great sensory tool and filling a paddling pool would be great, pasta, water and food colouring is also fun. Water guns are great for "washing" each other down. Not sure if cornstarch counts but it is great cos it is so soft and slimey and can go hard when mixed with water. Shaving foam (for sensitive skin) is another good one, making pictures and sticking your hands in. (Cover large bits of card with aluminum foil and make shaving foam picture on them).

Hope party goes well and everyone has a blast!