PEEP-Messy Play

So today we have been to PEEP,  a session put on at our local children's centre. Today was a messy play session to help the babies explore, they got to play in shaving foam that had glitter sprinkled in and then sit and play on a big sheet on the floor covered in paint.... result one messy,messy baby :-) and some great photos. 

Our little friend Archie that goes to the same session and is a month older than Rubes, absolutely loves messy play, he is in his element, I think it must be a boy thing the messier the better. Not thatRuby doesn't enjoy it but she is definatly losses interest quicker than him. 

She loved the shaving foam, learnt after one mouthful that in-fact it wasn't as tasty as it looked, and went back to generally feeling it and looking at it from all directions. Then when we moved over to the paint, as I predicted she cried, I think it must be the slimy feel of the paint on her skin, when I gave her the paint tub to chew on she perked up and even let us put some on her tummy, we will keep trying the messy play with paint at some point I am sure she will see it is fun to get covered in paint and cover everyone else too, she will probably discover this at the worst time, like at home where I have too clear up ;-) 

PEEP is great I wish I had starting going with Ruby sooner, but it really wasn't something I thought I would enjoy, our first session was also a nightmare, put me completely off the idea after plucking up enough courage to go in the first place, Ruby cried for the full hour session near enough, we had to sing in front of other people, and all the other mums knew each other. I have Archie's mum to thank for dragging me back, and once I had done the first session it all seemed better.

So advice if like me you've been and didn't enjoy it, or you haven't plucked up the courage to try.....

1-Give it a go, if nothing else it stops people asking you to go

2-Give it another go, try 2 sessions before you make your mind up, I can't tell you how much I hated the first session, now I hate bank holidays when it isn't on, the biggest convert :-) 

3-Try to push yourself to talk to other mums, I know this is hard I spoke to nobody the first time, but there are always new babies coming along and those mums feel just like you and will latch onto the first friendly face, make sure its yours, and there is your first new mum friend who will probably growto be your new best mate like Fi has to me.

4- Don't worry about singing....unless you are Adele and going to knock out a top 10 hit in-between the Hello song and the Good bye song you never have to do a solo bit, and everyone else hates it too, everyone sounds like either a cat or a man, I know I'm crap at singing but after a few sessions I found myself singing instead of miming...telling myself in my head it was for Ruby's benefit helped a little, but I still go red during every song :-) 

5- Don't feel daft if you enjoy it...I sometimes feel embarrassed about going to a session and singing or playing for an hour, but who cares it really is great for your baby and you, great bonding time, cheers you up, gives you a network of mummy friends, loads of freebies, time to make a mess and get someone else to clear up, make special things like footprints and sensory socks which you probably would never do unless you went and loads more great things......

So go on give it a go, we go very monday, I will blog what we do each week, so if you don't have a session near you, you could always take some ideas and do one at home :-)) 

Anybody reading in other other areas of the UK (we are in Lincolnshire) or other countries, comment and let me know if you have PEEP or a similar alternative, would love to know how things are in other places :-) 

C