Let’s Get Messy Playtime: Learning Through Play in Warwick Township

At Warwick Township’s Let’s Get Messy Playtime, children ages 2 through 6 had the chance to turn mud into magic during a recent bug-themed class. This hands-on program invites kids and their caregivers to learn, explore, and, true to its name, get messy.

“This class provides an outlet for kids to experience things they might not get to do at home,” said instructor Kristen Belles, Warwick Township’s Program Coordinator. “We make the mess here, so families don’t have to.”

During the bug-themed session, Belles introduced the topic with a circle time discussion and plastic insects before letting children head off to the activity stations. Each table offered a different kind of project: an open-ended art activity painting ladybugs, a playdough station where children built bugs with pipe cleaners and googly eyes, and a process-based craft with step-by-step instructions. But the fan favorite was the sensory station, where kids dug through taste-safe “mud” made from cornstarch, cocoa powder, and water in search of hidden toy bugs.

“Many kids came in timid about getting their hands dirty,” Belles said. “By the end, they were covered in mud and didn’t want to stop searching for more bugs. That transformation, seeing them grow confident enough to try something new, is one of the best parts of this class.”

The program encourages parents and grandparents to participate alongside their children. “It’s a good opportunity for one-on-one time,” Belles said. “The kids usually lead the way, pulling their grown-ups to the station they’re most excited about.”

Belles has taught Let’s Get Messy Playtime since 2023, though the class has been a Warwick Township staple for about 20 years. With a bachelor’s degree in education from Bloomsburg University and over a decade of experience in early childhood education, she brings both expertise and enthusiasm to the role.

Her teaching philosophy centers on the idea that preschoolers learn best through play. “It’s hard to get a three-year-old to sit with a worksheet and say, ‘We’re going to learn all about circles,’” she explained. “But when you give them activities where they’re learning and exploring, they gain an understanding of their world while building foundational skills such as fine motor, gross motor, social, and emotional.”

For Belles, running the program is more than a job; it’s a homecoming. She grew up in Warwick Township, attending Warwick Elementary, Tamanend Middle School, and Central Bucks High School East. After nearly nine years teaching preschool in North Wales, she returned to work for Warwick Township, first in the Planning and Zoning Department before moving into her current role.

“Being back here is really special,” she said. “I remember playing on the township’s original playground when it was first built. Now, it’s a full-circle moment for me to be the one creating opportunities for new families to make memories. Warwick was a wonderful place to grow up, and I’m proud to give back in this way.”

In addition to Let’s Get Messy Playtime, Belles also leads the Sticky Fingers toddler cooking class, where little ones practice mixing, stirring, and cutting while assembling fun snacks. Both programs run in seasonal sessions, with new themes each week ranging from holidays to favorite children’s books.

No matter the theme, Belles hopes every family walks away with something to take home, whether it’s a child’s confidence in trying something new or a simple, affordable activity parents can recreate with their kids. “It’s about showing them low-tech, hands-on ways to play and learn together,” she said.

For Warwick’s youngest residents, that often means muddy hands, bug-themed crafts, and memories that will last far beyond cleanup time.

For information about these and other Warwick Township programs, visit warwickpa.myrec.com/info/activities/default.aspx.