When children play, they often create a mess, but what a beautiful mess it is! "Creating a Beautiful Mess" describes the ten most important play experiences all children enjoy and how these experiences support learning, creativity, and social connections. These broad categories of play include building with blocks, pretending and make believe, running around like crazy, playing turn-taking games, finding and collecting things, and more. This is a book that can be enjoyed by parents and grandparents, as well as early childhood professionals. An ideal book to give to expectant moms and dads, this book is fun and helpful. It boils down the essential play experiences for childhood in a way that is accessible, practical, and a pleasure to read.