Vampire’s Broth: A Spooky Halloween Messy Play Activity for Toddlers & Pre-schoolers.

How to Make Vampire’s Broth - A Simple Halloween Sensory Tray for Kids.

Vampire’s Broth is a spooky, squishy Halloween messy play idea that’s perfect for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers (ages 0 - 7). It’s a sensory water play tray full of rich red colour, creepy vampire fangs, and big syringes for fine motor fun! It’s simple to set up, totally customisable, and guaranteed to get kids engaged in learning through play. My son loves water play and it keeps him occupied for hours, so I knew this would be a hit.

close-up of syringes and tray in the garden

fangs floating in red water

Chalkboard sign and roses

🧛‍♀️ You’ll Need:

• Tuff tray or play tray – we use ours from Play Trays UK

• Red food colouring – a few drops in warm water (we got ours on Amazon UK)

• Plastic vampire fangs – these are great for scooping, counting and sorting (Amazon UK link)

• Syringes (no needles, of course!) – perfect for squeezing, refilling, and strengthening little hands

• Optional extras: Red roses for decoration Mini chalkboard sign for labelling your tray (“Vampire’s Broth – How many fangs can you find?”)

Skills Children Can Explore:

Skill	What They’re Learning
Fine motor control	Squeezing syringes, scooping fangs
Early maths	Counting & grouping vampire fangs
Hand-eye coordination	Transferring items across the tray
Language development	Talking about colours, textures & imaginative play
Sensory exploration	Experiencing colour, temperature, texture & sound
Cross-lateral movement	Reaching across midline – vital for early writing skills

two children playing at tray together

baby in hat playing with tray

toddler scooping fangs with net

child using syringe in round tray

fangs floating in red water

Set-Up & Play Tips:

1. Fill your tray with warm water and add a few drops of red food colouring.

2. Drop in the vampire fangs and give them a little stir.

3. Lay out syringes and any small scoops or spoons nearby.

4. Add your decorative touches - roses, chalkboard signs, spiderwebs, or anything spooky!

5. Invite your little ones to see what happens! Ask: “How many fangs can you find?” “Can you fill your syringe and squirt it back out?” “What colour is the water? What does it feel like?”

This setup encourages children to explore through all their senses while building early problem-solving and motor skills - all disguised as Halloween fun! 🎃

💡 Safety Note:

Always supervise water play. For babies or younger toddlers, use shallow trays and small amounts of water.

Try It Yourself!

If you recreate this tray at home, tag us on Instagram @TinyMessyHandsUK - we’d love to see your version!

🗓️ Our next Tiny Messy Hands Indoor & Outdoor Messy Play session: Thursday 13th November 2025 10–11:30 AM - Petts Wood Memorial Hall, Orpington (BR5 1LA) Book your tickets here → www.tinymessyhands.co.uk

Written by Tiny Messy Hands : © 2025 Tiny Messy Hands®. All rights reserved. Original content, concepts, and materials are protected by copyright. Reproduction or imitation of branded activities, content, or resources without written consent is prohibited.© 2025 Tiny Messy Hands®. All rights reserved. Original content, concepts, and materials are protected by copyright. Reproduction or imitation of branded activities, content, or resources without written consent is prohibited.