I didn’t really think it through when I agreed to let Josh buy Moon Sand with his birthday money last month. He and the rest of the kiddos love playing with the sand that never dries, but it could be quite a chore to clean up! Little did I know I was allowing them to bring the beach indoors!

Fortunately I have a solution for making cleaning up after messy kids just a bit easier. Whether you have messy eaters, have your kiddos working on a messy craft, or they are playing with the beach indoors, just through down a splat mat. These things are great!

There are several different types of Splat Mats, but I have found only two that I really like to use:

Modern June has a selection of chic splat mats made of oilcloth. These mats clean up easily and will last throughout the years. There are a variety of patterns and designs from which you can choose, and they are pretty enough to leave on the table after the messy painting projects are hanging to dry.

Neat Solutions has a Floor Topper that is convenient and easy to use. The Floor Toppers are disposable and are perfect for the times when you may just want to grab the mess and toss it. They are also sturdy enough to use over and over again, so you get more bang for your buck. I use these when the kids are playing with the Moon Sand, mainly because I really don’t have the patience to wipe the little bits of sand off of any thing!

What do you use to make cleaning up easier? I’d love to hear!