Mud day – everyday!

Ann Thompson

Soil and water mixed together makes mud. These are essential elements for sustaining life on earth. Together with sticks and stones they have been free and accessible playthings for children throughout human history who have spent time exploring their natural environments. Children who are offered access to the outdoors retain their connection to the natural world and all the learning opportunities afforded by these fascinating materials with their endless opportunities for experimentation, creativity and discovery.

We are delighted to share some of the mud play experiences we have observed and photographed during daily outdoor play sessions and some enhancements developed when celebrating International Mud Day over the years. Playing with mud is an extremely sensory experience for children as they handle mud in their hands or walk barefoot through a muddy puddle or on sun baked earth. They can observe the changes in the consistency of mud when rain falls on a digging area or it hardens in frosty weather. They can be the agents of transformation when they add water, sand, leaves or petals to their mud kitchen recipes and muddy water concoctions. They develop fine motor skills as they squeeze, mould, roll, press and manipulate mud in their hands. They develop their gross motor skills and core strength fetching and carrying water from a tap or digging soil to take to a mud kitchen. Children should learn the importance of handwashing after mud play, but also the benefits to their immune systems of playing with soil. Compost is not recommended as a mud play ingredient and checks should be made to ensure the soil is not contaminated with any harmful substances.

Mud Painting

Powder or poster paint can be mixed with soil and water to make earthy toned paint.

Dinosaur/hippo mud swamp

Add a new dimension to the dinosaur play with the creation of leafy swamps.

Mud kitchens and Very Muddy kitchens

Mud bath

Recommended only for very keen mud celebrants and those willing to deal with the aftermath!!

Great fun on a warm day.

Clay play

Heavy clay soil or commercial airdrying terracotta clay is a great addition when making mud kitchen creations as these materials are so pliable.

Thank you for reading our monthly journal post! We have a whole range of Naturally Creative Ideas books, picturebooks and resources that are perfect for enhancing outdoor play! Find them here in our shop!