These activities help spark creativity and imagination. Plan ahead by gathering your “tools” and having water nearby for cleanup afterward.

 

Splash through a puddle. Squish mud through your toes. You know you want to and so will your little one!

 

Press a ball of mud into tree bark. Carve or pinch a face into the mud and add grass or weeds for hair and stones for eyes. (Also works on brick walls.)

 

Use mud, sticks, stones or leaves from the backyard to make a work of art. Fun for all ages!

 

Moisten dirt (potting soil will work too) and use as paint on white paper. Paint brushes optional. Excellent for hand prints too.

 

Use an old ice tray as the mold for making small mud bricks. These are great for small construction projects such as making a home for worms. School age children may enjoy making much larger bricks. They can emboss them with recycled materials, sticks or leaves.

 

Make a bird nest with mud and sticks and add little mud balls for eggs. 

 

Make chalk circles on a brick wall and have a contest to see how well children can hit the target.

 

Set up a mud kitchen with old pans and plastic dinner ware. Use cans or cookie cutters to make a “mud feast.”

 

Place small plastic toys, shells or rocks in a sand box or old wading pool filled with mud. You could also place them in a small area of dirt in the yard. Now sit back and let your child hunt for treasure. Toddlers love this!

 

The ultimate mud experience! Parental supervision advised.