• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Feels Like Home™ logo

  • Shop
    • Christianity Downloads
    • Family Downloads
    • Food & Cooking Downloads
    • Hobbies & Crafts Downloads
    • Learning Downloads
  • Blog
  • Family
    • Parenting
    • Holidays & Celebrations
    • Marriage
    • Kids activities
      • Kids Crafts
      • Christmas Crafts for Toddlers & Preschoolers
      • Christmas Crafts for Kids
      • Christmas Crafts for Tweens & Teens
    • Learning
      • Reading & Writing
      • STEM
  • Faith
    • Bible Study
    • Encouragement
  • Recipes
    • Comfort Food
    • Eating after Bariatric Surgery
    • Gluten-Free
    • Recipes for Foodie Kids
    • Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals
  • Health
    • Mental Health
      • Hobbies & Crafts
      • Self-Care
    • Physical Health
      • Bariatric Surgery
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • SHOP
  • RECIPES
  • FAMILY
  • FAITH
  • HEALTH
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    See More:   Elementary Aged Kids Family Kids activities Preschoolers

    Last Modified: May 25, 2022 by Tara Ziegmont 3 Comments

    Making Mud Pies - Kids Sensory Play

    21FacebookMessenger46PinterestTwitterWhatsAppEmail
    67
    SHARES

    You know those things that seemed like a good idea when you first thought of them, but then they turn out to be a little more involved than you expected?

    This was one of those.

    A little girl making mud piesPin

    We live in suburbia. We have a third-acre plot of grass with a house in the middle. There's no field and no patches of bare earth, but we do have a tree row on one side that offers plentiful ticks and brambles.

    Also some nice shade on hot summer afternoons.

    We have no place for my kids to sit in the mud or play in the mud or even get dirty, unless you count the raised garden beds Joe built a couple of years ago. They are fenced and fortified, so there's no dirty play going on there, either.

    We do have a spot in our yard that fills up with water during heavy rains, but even that doesn't get muddy. Swampy, but not really muddy.

    Anyway. One day last weekend, I was planting flowers, and Allie got really excited about the mud created when I watered them in. After seeing her amazement, I decided that my kids needed to get muddy.

     

    The kids were already in play clothes (we were gardening), so I asked Joe to fill a dish pan and a bucket with dirt (one for Allie and one for Grace).

    I gave each kid a pitcher of water, and I showed them how to mix in the water a little at a time to make mud. Allie dumped her water in all at once and required more dirt.

    A little girl covered in mudPin

    As soon as her mud was muddy, she began splashing it everywhere (all over both of us), and I realized that I hadn't properly thought this plan through.

    (If I had, I would've still done it.)

    A little girl dropping mud into a bucketPin

    She squished and squashed and splattered, and we were both covered in mud in less than a minute.

    A little girl up to her armpits in mudPin

    By the time she laid in the mud, I had no words left. I just sat in amazement and laughed. I didn't predict this pure delight from her. (She doesn't normally like to be messy.)

    A small child playing in a pan of mudPin

    Her mud was too wet to make mud pies, but she made a tower of rocks in it. She scooped and poured it with her hands, a cup, and her watering can.

    A little girl filling a watering can with mudPin

    Grace wasn't nearly as eager or as vigorous in her muddy play, but she did play and did giggle the whole time.

    A little girl with mud piesPin

    Our kiddie pool was starting to turn light green from algae, so I let the kids wash their hands and tools in the water. It was destined to be used as garden irrigation later in the day anyway.

    A muddy little girl that is sitting in the grassPin

    Once Allie's clothes were saturated, she told me, Clothes OFF. Being half naked didn't stop her from playing in the mud.

    The little girl is now wearing only a diaper and is still covered in mudPin

    I stopped taking pictures when she said, Diaper OFF and subsequently removed it. They played in their mud and then got in the pool and played in the muddy pool water.

    Allie, who usually has an attention span of two minutes (as is normal for a 2-year-old) played in her mud for almost an hour.

    It was a giant pain to clean up (both from the kids and from the yard), but the girls' experience was worth it. We'll do this again, for sure.

    Have you ever created mud puddles in your backyard?

    21FacebookMessenger46PinterestTwitterWhatsAppEmail
    67
    SHARES

    More Elementary Aged Kids

    • How to Introduce an Elf on the Shelf Plus 26 Creative & Fun Elf Ideas
    • Christmas Gift Guide for Families
    • 24 Best Non-Tech Gifts for Kids
    • 18 Fun Things to Do with Your Kids

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Faigie says

      June 18, 2013 at 8:31 pm

      You are one brave Mama

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        June 18, 2013 at 9:21 pm

        Brave or dumb, I guess. 😉

        Reply
    2. Louise Bibby says

      October 20, 2013 at 9:26 pm

      Love it! Love it! Love it! Tara, this blog is just gorgeous - with the photos and the absolute joy on your daughters' faces, but more for the fact that you just went with it - and enjoyed it too. I'm just finishing an ebook about spending quality time with your kids (in short windows of time) - "15 Minute Power Plays With Your Kids: How To Be A Better Parent In 15 Minutes A Day". I have 31 suggested activities parents can do with their kids that don't necessarily take much time. Number 13 is "Make Mud Pies"! As I am trying to find blogs, websites, books etc to link to in my Resource section for each "Power Play" idea, I just searched google for blogs on making mud pies. Yours is by far the best I've found because it pretty much sums up what I say in my book - ie yes, it's messy, but if you just accept it's going to be and prepare for it a bit, the kids will have a ball (even moreso if YOU join in). The laughter and joy that it brought you as your usually non-messy daughter had a ball getting muddy and messy pretty much sums up quality time I reckon. Your willingness to allow the kids to just explore and get messy would have made you Queen in their eyes. Anyway, I just loved it and wanted to say so.

      I will try to contact you directly, but I would love to link to this blog in my ebook if you are happy for me to do that. I know it sounds weird asking if it's ok to promote your blog, but I just think it's etiquette. Who knows, linking to it could go viral and it could make your website crash! Wouldn't want that for you without any warning - though not a terrible problem to have if THAT many people visit your site :-).

      Anyway, I'll try to contact you directly, but thanks for putting a smile on my face with those gorgeous photos and your willingness to let you kids "just go for it" in the mud.

      Cheers

      Louise Bibby
      15minutepowerplayswithyourkids.com (website in development stage right now)

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tara.

    Harrisburg PA mom blogger Tara Ziegmont
    I am passionate about helping women to care for themselves and their families physically, emotionally, and spiritually by making time for what matters most through a combination of delectable recipes, Christian inspiration, and family fun. If you're tired of feeling so weary and uninspired, you're in the right place. I'm so glad you're here!
    Read more about me...

    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram LinkedIn email me subscribe

    Popular Recipes

    • Cheeseburger Soup from Taste of Home
    • Cracker Barrel Copycat Fried Apples
    • Sweet Balsamic Pork Roast in the Instant Pot
    • Couldn't Be Easier Cherry Pie

    Food with an Instant Pot in the background

    AS SEEN ON

    a list of the websites where Tara Ziegmont has been featured

    Popular Bible Studies

    • A Grateful Heart - 2 week printable study
    • 10 Bible Verses on Anger
    • 13 Bible Verses on Disappointment
    • 50 Bible Verses Every Christian Should Know
    • 10 Bible Verses to Overcome Worry

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    As seen on

    a list of the websites where Tara Ziegmont has been featured

    Contact Tara


    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy.

    Copyright © 2022 Feels Like Home Blog

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    SettingsAccept
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT