The snow might still cover the ground where you are, but before you know it, spring will be here. If you live where I live, it already feels halfway like spring with the mild weather and the torrential rain. Even in cooler places, as the snow melts you experience the same dampness as we do, and mud abounds. Mud, glorious mud!
Now, many animals like to roll in the mud, and many preschoolers seem to be no exception. Mud is sticky and gooey and it’s just plain lovely. So give you and your preschooler permission to play in the mud for a while. Just have a hose, a bath, and a change of clothes handy at the end.
Animals use mud to cool off and to scare away flies. You don’t need to roll in it, but you could start your outdoor muddy excursion with an indoor facial, mud-style. Get a mud facial and share it with your preschooler. Spa or not, it’s a fun and adult and kid-friendly way to enjoy the mud.
Then head outside, boots on. Rain pants work well for the mud too. Stomp in the mud. Draw pictures with your toes. Bring out some giant paintbrushes, collect some mud, and go mud painting on the nearest tree, fence, or melting snow pile. Paint a few masterpieces on paper too. Dig a trench in the mud and watch the water from puddles wash through it, then dam it up again.
Get some old pans and pots and make mud stews and pies and play pretend. Bring a few of the cleaner and thinner ones indoors and let them dry out, making real little muddy pies.
Lacking mud? Get some old fall leaves, a little sandbox sand, and some potting soil and stomp, stomp, stomp to make some lovely mud.
Does your child like to play in the mud? Do you? What do you do on a muddy day?