Mud Play

[daycare]

My DCKs love mud play. we have a huge garden box and outside kitchen for mud play. While the kids are loving it and they play so well making all of their mud baked goods, my assistants and I are struggling to find a method of how we can reduce the fact that we have to change all 12-14 kids from head to toe every time we play with the mud and have to transition back to inside.

the weather is still cool for us, about 60-70's, (don't smack me for the complaint, that is cold to us) plus some light wind, so water play is not really too possible yet. The kids would all be too cold.

right now we are using a bucket of warm water, individual wash cloths, taking off all clothing outside and wiping down, kid comes inside, I recloth the kid and we then eat lunch or play inside. it is taking us WAY WAY TO LONG TO KEEP DOING THIS with this many kids.

Does anyone have any cool tricks, tips or MUD METHODS to transition the kids back to inside play after??

[Heidi]

How about those big long sleeved art smocks? I think IKEA has them.

Or raincoats over their clothes, even if it's not raining?

[daycare]

we have those, but the kids put the mud every where. especially the little ones. when i sy head to toe, i mean head to toe...

[spud912]

Hi Daycare, haven't seen you in awhile . I have no advice really....dress them in a bathing suit and hose them off before coming back inside?? This is my main dilemma with making a cool mud kitchen. My kids are not "clean" in the least. Water table play always results in a change of clothes.

[childcaremom]

We get messy, too, and do what you do. I only have 3 dcks, though.

Could you get a few containers and have the kids wash themselves? Soapy water and rinse water? These could be filled with warm water right before coming in.

[daycare]

We get messy, too, and do what you do. I only have 3 dcks, though.

Could you get a few containers and have the kids wash themselves? Soapy water and rinse water? These could be filled with warm water right before coming in.

hands down mud play has to be the favorite thing for all of the kids to do. Last week they play so nicely, no arguments for almost 4 hours. We made mud paint, mud pies, I have wonderful old school hand mixers and the kids just get so deep in play with the mud. I just don't know what else to do.

I do like the idea of maybe having them wash themselves, but most of them can't do a very good job yet. I think that I may have to put limits on mud play until it is warm enough to wear bathing suits and then go straight to water play.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I have wonderful old school hand mixers

Love that! I've got to get some!

[Unregistered]

I have wonderful old school hand mixers and the kids just get so deep in play with the mud.

Do you mean egg beaters?

[daycare]

Love that! I've got to get some!

I got really lucky. Our middle school no longer offers a food program at the school so they sold off all of their baking stuff. I got flour sifters, metal measuring cups, metal cake pans,cupcake pans, 4 heavy duty food scales, 6 old school hand mixers, tons of spatulas, all metal. The stuff was very loved, so it went straight to the mud play area. I got it all for $5.00

I go to the school rummage sale every year and kind of feel bad that I make out like a bandit....

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I got really lucky. Our middle school no longer offers a food program at the school so they sold off all of their baking stuff. I got flour sifters, metal measuring cups, metal cake pans,cupcake pans, 4 heavy duty food scales, 6 old school hand mixers, tons of spatulas, all metal. The stuff was very loved, so it went straight to the mud play area. I got it all for $5.00

I go to the school rummage sale every year and kind of feel bad that I make out like a bandit....

Wow! That's awesome. I want to come to your sale...

[SignMeUp]

My preschoolers lovethis food scales. They weigh everything ::