Activity
Identify a space in your schoolyard where children can dig in the dirt, or fill a bin with dirt for them to explore. By adding water, the dirt becomes mud, which can be used like paint to draw and write on the sidewalk, cardboard, paper, or canvas fabric. You can even add food coloring, washable paint, or crushed up chalk to make new colors! Provide wooden spoons, buckets, pipettes, spray bottles, and sticks for stirring.
Materials
If purchasing soil for children to play in, make sure there are no hazardous chemicals or fertilizers included in the mixture (organic potting mixtures or loamy topsoil are usually good options, but always read the list of ingredients). Other useful materials include:
- Paintbrushes
- Sticks
- Buckets
- Spray bottles
- Food coloring or washable paint
- Cardboard, paper, or canvas
Skill Building
This playful activity encourages children to experiment with cause-and-effect and express their creativity. By saying what you see children doing, you support language development.