Making mud pies in the garden is one of those wonderful fun activities that children love to do. I have to confess that it’s something the girls rarely do. I’ve never particularly discouraged it but nor have I actively encouraged it either.
My girls don’t always like to get mucky in the garden. Sometimes I think they worry a little too much about getting messy. While there are definitely times that this is a good thing – there are also times when I think it holds them back a little from having fun. As I often say (and they often remind me) “clothes can always be washed!” After all, they’re only little children for a short time.
An old ice-cream tub, unwanted spoons, terracotta dish and some paper cupcake cases were the perfect accessories for making mud pies. We collected some of the earth from around the edges of the garden and added some water to make the mud. Sophie loved helping to mix the mud and then fill the cupcake cases. They were a little flimsy though and I made a mental note to double them up for the next time.
Once the cupcake cases were filled, we filled the terracotta dish to make a bigger cake. The cakes then had went in the “oven” (under one of the garden chairs) to bake. Once Sophie had decided that the cakes had baked for long enough, it was time to decorate them.
I thought Sophie would pick a variety of leaves and flowers from the garden to decorate her mud cakes. She mostly chose clover leaves and flowers though and then added sticks to the big mud cake to make candles. The mud cakes were for her doll’s birthday. Naturally, Doll then had to come outside to blow the candles out. This then resulted in Doll needing to have a wash!
Sophie had so much fun making her mud cakes that we had to repeat it all over again later that day after Jessica came home from school. I loved watching my girls working together to make their mud cakes. Such a simple activity but they had so much fun doing it.
I just love the age your girls are at. A few props makes an afternoon of fun. We have a few old cupcake baking trays in our mud kitchen and they are in constant use. At the end of every week there is a muddy sandy concoction welded into them. I take it as a sign of an enjoyable afternoon. I haven’t included the mud kitchen in our activity hour for some time, seeing your lovely photos of the girls playing has got me thinking it is definitely an area I need to revisit with a group of children.
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
Thank you Fiona. I love that your mud kitchen is in constant use. The girls had fun with their mud cake making session 🙂
Aww an oldie but a goodie – looks like they had great fun ! #countrykids
Thank you Cheryl, they thoroughly enjoyed themselves 🙂
My Daughter is a little bit fussy about getting dirty. But she has been introduced to a mud kitchen at nursery and so I think she would enjoy this activity 🙂 #CountryKids
My girls tend to be a little fussy at times too – it was good to see them getting into it and not worrying too much about getting dirty.
Very good idea to use the cupcake cases for making the mudpies, I think this is an iconic part of being a child. Mich x #Countrykids
Thanks Mich – we have lots of cupcake cases so could spare a few for mud cake making 🙂
Awwww bless them! My little ones don’t make mud pies (we only have a teeny patio) but they love helping me plant flowers and veg 🙂
Always nice to have some help with planting 🙂
For some reason, I have never thought of doing this with the kiddies. I used to do this when I was a kid & I think i ate it once too…. ew!
Coming over from #CountryKids x
Eating it doesn’t sound so nice! Thankfully my girls didn’t try to taste any 🙂
Hooray for mud play. Mud baking is my girls absolute favourite thing to do . I tell my kids that children are meant to be dirty and bruised because that means their having unrestricted fun #countrykids
Thank you Rachel – and I completely agree with you! 🙂
My boys love making mud pies, it’s such a simple pelasure, free and a great way to get creative. Love it
Just popping over from Country Kids
Laura x
It is so much fun to do 🙂
This looks like a lot of fun, im a bit of a clean freak but my 4 year old would love this, maybe I need to take a deep breath and let her #countrykids
It is good fun – I just put the kids in clothes that I don’t mind them getting so messy 🙂
I love this Louise. My daughters’ village school has a mud kitchen in the reception and pre school outside space and it always goes down a treat! #countrykids
Thank you. Having a mud kitchen is such a good idea 🙂
We’ve yet to try mud pies but our youngest has already sampled soil and sand! You’d think she would learn after just one sample but no! #CountryKids
lol thankfully neither of my girls are tempted to taste!