EYFS Activities - We’ve explored… mud

Squelchy, squelchy mud…’ is declared with glee as two children dip their bare feet into a pool of gooey mud and then walk along a length of white paper. The children’s delight comes from their explorations into the medium of mud at Back to the Garden Childcare, a nature-led nursery in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

Staff noted how the children enjoyed playing with mud as they followed The Whitworth art gallery’s PLAYTIME at Home project earlier this year. ‘We chose the theme of mud because it is an amazing sensory material to work with, and best of all it’s free and everyone has access to it,’ says Lucy Turner, early years co-ordinator at The Whitworth in Manchester.

The muddy activities led staff to consider how they could continue to use this simple natural resource in a fun and educational way. They made the link with artists that work with natural materials and particularly became inspired by the British artist Richard Long.

Along with using mud to create their own big artworks, the nursery explorations evolved into the children discovering the ingredients of oozing mud, feeling its different consistencies when it is mixed with water or allowed to dry, as well as listening to the sounds it makes when it hits a hard surface.

KEEP STIRRING

Watching an artist at work, then creating their own artworks

Children watched some films of Richard Long working with mud, including dipping sheets of paper into the mud and hanging them up to dry, leaving streaks of dried mud on the surface. They saw him create large-scale artwork and also witnessed his simple interest in making lines by walking, such as flattening a line of grass in a field.

They decided to use mud to make their own paths of footprints as they travelled back and forth along a long sheet of paper. The children made their own mud by mixing soil and water together – ‘Keep stirring, keep stirring, keep stirring,’ they said as they worked together and demonstrated fascination around how the consistency of the mud changed as they added water.

‘At first it was a solid and sticky substance and then the children saw that it got runnier as they added more water. As they made the mud, they were thinking about how they could control the consistency by adding more soil or water. I think it gave the children a feeling of ownership and control,’ says Anne Statham, curriculum and training development consultant at Back to the Garden Childcare.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

Creating transient art with mud on a large window

Staff had the idea of furthering the concept of making large artworks with mud by providing paintbrushes and rollers for the children to paint with mud on a big window. It was decided to film the children through the window as they did this, reminiscent of Richard Long recording his processes.

‘The children explored smearing the mud onto the glass and made different marks. I think they enjoyed that it was not a permanent piece of art – process over product – and they had the freedom to do as they chose, such as making zig zags with their fingers,’ says Ms Statham.

‘Transient art is not as threatening for some children because they can wipe it away or redo it and explore the process, rather than putting pen to paper and making a permanent mark. I think it frees children up that they can make marks on a big scale and do it for the physical sensory pleasure of it without judgement.’

Staff anticipated that the children would use the paintbrushes and enjoy smearing the mud and making marks on the glass, but, typically, they also took the activity in their own direction. Making handprints of mud on the glass led to some children grabbing handfuls of mud and throwing it at the window. They watched as it hit the glass with a thud and then dribbled down, similar to how mud had run down Richard Long’s paper.

‘Some children scooped up the wet mud and splattered it at the window with some force. They watched what each other was doing and started to take a run-up to launch the mud further,’ says Ms Statham.

Once the children had finished experimenting with the mud, staff encouraged them to clean the area. ‘Washing the mud off was as much part of the explorations as creating the artwork, which we had not considered beforehand,’ she says. ‘It was part of restoring the space and leaving it ready for somebody else. We gave the children squeegees, cloths and soapy water so that they could wipe the windows down. It was pleasing to be wiping the mud away and watching it running down the window.’

FACE AND HANDS

How children responded to handling mud

The sensory experience of handling mud was particularly embraced by one child who made herself into the artwork by creating her own ‘mud mask’. She watched herself in a mirror as she tentatively used her finger to put mud onto her chin and then rub it further over her neck and face. Staff observed her feeling the mud between her fingers and then experiencing the sensation of the mud drying on her face – squeezing her face muscles to experience the sensation and doing a little jump with glee and clapping her hands.

‘It’s gone on me,’ commented one child as the mud splashed on their skin. ‘Oh look, I don’t have any skin! Wow, I can make skin and pull it off!’

But not all the children chose to get so hands-on with the mud, and one boy in particular chose to watch the others. ‘We would not pressurise any child to join in, and I think that observing is a good way of learning. He did play with the mud, but after everybody had moved away,’ says Ms Statham. ‘He got a paintbrush instead of his fingers to apply the mud to a piece of board, which was his first step of getting close to it.

‘It is important because we need to accept that everybody is different and they can take a lot in by just watching. It can be a very sensible approach to check out what is happening first, and it is your right to decide whether you want to participate or not.’

A WHOLE-BODY EXPERIENCE

Taking ownership of their explorations and learning

Along with the creativity, Ms Statham reflects that children experienced scientific learning about materials and mathematical concepts of trajectory along with teamwork as they explored the mud. Staff also observed children displaying schemas – transporting, mixing and transforming, trajectory and enveloping their bodies and faces with the mud.

‘The children had a lot of fun with the mud and had a lot of ownership over their explorations,’ Ms Statham says. ‘Children are often told to keep clean and not get dirty, with adults putting a stop to this form of play, so it probably felt exciting and illicit. It was a whole-body experience.’

BOOK CORNER

Mud by Mary Lyn Ray and Lauren Stringer

An ode to muddy hands and feet, brown earth and new grass. The simple text and lively illustrations will make children and adults want to sink their feet into gooey, gloppy, mucky, magnificent mud.

Dirt + Water = Mud by Katherine Hannigan

Anything can happen with some imagination and a few helpful props. Such as, what do you get when you combine dirt and water? Mud!

Mud Book: How to make pies and cakes by John Cage and Lois Long

Unleash your imagination and get your hands dirty, but remember: mud pies are to make and look at, not to eat!

Mud Pies and Other Recipes by Marjorie Winslow and Erik Blegvad

How about some Daisy Dip and Marigold Madness, with a side order of Dandelion Soufflé washed down with Iced Rainspout Tea?

Stuck in the Mud by Jane Clarke and Garry Parsons

A new day dawns on the farm, peaceful and calm. Then chaos strikes when one of the chicks is discovered stuck in the mud!

Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough

This is the tale of a duck in a truck – a truck that was stuck in some yucky brown muck. Could a goat in a boat get them out of this mess?

From Mud Huts to Skyscrapers: Architecture for Children by Christine Paxmann and Anne Ibelings

Explore mud huts to soaring towers in this architecture book filled with beautiful illustrations and descriptions.