Become a Citizen Scientist
Wet and Wonderful – A Mud Puddle-and-Pie Activity Guide
Wet and Wonderful – a Mud Puddle-and-Pie Activity Guide
The season of wet-and-muddy is upon us, and with it, an opportunity to embrace all manners of sensory play, mud-puddle math, nature art and interdisciplinary integration! Have boots? Will play!
Mud-puddle math:
Mud puddles provide endless hours of sensory fun, and an incredible opportunity for authentic learning!
How deep is the water? How much water is in a really big puddle? What could it fill? A bucket? A bathtub? How could we even measure it?!
In her blog Puddle Play – Rethinking the ‘Math Classroom’, Deanna Pecaski McLennan, PhD, elaborates the “measurement, counting, capacity, classification, time and quantity” that can all be explored authentically in a puddle. This is rich learning where play and adaptive reasoning intersect.
Math can happen anywhere, and outdoors doing something most children love is the perfect place!
Tool tips? Try:
- Turkey basters That turkey baster that only gets used twice yearly?! An incredible (and FUN) instrument of transfer and measurement: squirting distance, volume transfer – comparing between one container and another.
- Measuring cups
- Funnels
More math and measurement?! Try Mud Kitchens!
Mud Kitchen:
Cooking up delicious “recipes” in a mud kitchen requires only a few second-hand kitchen implements like muffin tins, metal bowls, collanders and spoons. This can be on-the-ground immersive play or hands-in-a-sandbox in a wood or brick enclosure (pictured below). Second-hand stores are inexpensive sources for utensils, and places like the Re-store offer inexpensive sinks and accessories for more elaborate builds!
Frozen Sun Catchers
Frozen Sun Catchers
A recipe for easy mid-winter magic
January 23, 2019
Ingredients
- Found nature objects – Twigs, leaves, berries, pine cones
- Container to freeze the water in – aluminum pie plates are perfect!
- Water
- Something to hang them: twine, yarn, ribbon
- Freezing temperatures

Steps
- Lay out your nature objects in the base of your container for freezing
- Lay the twine amidst the nature objects with a large loop or two loose ends hanging out – this will be your hang or tie
- Place your creations on a flat outdoor surface where they can freeze undisturbed (window sill, picnic table, etc.)
- Slowly pour in water until the container is full and ensure your twine/ribbon are still submerged
- Set the outdoor temperature to below freezing 😉 **freeze overnight for best results
Hang this ice art from a tree branch in a sunny spot where the sun will shine through and slowly melt it away, transforming your creation throughout the day.
Tips
- play with colours, textures, patterns… Eating oranges? Add visual a-peel with pieces of rind or slices interspersed
- Make minis in ice cube trays
- Fancy a rainbow catcher? Add food coloring
- Use bundt pans for a frozen wreath
Warning: This recipe will quickly become a staple on your nature crafting menu!