World Book Day 2020 is celebrated on Thursday, March 5th. I love children. I love nature and I love books. Put it all together and you get: children reading books outdoors! FABULOUS!
Don’t wait until March 5th. Here’s an idea to help you get started today.
Many children love playing in the mud. It is an irresistible sensory experience for some children. They become fascinated with making “sticky traps”. They love listening to the plopping, squelching sounds of stomping and jumping in mud. If left to their own devices, they will dig deep holes, add water and compete to make the biggest splashes!
Muddy play is magnificent.
Two books I read when the days become wet and the mud beckons the brave are Little Blue Truck, written by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry and Stuck in the Mud, written by Jane Clarke, illustrated by Garry Parsons.
Both books are written in rhyme. I love, love, love rhyming picture books. Both books demonstrate helping others in need, and both books are beautifully illustrated.
The books can be read to younger students. Older students can read the books themselves. Why not invite older students to “be the teacher” and read the books aloud to younger students or peers?
While some children are busying digging in the mud, some children like to go with me and act out Stuck in the Mud in another part of the outdoor learning environment.
Little Blue Truck has an unlikely, but humorous helper. The confident big, green toad always gets a laugh.
For the children who are not interested in getting covered in mud, I set up a small world play area outside. All it takes is a dump truck from our sandbox, a hot wheels truck from indoors and a few farm animals. It’s not necessary to have every character from the book. I let the children’s imaginations fill in any missing parts. Sometimes they add their own props and make up their own stories.
What stories do you read to encourage muddy play?
