[null, null, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VnsEcBuoGHM/T-5CJuwiODI/AAAAAAAABzM/uFmDjtDGBus/s320/mudpie10.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VnsEcBuoGHM/T-5CJuwiODI/AAAAAAAABzM/uFmDjtDGBus/s320/mudpie10.jpg", "formatted_filename": "mudpie", "rendered_width": 272, "rendered_height": 320}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2VRaSK52znQ/T-5CMmv10RI/AAAAAAAABzk/zN6hqTFaQAM/s320/mudpie4.jpg", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2VRaSK52znQ/T-5CMmv10RI/AAAAAAAABzk/zN6hqTFaQAM/s320/mudpie4.jpg", "formatted_filename": "mudpie", "rendered_width": 249, "rendered_height": 320}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mxW1i_YTBsA/T-5CIsFbj4I/AAAAAAAABzE/yUuhf_Ndsn8/s320/mudday1.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mxW1i_YTBsA/T-5CIsFbj4I/AAAAAAAABzE/yUuhf_Ndsn8/s320/mudday1.jpg", "formatted_filename": "mudday", "rendered_width": 278, "rendered_height": 320}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kno_7IGNWoA/T-5CNiuZITI/AAAAAAAABzs/7XM5jWKIZVI/s320/mudpie5.jpg", "src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kno_7IGNWoA/T-5CNiuZITI/AAAAAAAABzs/7XM5jWKIZVI/s320/mudpie5.jpg", "formatted_filename": "mudpie", "rendered_width": 320, "rendered_height": 237}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uzQpN2KQQ_8/T-5COtkaenI/AAAAAAAABz0/SIedVPpl24M/s320/mudpie6.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uzQpN2KQQ_8/T-5COtkaenI/AAAAAAAABz0/SIedVPpl24M/s320/mudpie6.jpg", "formatted_filename": "mudpie", "rendered_width": 320, "rendered_height": 219}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xVtV7knq-wE/T-5CHOLIfXI/AAAAAAAABy8/1qHkiovCc50/s320/menu.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xVtV7knq-wE/T-5CHOLIfXI/AAAAAAAABy8/1qHkiovCc50/s320/menu.jpg", "formatted_filename": "menu", "rendered_width": 254, "rendered_height": 320}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g4ffnM5ggio/T-5CLuRcobI/AAAAAAAABzc/RJgU1RCDi8k/s320/mudpie3.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g4ffnM5ggio/T-5CLuRcobI/AAAAAAAABzc/RJgU1RCDi8k/s320/mudpie3.jpg", "formatted_filename": "mudpie", "rendered_width": 320, "rendered_height": 263}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pNl_paBcFEI/T-5CPaBfDeI/AAAAAAAABz8/A3WIuzXQuUo/s320/mudpie7.jpg", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pNl_paBcFEI/T-5CPaBfDeI/AAAAAAAABz8/A3WIuzXQuUo/s320/mudpie7.jpg", "formatted_filename": "mudpie", "rendered_width": 320, "rendered_height": 219}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6irWJPwfB2o/T-5CQSMRmwI/AAAAAAAAB0E/nk4nkpKZgpU/s320/mudpie8.jpg", "src": "http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6irWJPwfB2o/T-5CQSMRmwI/AAAAAAAAB0E/nk4nkpKZgpU/s320/mudpie8.jpg", "formatted_filename": "mudpie", "rendered_width": 320, "rendered_height": 222}, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc114/oakmoss14/signaturelovelight.jpg", "src": "http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc114/oakmoss14/signaturelovelight.jpg", "formatted_filename": "signaturelovelight"}, null, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "//lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hw5bi0oxo6Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAACl4/z3WDQrUeCNI/s80-c/photo.jpg", "src": "http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hw5bi0oxo6Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAACl4/z3WDQrUeCNI/s80-c/photo.jpg", "formatted_filename": "photo", "alt_text": "My photo", "rendered_width": 80, "rendered_height": 80}, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc114/oakmoss14/Emailme.jpg", "src": "http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc114/oakmoss14/Emailme.jpg", "formatted_filename": "Emailme"}, null, null, null, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://cdn.craftgossip.com/files/2007/10/i-love_craftgossip150x150pixel.jpg", "src": "http://cdn.craftgossip.com/files/2007/10/i-love_craftgossip150x150pixel.jpg", "formatted_filename": "i love craftgossippixel"}, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://www.mmscrapshoppe.com/blog/PinterestMasterList.jpg", "src": "http://www.mmscrapshoppe.com/blog/PinterestMasterList.jpg", "formatted_filename": "PinterestMasterList"}, {"document_url": "http://mamaslittlemuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-did-it-we-participated-for-first.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g424/cpericola/SharingSaturdayoption2-002.jpg", "src": "http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g424/cpericola/SharingSaturdayoption2-002.jpg", "formatted_filename": "SharingSaturdayoption", "alt_text": "Photobucket"}]
We did it! We participated for the first time ever in INTERNATIONAL MUD DAY! Thanks to an inspiring post from Crystal at Growing a Jeweled Rose I was made aware of this annual slop fest! You can read her post that highlights 30 ways to celebrate this kids' "holiday" here.

I have been anticipating this day all week long for my son, with, I admit, a little trepidation. I know from personal experience from when I was a kid how incredibly fun is it to play with mud — I remember fondly making mud pies and muddy stew and just losing myself in play. Looking back on how magical this experience was for me I realize how important it is to stage enticing imaginary play settings for my son. I feel that children are more supervised in their play nowadays by adults and there seems to be a lot of "Nos" coming from these towering figures hindering their otherwise unbridled play. I'm guilty of it sometimes that's for sure! But I try my best not to be. I think children need to be allowed to just be themselves, and not always have older people constantly telling them "do this, don't do that". Muddy play challenges parents to let go of their tendency to control the clean factor of the situation. I had a sprinkler and a towel on the sidelines ready for a preliminary wash when my son was done playing, and also plans for a bath so I didn't let the dirtiness factor of this Mud Extravaganza get in the way of the FUN! AND boy, did he have FUN! I didn't know exactly how Mud Day would manifest for us, I just provided the props. I filled up my son's old baby pool with mud & had another container nearby filled with water. I put his sand toys out, some pie containers, & bowls of pebbles and sand. I told him "this is your Mud Day, you can do whatever you like. You can even climb in the mud if you want to!" He looked at his options and surprisingly ruled against a mud bath and decided to make mud pies instead.

We found an old window frame and used it as the store front. My son named the business "Pie Prickles". His friend came by to help him out. I was a repeat customer. I would place my order, and the kids would get to work, a few minutes later I would hear a flute being blown, which was my cue that my order was ready. He and his friend worked hard making their pies, using rocks for berries, sand for sugar, and of course mud for chocolate. The sticks were useful for stirrers. Pies, fresh out of the oven! Don't the flowers and cherries make them so inviting? They even served candy apples, dipped in caramel "mud". They had quite the creative menu. I was able to support their business as I had a lot of "green" currency that I kept kicking down. As the business expanded they installed tables for sit down customers. And they even had a "to go" container for my uneaten portion!

Happy International Mud Day! Hope you got dirty today! Labels: activity, children, imaginary play, International Mud Day, outside play


