Edible Mud for Sensory Play

At Mud Mates HQ, we’re big fans of messy play – and this edible mud recipe is a total winner!

Let’s be honest: not every child loves real mud. Some can’t stand the texture, don’t like getting dirty, or just won’t go near it. And then there are those little mud magnets you can’t pull away (that’s definitely my two!). But here’s the thing – most kids haven’t experienced edible mud.

Yep, edible mud is a thing! In this post, I’ll show you how to make your own, share some tips for gently encouraging reluctant mud players, and explain why sensory play like this is so valuable for little ones.

It’s not quite as simple as turning on the hose, but making edible mud is still super easy – and so much fun. Here’s how to do it…

What You’ll Need:

• 3 Cups Flour
• 1 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup White Sugar
• 3 cups water
• Udon noodles (or similar noodles or spaghetti)
• Black food colouring

How to Make Edible Mud:

Mix the ingredients together until you have runny, gloopy and tasty mud! Add more water if required.

Boil udon noodles in water with a few drops of black food colouring added.

See, I told you it was going to be easy! Obviously though, this type of mud should be used as a treat (or simply remove the sugar altogether and add a little bit extra flour to get a ‘muddy’ consistency).

Pour it into a tin or foil baking tray or plastic container. I used a foil tray from the $2 shop so I could simply throw it all in the rubbish when we were done!

Adding the edible worms also increases the fun! Plus I added some farm animals and fencing but you could also use other toys such as mini construction vehicles, or baking equipment including measuring cups, spoons or funnels (which we introduced part way through).

It’s a good idea to play with it outside, or at least on the bench, in a sink or on the lino. Then simply let your kids play!

Miss 4 was tentative at first, but soon got into the swing of it! I loved listening to their conversation and imaginative stories while they played.

Helping Kids Who Hate Getting Dirty

Some kids are just born to be messy! Others shy away from dirt like a cat from water. If you have a child who doesn’t like mud, teaching them how to make edible mud is a great place to start. Using something familiar to introduce something new is very effective. Other ways you can encourage a creative mess are:

• Get involved yourself!
• Talk about how mess is easy to wash off clothes and bodies
• Role model ways of exploring with a messy activity
• Invite other children who enjoy messy play to join in and role model
• Go slowly one step at a time

Sensory play helps our kids to not only learn new skills, but also different ways of doing the same thing. Sensory play helps to widen their vocabulary, develop coping mechanisms for new experiences and feelings and learn by feeling.

If you or your child is worries about getting their clothes messy, wearing our Craft Aprons or Coveralls solves that problem completely!

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