Rainy Day Fun: Painting With Mud!

I live by the old Scandinavian saying “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes,” which means that the term “rainy day activity” typically means that we’re doing something outdoors. Why? Partly because I believe kids that play outside in all types of weather become resilient and more capable of adapting to what life throws at them. But different weather conditions also open up opportunities for completely different ways to play, so why huddle up inside during a nice drizzle?

Painting with mud - fun rainy day activity for preschoolers from Rain or Shine Mamma.

Children typically enjoy rainy days for many reasons – puddle jumping, worm digging and mud cake baking ranking pretty high. (Check out my post Outdoor Play Ideas and Tips for Rainy Days for more ideas.) After a heavy rain this afternoon my girls added a new activity to their repertoire: Painting with mud. Although they both participated, the Little Naturalist (3) was especially absorbed by the process. “Look, I’ve made numbers,” she said proudly, showing me some random patterns that she had made.

A boon for busy parents (aren’t we all?) this rainy day activity requires minimal preparation and materials. It’s a pretty safe bet that your kids will end the session soaking wet and extremely happy, so make sure they’re dressed for it. My daughters had a total blast creating with the mud, and I highly recommend this activity to anybody who is looking for simple and open-ended play ideas for wet weather!

Rainy Day Fun: Mixing Mud Paint! Rain or Shine Mamma.

What you need:

  • Paint brushes of different sizes
  • Something to make and keep the mud paint in – we used a couple of empty yogurt containers.
  • Optional: natural materials like pine cones, feathers and sticks to make different patterns with the mud

How to do it:

Collect some mud in the containers and add water until the mixture has a good consistency. If possible, try to find dirt with different color tones. For example, we have a lot of iron-rich soil in our backyard that makes a rich, red paint that is perfect to paint with. Find a smooth area to act as your canvas – a concrete driveway or patio works great. Sit back and watch as your kids’ creative juices flow during this fun rainy day activity!

Rainy Day Fun: Painting with Mud! Rain or Shine Mamma.

For more outdoor play ideas, make sure to follow my Pinterest boards.

What are your kids’ favorite thing to do when it rains?

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16 thoughts on “Rainy Day Fun: Painting With Mud!

  1. Karen Ung says:

    What fun! My kids have been playing with the mud-on-the-side-of-the-car-version. ; ) Snow on the ground and muck on the roads = yucky car (with finger painting on it). LOL. Glad you let them get messy! It’s the best fun!!

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