Mud Pie Recipes

What you need

• a bucket of mud or dirt from the garden
• a jug of water
• an old saucepan and a pan lid
• an egg box for the pies
• spoons, bowls and cups
• a handful of dry leaves, grass or petals

How to do it

1. Set the bucket, jug, saucepan, egg box and spoons out on the grass or a step outside.
2. Say a recipe out loud: three spoons of mud, one cup of water, two leaves on top.
3. Let them count each spoonful into the saucepan, stir it and spoon it into the egg box.
4. Ask them to make up the next recipe for you, and follow it exactly.

Why it matters

A recipe gives them a reason to count every spoonful out loud, and stirring mud is the kind of mess a garden can take.

What they're learning

Counting out

Three spoons means stopping at three, which is harder than counting along.

Mixing and pouring

Stirring thick mud and spooning it into little cups works the hands and arms.

Playing a role

Being the baker means following a recipe and serving what they make.

What to look for

Notice them stopping at the right number of spoonfuls without you counting with them.

A tip

Old clothes, and a bowl of water by the back door for hands, make the end much easier. Stay close so the mud pies stay pretend.

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