Week 5: Outdoor Play Provocation 5 of 5 -- Mud Paints @ Dusk

I actually wasn't sure if everyone would make it through to the final activity or not, but the day was beautiful and my little one was really loving all the outdoor play...so we followed her lead, and just kept on at it!

After finishing up our tea party, we walked off the back porch to the edge of the woods where a pillowcase canvas was waiting along with some pigment powders for my little one to make some mud paints out of the mud previously excavated from the garden.

Photo: dirt from the garden mixed with some Earth Paints pigments, waiting for the addition of water to change states from solid to liquid. (6 March 2021)

My little one absolutely loves painting, and she especially enjoys mixing her own paints. I had set up the pillowcase and the recycled yogurt bowls with some of her powdered pigments, then we scooped spoonfuls of dirt into each cup and added some water to make paint. Our little creator had some strong ideas on mixing colors, and played with that for about 15 to 20 minutes before she was ready to begin painting. Once she started, however, she had some very specific colors she wanted to use and continued mixing everything while painting in the final moments of sunlight. Just before dusk, she let us know that she was finished with her creation: a hybrid kitchen apron/superhero cape of which she was so very proud. 

Photo: my little one painting a beautiful canvas in the last minutes of the setting sun. (6 March 2021)

She was actually having so much fun that it took the promise of homemade seafood paella (containing her favorite of shrimp, green peas, rice, and fresh tomatoes on the side) and getting to give her cat a treat to convince her to come inside the house. She wanted to stay out and "take the moon for a walk" like we do with the Kids Moon Club, but after six+ hours of intensive play in the cool early spring air the adults were all ready for hot tea and warm blankets! Everyone came inside, and she fell asleep before dinner was even halfway finished...which to my mind is the sign of a day well spent in outdoor play.