Summer break. A time where kids everywhere enjoy more time outdoors and where cares seem to melt away.
For some it means going to camp, either with Scouts or maybe a church day camp. But you don’t have to go far to enjoy outdoor activities with friends.
The past few summers we’ve enjoyed having a few other homeschool families over for our very own backyard summer camp.
This past year we had “dirt day” for one of our camp days. We had lots of fun exploring dirt with plenty of fun dirt activities.
Everyone’s favorite was making mud paint and using it for this mud painting for kids.
Affiliate links have been used in this post. Read my full disclosure here.
Warmer weather is the perfect time to get outside to do some messy art. Over the years we’ve had fun doing splat painting and my son’s favorite, painting with trucks.
Painting with mud has become our new favorite.
It’s no surprise this process art activity can get a little messy. Find a shady place outside to get artistic and the mess can all be hosed away when finished.
Mud Painting
Wondering how to make mud paint?
It’s super easy! All it takes is the willingness to get a little dirty and to have fun.
You’ll also need: dirt, water, food coloring, a few plastic cups and craft sticks.
To make your own paint, grab your shovel and head out to the yard to get some dirt. You will want 1/3 cup of dirt for each color of dirt paint you wish to make.
To make a smoother paint, with less lumps in it, dump the dirt onto a hard, flat surface and use the back of your shovel to smash up the clumps.
Scoop 1/3 cup dirt into each cup. In each cup add just a little bit of water and stir with a craft stick. You want the paint to be the consistency of pudding. If it is too runny you can pour off a bit of water or add a little more soil.
Leave one cup as is; this will be your brown paint.
To make different colors, squeeze 10+ drops of food coloring into each of the other cups. We found that blue, green, and red worked the best. Stir thoroughly with a craft stick. (The grey color paint we used is actually just creek clay mixed with water — which was a whole new feel compared to the mud paint!)
To use your mud paint, you will want some thick art paper. We used this paper and had great results.
Arrange the paint so all your artists can reach the various colors and get ready to see their creativity.
Mud paint is irresistible for those that like to finger paint.
It also works well with paint brushes for more detailed paintings.
As you know, mud crumbles when it dries. The painting won’t last forever.
If you want to preserve the painting you can spray it with a spray sealant like we did. Just let the painting dry flat and once it is dry spray an even coating across the top.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when we started our mud painting. But I absolutely loved how they all turned out!
If you are looking for a fun outdoor art activity for a variety of ages, mud painting is one they will remember for a long time.
You may also like these painting activities:
Karen, the next best thing to mummy says
As a former early years practitioner, I love this #alittlebitofeverything@_karendennis
Mariss says
Love this for the preschool I teach at. I am wondering if white glue was added to mid paint if it would beore durable.
OneMommy says
What a great idea!
We may need to try the addition of glue to see what happens.
I will say that ours have lasted several months now having been sprayed with a coat of sealant.