Getting Messy with a Mud Target Practice for Kids

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Setting up a simple target practice for kids leads to great gross motor practice with throwing! This is a messy, but oh-so-fun one.

“If you want more mud, then go get more dirt.”

Yep. I actually said those words. And it was so worth it.

A mess can always be cleaned up later. Especially when you have Clorox Green Works (who’s sponsoring this post today!) on hand to clean up quickly and yet safely around the kids.

Of course, with mud, we did this outside. I set up a simple target practice for the boys.

When I asked the boys to fill their buckets with dirt, they were excited! But also very confused.

What were they going to do with this dirt?

So I told them. We’re going to add water and make it mud.

Now, they’re very confused. Why on earth would mom want us to make mud? I could see it on their faces.

Here are ideas for 30 Gross Motor Activities for Kids with Lots of Energy

I drew a quick target on our sidewalk. I gave the targets numbers, but it really didn’t matter, this was all fun and games. No score keeping here. Just lots of giggles.

I also drew a line for them to stand behind when throwing their mud balls.

Learning opportunity: Adding numbers to the target can lead to great learning though. Think of all the math skills that can be learned in naming the numbers, adding them up (use tally marks!), or even add in subtraction if your kids are up for it. Or make it color oriented and have them aim to land in the green circle.

With the hose, we added just a tad bit of water to their buckets of dirt. Just enough to make it moldable, not sloppy.

And with that they were off.

Making mud balls and throwing them at the target.

George was just giggly and thought it was hilarious to throw mud around.

Keep preschoolers moving and learning with 30 ways for them to learn the things they need to know in preschool, all while moving!

Henry was determined to land on the 10 spots. He hit the center one several times, but the one I drew past the main target was just too far out of reach. Not that they couldn’t throw that far… they just couldn’t throw that far with any amount of accuracy.

I don’t think any of it was really accurate, my boys aren’t the most sporty kids out there. But it was good to get them moving and practicing throwing in a very fun, and very giggly way.

And to the drive by car that stopped and ask “You let them play with mud?”. Yep. I sure do. In fact, I love it.

The dirt and mud has been tracked in all summer long!

Am I the only one?!

Mud gets tracked in and out of the house every day, especially in the summer (you do not want to visit my house without letting me know you’re coming ahead of time). The boys need a drink. Henry has to pee. They need to wash their hands, because, yes, they think they’re too dirty to continue on without washing up sometimes.

It just seems to naturally flow into our house!

Normally after an activity like this, I have the boys hose off if its warm enough outside and then strip down in the garage before entering the house where they can do a final cleanup.

But no matter how hard we try, dirt still tracks in. Muddy floors, muddy walls… and my bathroom sink… it’s usually covered too.

Oh well. It’s just dirt. It’ll clean up.

Especially with Clorox Green Works. Quick. Easy. Effective. And safe around the kids! Its not exploding with those crazy smelling toxins you think of when you smell bleach. Not that I’d let my kids bathe in this or anything, but I feel much better cleaning up with it when they’re around.

Follow along the Move & Learn series as we add to it week after week. Check out other ways to move and learn this week:

• Reading Game on The Pleasantest Thing
• Sight Word Swim Game on Coffee Cups & Crayons

This post is sponsored by Green Works®. You don’t have to compromise on clean to be green.