Five Ways to Embrace Mud This Spring

My family is lucky because we have a frog pond behind our house. At this time of year, the frogs chirp very loudly every time there is rain or the temperature rises. This year we have a bounty of frog eggs to observe.

While the kids were out exploring the mud and observing frogs, I taped this video diary:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZt3mK2pCQw[/youtube]

So to summarize, here are five ways to embrace mud this spring:

Frog

  1. Show your kids that you are totally okay with them getting muddy.
  2. Have a mud mat and hose handy.
  3. Bring inexpensive nets and shovels.
  4. Have easy snacks pre-made by the door so they don’t have to go inside to eat.
  5. Write a specific goal for an outdoor place you want to explore with your children.

And here’s a bonus tip if your kids are small and you need to stay handy. I bring a book or magazine to pass the time while I sit nearby. My husband brings his MP3 player and Sudoku. I’m trying to give them a true free hour without adults telling them how to play or how to learn, but I do want to keep them safe. So if I can keep my hands busy, I’m more likely to sit quietly and just let them do their thing.

 

Hopefully this video inspires you to be okay with mud and let the kids get knee-deep in it. They are learning and celebrating life!

Frog eggsHere are some resources to enhance your spring nature explorations:

Suggested Tweet:

5 Ways to Embrace Mud This Spring – Makes Kids Happy! – http://blog.nwf.org/2012/03/mud/ @nwf

National Wildlife Federation’s Storytelling Video Diary Series shares the candid tales of nine NWF staffers from around the country; armed with their cameras in the Great Lakes, California, South Dakota, the Pacific Northwest, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC, these nine staffers will share with you their individual trials, epiphanies and stories as they unfold in their daily adventures.