Is your kid obsessed with monster trucks?
Scroll down for your free monster truck printables!
We can’t really go wrong with trucks in this house. And mud just pairs perfectly, doesn’t it? Especially since my son is just obsessed with monster trucks. If your kiddo loves trucks too, be sure to scroll down and download your free monster truck printable activities!
One of his absolute favourite ways to play with his trucks is in mud. Real mud is definitely his preference but of course that has to stay outside. So when we’re inside we whip up some mud with ingredients readily available in our kitchen!
You’ll totally see why this is bound to become a popular play for toddlers. It’s one of those magical activities that I can put together really quickly, and both boys will play with it together (or somedays I’ll put out two bins so they don’t have to share). And with it being a taste safe sensory bin, I love not having to worry about my 1 year old inevitably ending up with some in his mouth!
This activity has been in regular rotation in our Flisat table since I first saw it at a playgroup (before Covid-19, sigh).
What you need:
- 1 Cup Cornstarch
- 1/2 Cup Cocoa powder
- 1 Cup (ish) Water
- Whisk
- Toy trucks
- Large bin (we love the Flisat table but a shallow storage bin (think under-bed storage) works perfectly)
- Soapy water & towel nearby to clean ‘muddy’ hands after
Muddy Trucks How-To:
Pour the ingredients together in the bin and whisk it up! I let my son pour and mix, we don’t really worry too much about measurements. You can’t really go wrong – add more water if it’s too thick, or more cornstarch if it’s too thin. Double or triple the batch depending on how big your bin is.
Mess Factor:
This one can get messy, as you might imagine. But for the most part I don’t find it to be too bad. My kids have gotten pretty good at keeping things in the bin, but you might want to try this the first time outside or in the bathtub. It’s pretty easy to wipe up after and simple to dump the mixture in the garbage and wash out the bin.
Keep a bowl of soapy water and towel nearby to wash off muddy hands when you’re done, or pair this activity with a truck wash! What could be better than getting trucks dirty and then cleaning them up right after!? This is also helpful if your little one isn’t 100% okay with getting messy hands yet!
And while our mud is reserved for monster trucks, tow trucks, construction vehicles and other things with wheels (or caterpillar tracks), this ‘mud’ works really well for so many other themes! Dinosaurs, farm animals, as pretend hot chocolate in a ‘cafe’, mud puddles…
Muddy Truck Sensory Play – Learning Opportunities:
You’re checking off so many boxes with this one:
- Sensory development (tactile learning)
- Fine motor skills (strengthening those little fingers as they mix, squish and squeeze)
- STEM learning – talk about states of matter, as this is actually oobleck that you’re making. It’s a non-Newtonian substance, meaning it can act as a solid and liquid.
- Language (this has been great for my 1 year old – talking about how messy it is, the colour, the feeling, texture etc.).
- Fun!
If you end up making some ‘mud’ I’d love to see how it goes! Tag @craftymothering on Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook!
Download Your Free Monster Truck Printables
If your little one loves monster trucks too, you’ll want to grab the free printables below – colouring page, jump record and counting activity! When you add your email you’ll also be joining the Crafty Mothering newsletter (goes out once or twice a month with more ways to entertain your kids!).
Looking for another terrific sensory play? You can’t go wrong with homemade playdough!
