The last in our Frozen inspired learning activities (before our big Frozen-inspired unit study unveil) was this fun clean mud.
Clean mud has the squishy, enjoyable texture of regular old mud, but is made from soap, tissue paper, and water – so it has the exact opposite effect of playing in mud!
To make Frozen clean mud, you need a few ingredients:
- Half a bar of soap
- Up to one roll of toilet paper (I usually end up using just over half)
- 1 cup of water
- Scent or dye to customize your mud – we used blue dye and peppermint extract
If the child has been taught how to use a grater previously, I have the child grate up the soap as a great hand strengthening exercise.
And then, to work those fine motor muscles, I have them rip up the toilet paper into little tiny pieces. This is a great control of error job as well, because large pieces will stick out in the final clean mud product.
I try to encourage children to rip them up really small, but if they don’t or are too interested in working quickly rather than correctly, I point out the cause for the chunks of toilet paper in the final product. (You could alternatively go over the toilet paper after they are done ripping and fix the bigger pieces, but I think teaching children to work carefully and with intent is important.)
Have the child slowly add in the water mixed with whatever scent or colour you are adding to the clean mud — and squish it up!
You may need to add more soap, toilet paper, or water depending on the absorbency of your toilet paper. There is no “right” consistency for clean mud, just make sure it is wonderfully squishy and the kids enjoy it!
This Frozen-inspired clean mud stayed squishable and moist for a few days, in a sealed container. It likely would have lasted longer, but I can be a bit of a germ-phobe, so feel free to use your own judgment as to when to throw yours out!
Make sure to pin this post, or check out our other Sensory Play ideas!