Mud Building Basket

What you'll need

• One empty plastic bottle with a tight-fitting cap (500 ml–1 L works well)
• Water from a stream, creek, or rain barrel — about one-third of the bottle
• 10 small stones, pebbles, or gravel pieces
• 5 sheets of scrap paper, newspaper, or old tissue paper, torn into small pieces
• A patch of soil or garden dirt for mixing
• A shallow tray, cardboard, or brown paper for sculpting
• A small bowl of water for rinsing hands
• An old towel or rag for cleanup

How to make it

1. 1

   Head outside and gather your materials together: the empty bottle, stones, torn paper, and a little stream or rain water.

2. 2

   Fill the plastic bottle about one-third full with water.

3. 3

   Drop the 10 small stones into the bottle, then add the torn paper pieces.

4. 4

   Screw the cap on tightly and invite your child to shake the bottle with both hands. Shake vigorously for several minutes until the paper breaks down into a pulpy mush and the water looks cloudy.

5. 5

   Pour the pulpy mixture out onto a patch of bare soil or into a shallow tray of dirt.

6. 6

   Remove the stones and set them aside — they have done their job of helping mash the paper.

7. 7

   Use your hands to mix the paper pulp and soil together thoroughly. Add a little more water or dirt until the mud feels thick and moldable, like stiff cookie dough.

8. 8

   Place the mud onto a piece of cardboard or brown paper and let your child sculpt: pinch pots, little bricks, bowls, or simple animal shapes.

9. 9

   Leave the creations outside in the sun to dry. They will harden and become surprisingly strong as they dry over a day or two.