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August 9, 2017 | 5 Comments

Bugs in Muck Sensory Play

bugs in muck

Sensory play is such a wonderful way to engage in hands-on, experiential learning with kids. By using all of the senses, as they will do in this bugs in muck activity, children are better able to remember and process information. This muck has a really fun texture. It looks super goopy and messy but comes off of little hands really easily. Playing with bugs in muck is a fun activity for kids as they explore parts of bugs, count legs, identify colors, and more!

Playing with Bugs in Muck

This muck is based on a basic oobleck recipe with an extra ingredient to make it nice and muddy.

Bugs in muck 2

What you need:

3 1/2 Cups of Cornstarch

1/2 Cup of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

2 Cups of Warm Water

 

What to do:

Mix both dry ingredients together in a bowl or on a tray and slowly add the warm water. Stir the mixture well, adding more water if necessary. If the mixture is too watery, add more cornstarch to thicken.

Bugs in muck 3

 

One of the fun aspects of this muck is that it looks very much like a liquid, but feels like a solid!

Bugs in muck 4

 

Pour the muck onto a tray and add some plastic bugs. From here, there are so many ways to play!

bugs in muck 9

 

Kids can observe as the bugs slowly fall to the bottom of the muck. They can get handfuls of the muck and drip it onto the bugs, covering them completely. The muck will slowly slide off the bugs, uncovering them once again.

bugs in muck 8

 

For kids who are hesitant to touch the goopy substance, some tools can help them get comfortable playing with the muck. Items like tweezers are excellent for developing fine motor skills and coordination, plus they require some patience and focus as well. Magnifying glasses are also fun tools for little explorers as they hunt for bugs that have been buried in the muck!

bugs in muck 6

Enjoy this fun sensory experience of playing with bugs in muck!

katie headshotContributing Author: Katie Chiavarone writes at Views From a Step Stool about kids activities, the importance of play-based learning, and positive parenting techniques.  Currently a mom to 3 young children, with previous roles as a preschool teaching assistant, the director of an after-school program, and a behavior therapist for children with Autism, she has had more than 10 years of experience working with children. Additionally, she relies on her Masters in Educational Psychology from NYU when writing about children and education. She has co-authored the book The Undeniable Power of Play and can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Filed Under: Age Preschool, Age: Kindergarten, insects, Muck, Oobleck, Sensory Activities | 5 Comments

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5 Comments

  1. Paige Flamm says

    August 9, 2017 at 6:10 am

    This is such a fun and creative idea!

    Paige
    http://thehappyflammily.com

    to Paige Flamm" aria-label='reply to this comment to Paige Flamm'>reply to this comment
  2. Sarah says

    August 9, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    I love this because it’s so easy to clean up (and I had everything on hand right now to make it). Such a hit with the 5-year-old who brought in grass and bamboo. She played with this for 45-minutes!

    to Sarah" aria-label='reply to this comment to Sarah'>reply to this comment

Trackbacks

  1. June 1, 2020 – Mrs. Schindel's class newsletter says:
    June 1, 2020 at 7:51 am

    […] This variation is from notimeforflashcards.com and it turns the oobleck “mucky” by adding in some cocoa powder.  You can view the instructions here. […]

    to June 1, 2020 – Mrs. Schindel's class newsletter" aria-label='reply to this comment to June 1, 2020 – Mrs. Schindel's class newsletter'>reply to this comment
  2. Bugs in the Muck Sensory Play | PediaStaff Pediatric SLP, OT and PT Blog says:
    July 21, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    […] Read the Rest of this Post Through a Link on our Blog […]

    to Bugs in the Muck Sensory Play | PediaStaff Pediatric SLP, OT and PT Blog" aria-label='reply to this comment to Bugs in the Muck Sensory Play | PediaStaff Pediatric SLP, OT and PT Blog'>reply to this comment
  3. 10+ Bug Sensory Bottles to Make With Kids | Fun-A-Day! says:
    March 16, 2021 at 12:55 pm

    […] the kids get their hands dirty with the bugs in muck sensory play from No Time for […]

    to 10+ Bug Sensory Bottles to Make With Kids | Fun-A-Day!" aria-label='reply to this comment to 10+ Bug Sensory Bottles to Make With Kids | Fun-A-Day!'>reply to this comment

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