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Explore · Wild and Tumble activity

Magic mud jar

Shake it up, watch it settle. Make a jar of muddy water and see the layers magically appear.

  • 10 min total
  • Some mess
  • Ages 2–5*
  • Indoors or out
  • Any season

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 3 min to prepare · 5 min to explore · 2 min to tidy. Check back later for the big reveal. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • A clear plastic bottle or jar with a tight lid
  • Two big scoops of garden soil
  • Water

Let's begin

Four simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Little one leads

    Your child scoops soil into the jar until it's about a third full.

  2. Grown-up job

    An adult adds water almost to the top and screws the lid on tightly.

  3. Shake, shake, shake!

  4. Pop it on a windowsill and watch. Check again after lunch and before bed. What's floating? What's at the bottom?

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

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