It’s time to get muddy.
The city of Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center is hosting an International Mud Day Celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
In 2008, the idea for International Mud Day was born when a group of early childhood educators attending the World Forum for Early Childhood Care and Education were discussing the obstacles that keep many children from experiencing the simple act of playing in mud: lack of access to extra clothes that can get dirty; proper cleaning supplies and water; dry, sandy land not conducive to mud-making; and even cultural barriers related to cleanliness.
One of those educators was Gillian McAuliffe. When she returned to her school in Perth, Australia, she shared the problem with a group of her students. They decided to raise money to buy extra play clothes for kids in an orphanage in Nepal so that they could all play in the mud “together.”
Now, every year on June 29=, International Mud Day celebrations happen all over the world as a way to connect children to the Earth and soil, and discover the messy joy that is comes from playing in and with mud.
Saturday, you can celebrate International Mud Day at the Open Space Visitor Center by splashing, sliding and making mud pies while you cool off.
The event will feature:
- A mud obstacle course
- A mud kitchen
- Mud painting to take home
- A water play area
- Other hands-on activities
Pop Fizz food truck will be on hand and will give free Paleta to the first 150 people.
