Preschool Rocks, Dirt & Mud Theme

Welcome to the Rocks, Dirt, and Mud Lesson Planning Page!
On this page you can find ideas to help you plan  your Rocks, Dirt, and Mud theme.

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Planning your Rocks Dirt and Mud Preschool Theme 

Club Members can download our Rocks Dirt and Mud activities and their
Rocks Dirt and Mud Theme Planning guide for free!
​Not a member? Learn More Here

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Download our Free Rocks Dirt and Mud Sample Lesson Plan

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Outdoor Mud Painting

Mix water and dirt to create a muddy paint.

Drop Painting

Creating drop art is a fun process art activity during this theme.
Try using dirt or mud in the nylons for a fun twist!

Try this!

Paint Rocks

Bring a little nature inside, or art outside. Paint some rocks, add to the garden, or as decor in the classroom. 

Rock and Dirt Compositions

​Sheena W. of Building Blocks provided heavy weight paper and glue outdoors for a fun process art invitation using dirt and rocks. 

Muddy Finger Painting

Invite preschoolers finger paint with brown paint.
Anytime the kids are finger painting is a great time to take a hand print for use in crafts later. When they are done with their finger painting have them stamp their hand on a blank piece of paper, label with their name and the date. 

Create Mud tracks

Create an invitation for your preschooler to Mix colors to make the Color Brown, then dip trucks in and make mud tracks on paper.

Try this!

Create a Mud and Worm Pudding Snack

Let's Cook! Make your own chocolate pudding. Add crushed chocolate sandwich cookie "dirt"
and candy worms to the top for some added fun!

Outdoor Mud Painting

Mix together dirt and water to create some fun mud painting outside! Fill some containers with dirt and mix in water to create different consistencies. Let students use their fingers or paintbrushes to make mud paint creations on the pavement or on paper. This is a great way for students to explore texture in art!

Stuck in the Muck Dance: Gross Motor

Dance along to the fun song “Stuck in the Muck” by following the simple steps.  Watch the YouTube video here.

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Create an Outdoor Mud Kitchen

Preschoolers love to play with mud. Set up a mud kitchen where children can pretend to cook .

Take the Dramatic Play Outside and Create a Space for a Mud Kitchen.  Gather old pots & pans, Strainers, Cupcake Pans, Cake Pans, and a variety of kitchen utensils.

Find inspiration for your mud exploration station in this related post all about mud kitchens!

Pretend to be a Geologist

Student can practice sorting, weighing and measuring rocks. Include a variety of rocks, and stones. An investigation form, and sorting mats. Add magnifying glasses, googles/safety glasses.

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Suggested Materials to the Construction Space 

Consider adding rocks, brown felt "Mud"  and construction vehicles to the Construction Space this week.

Build a Rock Chute 

Take a cardboard tube, preferably from gift wrap however a shorter tube from paper towels will work too. Cut the tube in half lengthwise. Supply small rocks in the construction area for children to send down the chute to a construction pit. 

Build with Rocks

This can be done both outdoors and indoors. While outside, invite children to build freely with rocks, take pictures of their structures. 
Inside set up a challenge with a set of rocks. How many can you stack? What can you make? Can you build a home?
Encourage children to build up as well as lay the rocks out on the table to create something. 
​Vocabulary to use: Structure, Stable, Balance, Smooth, Rough, Topple

Build Rock and Stone Landmarks Around the World

Challenge your preschoolers to build some of the famous Landmarks Around the World the world that are build with rocks. Place posters of these in your Construction Space. Talk about the materials that were used to make the structures. Add stones and other materials for the children to build with. Discuss the challenges and benefits to the different types of materials.
We paired our Build Landmarks Around the World Poster Pack with blocks painted to look like stones to the blocks center.

Get this pack in our shop!

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Build Letters with Rocks*

Use the letter mats (like the ones found in our Rocks Dirt and Mud activity pack) and some small rocks as an engaging way for preschoolers to practice letter formation.

Buy this activity!

Use a Reference Book

Preschoolers are learning that books can be more than a fun story. They are a source of information!
Set out a reference book for preschoolers to compare their rocks to. 

Pigs in the Mud Seek-and-Find

Pigs love rolling in mud almost as much as preschoolers do. 
Use these pigs in mud letter cards (included our Rocks, Dirt, & Mud Activity Pack)  to practice uppercase & lowercase letter matching and recognition.

Buy this activity!

Reading Comprehension:
​Harry the Dirty Dog

Listen to Betty White read Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion. 
After the story, make some real world connections through discussion. 
Ask students if they ever saw a dog that got dirty. How did the dog get dirty? Have they ever given a dog a bath? What happened? Ask students to make comparisons between their experiences and the book. 

​I can Give my Dog a Bath*

Our I Can Give My Dog a Bath: Read and Sequence Set is a fun activity where you can read a rebus story with your preschooler then work on sequencing to improve Reading Comprehension. 

Buy this activity!

Create your own Story Stones

Build story stones and have children
create a story with them!
This is a fun and easy way for children to practice telling stories and story structure.

Make these!

Stuck in the Mud Song

Listen and sing along to “Stuck in the Mud” as we watch five animals get stuck in the mud while they try to help each other.  Learn the chorus and sing it together.

We were (number of animals) in the mud 
In a bunch of trouble 
​Muddy from our head to our toes!
We squished and squelched 
In this giant puddle
No way that we could go.
Listen to it on YouTube here. 

Digging in the Dirt Song

Dance and sing along to this catchy tune about dirt!  Listen to it on YouTube here. 

Fun Books about Rocks, Dirt, and Mud

A Rock is Lively by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long
A Rock Can Be... by Laura Purdie Salas and Violeta Dabija
Rocks and Soil  by Rebecca Rissman
Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe by Mary McKenna Siddals and Ashley Wolff
​Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham
What can you do with a Rock?  By Katy Kath
Dirt: The Scoop on Soil by Natalie Myra Rosinsky and Sheree Boyd
My Book of Rocks and Minerals: Things to Find, Collect, and Treasure by Devin Dennie
Let's Go Rock Collecting by Roma Gans
Mud by Mary Lyn Ray
 Mud Book: How to Make Pies and Cakes by John Cage and Lois Long
Dirt + Water = Mud by Katherine Hannigan
Mud Puddle by Robert Munsch

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Mud Pie Recipe Cards*

Add some good clean fun to your morning math centers. 
Set up these Mud Pie Recipe Cards with or without some brown play dough (mud). 
Preschoolers practice numeral recognition as they read the numbers on the card, then count out the ingredients as they add them to their pie. 
This activity is also great for literacy development as preschoolers are learning to read from left-to-right and top-to-bottom. The ingredients are also labeled.  

Buy this activity!

Rock counting Ten-Frames*

Pair the Rock Counting Ten-Frames from the Rocks, Dirt, and Mud Activity pack with rocks or the included printable counters. 

Buy this activity!

*Rock Sorting

Pair an egg carton and rocks for preschoolers to practice sorting skills. 
Leave this activity open-ended; How can you sort the rocks?

Rock Count & Clip Cards

Preschoolers and tots love using clothespins, which is fantastic since they give little fingers a big workout!  In addition to developing fine motor skills, children are developing number sense with this engaging activity. 
​Included in the Rocks, Dirt, & Mud Activity Pack. 

Buy this activity!

Rock Dig Number Sensory Bin

 Add play dirt or sand (like this Construction Zone Dirt) to your sensory tray, and bury rocks. Practice counting rocks. Alternative: Write numbers on Rocks and practice identifying them. You can use this Dump Truck Counting Mat from the Rocks, Dirt, and Mud Activity Pack as an easy visual to use during this activity!

Buy this counting mat!

Weigh Rocks

Reader Darlene G. created this rock weighing station. This discovery center is placed in a corner with just a couple of chairs to create a private, and cozy space for just a few children to explore specimens. In addition to magnifying glasses, she has also included a balance scale that allows children to explore the weights of different materials.

Photo Credit: Darlene G.

*Practice Counting to 10

This geologist puzzle* can be found inside our Rocks Dirt and Mud Activity pack.

Buy this activity!

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Grow Your Own Geodes

Your preschoolers will love this experiment, and they may wonder what a geode is. In simplest forms, geodes are rocks filled with crystals. With some simple ingredients and a little bit of patience, you can grow your own!

Make this!

Invitation to explore Rocks and Stones

​Create a place to explore rocks: Add Magnifying glasses, and plenty of specimens. Include Books, and Magazines about Rocks. ​​

*Above Ground Below Ground

Take a trip outside to explore what lives above ground, and what lives below. Be sure to grab a shovel, and a magnifying glass. Use this above ground/below ground sorting mat from my Rocks. Dirt, Mud activity pack to compliment your exploration. 

Buy this activity!

Get Muddy

Sheena W. suits her kiddos up in mud suits and rain boots for plenty of free exploration outdoors

Explore Rocks, Dirt, & Mud

There is so much to explore with rocks, dirt, & mud. 
Supply children with shovels, containers, and a space to dig and make mud.

Create a Sediment Jar

​Create a sediment jar to observe how dirt falls in layers. 
Invite preschoolers to help add the materials to the jar. Talk about and identify each of the materials as they are added. For added math enrichment use measuring cups to add the materials. 

Collect two different types of dirt or sand, rocks, and water. Add to the jar and shake.
Leave the jar to settle on a shelf, encourage children to draw a picture of what they see. Ask; What do you see happening? What do you think the mixture will look like later today or tomorrow?
Leave the jar to sit for a few hours. When you come back ask children to make observations and draw a new picture. 

Study Dirt & Rocks

Supply preschoolers with sifters and shovels. 
Invite them to add dirt to the sifters. Make observations about what they see. Gently shake the sifter, now what do they see? Are there materials beyond dirt and rocks? 
After one round, invite preschoolers to predict what they will find the next time. 

Sort Rocks By Type*

Use this Rock Sorting by Type activity from the Rocks, Dirt & Mud activity pack to explore all kinds of rock types. 
Then, compare the rocks in your classroom collection to the ones on the mat. 

Buy this activity!

Create a Dirt Volcano

Create a volcano with dirt and rocks, add baking soda to the center and then invite preschoolers to set it off by adding vinegar. 

Muddy Car Wash Sensory Bin

Mix together water and dirt to create mud. Have your preschoolers drive plastic cars through the mud/make the cars messy. Then invite them to clean off the cars by setting up a bin with water, soap, sponges, towels etc to create their very own car wash!

Rock Washing Sensory Bin

Have your preschoolers collect rocks and then add them to a rock washing station. Include an empty bucket, bucket with water, scrub brushes, sponges, dish towels and soap. Let them clean and dry each of the rocks.

Mud Slime Oobleck

Make your own chocolate oobleck Mud Slime for your students to play with. The can add their own farm animals, dirt bikes, or monster trucks!

Make this!

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Rock Sorting* Relay-Gross Motor

Turn this activity into a relay race or seek-and-find activity to get kids moving. Find it in the Rocks, Dirt and Mud Activity Pack.

Place the rocks around your space, and have them collect and return the rocks to the sorting mat.

Buy this activity!

Hidden Gems-Fine Motor

Pair gems with play dough.  Push the gems inside of the dough for children to extract.

Muddy Target-Gross Motor

Let your preschoolers get a little messy while working on their gross motor skills! Set up a target outside. Create mud that they can pick up and easily throw. Challenge them to hit the bullseye!

Rock Tracing Lines-Fine Motor

Trace different lines on construction paper (straight, zigzag, curvy). Give to your preschoolers with flat rocks. Teach them how to trace the line by placing the rocks on top of the line.

Hopscotch

Set up a hop scotch board either inside or outside using chalk. Give your preschoolers a stone and have them throw the stone to one of the squares. This is the square they have to try to get to.

Rock Scavenger Hunt

Have children complete a rock scavenger hunt. You can give them images of different types of rocks to find or you can have them collect whatever rocks they find or like. Extend this activity by having them bring their rocks back to the group so that you can look at them together and talk about the differences and similarities!

Learn About Mud Homes

Mud Home Structure on YouTube

Learn about Rocks as Tools

Learn about the how rocks have been used as tools.

Take a Trip

There are all kinds of fun ways to engage in the community. Here are three options for this theme depending on the structure of your program. ​

• Travel: Take a field trip to a construction site, arrange the trip ahead of time to give kids a chance to safely get a close look at equipment and materials. Or plan to watch from a safe distance. 
• Invite an Expert: Invite a construction worker to your program to talk about what they do. Be sure to ask questions about how rocks and dirt are a part of their work. 
• Take a virtual field trip like this one from Kidvision Pre-K

Stack Rocks Group Activity 

Cairns are rock piles, or stacks. They are often created as landmarks to mark trails.  Have your preschoolers pair up. Provide them with flat stones and have them take turns building rock towers. Their goal is to build the tallest tower without it falling.

Take Turns Play a Rock or Muddy Game Together*

Play a cooperative game with your kids. Take turns, working together to meet a common goal. This pigs in the mud game can be found inside my rocks, dirt and mud activity pack. Children work together to add all of the pigs to the mud!

Buy this activity!

​Sharing Rock 

Pass the Sharing Rock! Take turns and share your thoughts and feelings.

Rock Tic Tac Toe

Draw a tick tac toe board and allow students to use rocks as the Os in the game. Students can practice taking turns both in the game as as the Os. Extend this activity, by having each student decorate their rocks before playing!

Rock Sharing

Before circle time go on a Rock Hunt with your preschoolers. Invite each child to bring one rock back with them. 
During circle time give children each a turn to describe their rock using one or two words. 

Play an Ancient Game of Mancala

Evidence of this board game was discovered in Israel between 2nd-3rd AD. This game was played with stones (or seeds), and common reproductions use colorful stones or gems.
This is a great game to practice counting, and is also great for  building fine motor skills. 

Rocky Emotions

Draw or paint eyes, mouths, noses that show different emotions on flat stones. Give students construction paper and have them draw a circle for a face. Challenge them to show different emotions on their faces using the painted stones or have them create a face that shows how they are feeling that day and have them share about their emotion.

Rock Sharing from Home

Ask families to share any rock specimens they may have at home. Invite them to come and talk about them if they wish, or simply add to the science space for the week. 

Go on a Rock Hunt

Encourage families to find a rock around their neighborhood or in their backyard. 
Families can research the type of rock using the internet or classroom resources. 
Children can bring the rock in to share during circle time. 

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Rocks Dirt and Mud Preschool Activity Pack

$7.00

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Mud Pie Math Recipe Cards

$2.00

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I Can Give My Dog a Bath Read and Sequence Literacy Activity

$2.00

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