PLAYSCHOOL DAY CAMPS

The idea for Mud Club started at the end of 2019 when the nature preschool our children attended closed. With no similar programs in the area and 30 plus families who no longer had a preschool we knew we needed to step up and make something happen. We bought a small shed, drove to Ikea to furnish the inside, and put up a fence around part of our yard in Mifflinburg. After two three-day weekends with lots of help from some of the families, we invited everyone to join us as we explored the 28 acres we had to offer together. Parents brought their children, or sent their children with a caregiver out to Mifflinburg to explore, create, and learn with us each weekday.

That January the weather was wet, which meant our yard was soaked. The prepping for the shed and fencing left a large area of our yard ripped up and full of mud. I remember thinking when spring came around we would have to smooth it out and re-seed it. We even built a small bridge to walk over the large mud area. Not many children used the bridge. To our surprise each morning before entering the fenced in area the children would investigate the mud area. They were interested to see just how sticky the mud was depending on the weather. Occasionally getting their boots completely stuck and needing the help of their friends. If the temperatures dropped below freezing, they wanted to know how strong and thick the ice was. What could they break it with? Could they stand on it? Skate on it? How many of them could stand on it? Jump on it before it broke.

This giant spot in our yard that I thought was an eye sore was the kids favorite part of the yard. Naturally the kids went home very muddy and it didn’t take long for this group to name itself. It served as a constant reminder of what our program stands for, we strive to put the agenda of the child before the agenda of the adult.

We never re-seeded the yard.