For the Love of ... Mud!

Being a kid outdoors is all about having fun, getting dirty and playing in the mud.

While you might want to keep your kids away from mud at all costs for fear of getting messy and having all that laundry to deal with, thanks to Tide you don't have to.

On the contrary, you can have a great time getting down and dirty with your kids and enjoy the outdoors lifestyle -- without worrying about ruining clothes, car mats, sneakers, and more. Here are four ways to embrace the muck and have some fun.

Become Mud Artists

Head outside and create castles and sculptures with your kids, using mud instead of sand or clay. Or grab some sturdy sticks and draw pictures in the mud. Ready for a new canvas? Simply smooth over the muddy surface with your hands or feet and draw again. Another option: make whimsical mud prints on butcher paper with your hands and feet.

Become an Explorer

Go to your local park or trail and look for insects (or worms and snails) that emerge when the ground turns wet. Bring a magnifying glass and a measuring tape so you can study worms closely and check to see how long they are. You could even have a contest to see who can find the longest worm.

Make Mud Pies

Remember doing this as a kid? Here's your chance to walk down memory lane with your young ones. Take some small plastic containers outside and use them to make cakes, pies, and cookies with the mud. Find pretty stones, leaves, berries, and other treasures from nature that you can use to decorate them. You can then display your creations in a mud-pie buffet.

Family Life: For the Love of ... Mud!