Ducks in Muck Sensory Play Activities

In One Stuck Duck, a duck gets stuck in the muck and many of his animal friends come to try and help him escape the mucky mess. This scenario just shouts sensory experience!

Mucky Duck Goop Sensory Play

Preschool Activities: 

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You can prepare this activity in a large sensory table, but smaller tubs tend to work better. You will need a tub for each child who can visit the center at one time. For example, if you have a table with 4 seats, you will need 4 tubs.

Preschool Activities: 

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In each tub, pour a box of cornstarch, some brown liquid water color (or a few drops of red and green food coloring) and 1 – 1.5 cups of water (added gradually). Start with a little under a cup of water, and mix it in thoroughly. It will be difficult to mix at first and will form what looks like dirt clumps. Add more water, a little at a time. You will know you have the correct amount when the mixture looks runny, but hardens when you touch the surface. You should be able to scoop some up and form it into a ball, but as soon as you stop manipulating it, it becomes liquid again. 

Preschool Activities: 

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Once your muck is the correct consistency, place a duck in each tub. Allow the duck to sit for a few minutes before you present the tubs to the children, so the duck has time to sink down and become “stuck in the muck." 

Preschool Activities: 

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Children should wear smocks while playing with the muck so that the coloring doesn’t stain their clothes.

Preschool Activities: 

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If the muck drips onto the table or hard surface floor, don’t worry! It will sweep right up after it has dried. If it gets on clothing or carpet, it will dissolve with warm water, but the dye from the paint or food coloring may stain porous surfaces. TIP! Place the muck sensory tub outside on the grass on a warm sunny day.

Sink or Float? Muck Science Investigation and Activity

Let children use different materials and items to use in their muck sensory tub. Provide a rock, a small twig, small pieces of paper, leaves, a toy car, a wooden block, Lego block, etc. Let children place and play with the different materials to discover which items sink and which items float. 

When children are finished playing, you can clean out your containers with warm water to dissolve the remaining muck and then go back over them with soapy water.

Washing Mucky Ducks Sensory Play and Letter or Number Recognition Activity

Preschool Activities: 

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Write numbers or letters on the bottoms of several rubber ducks with a waterproof black marker. Let children play with the ducks in a water table or tubs filled with the above Muck Goop mixture, or a mixture of dirt and water, or chocolate pudding.

Preschool Activities: 

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Once the ducks are covered with muck, have children transfer them to an empty tub to await cleaning. Fill the rinsed water table, tubs, or buckets with fresh, clean water mixed with hand soap. Let children wash the ducks with clothes and sponges. Explain that children need to wash the ducks until they are completely clean and the letters or numbers written on the bottoms can be clearly read.

Preschool Activities: 

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Next let children dry the ducks with dish towels and put them away in their spot in the classdroom. Teach them the following rhyme while they work:

This Is the Way We Wash the Ducks
(adapted from Mother Goose rhyme)

This is the way we wash the ducks,
wash the ducks, wash the ducks,
This is the way we wash the ducks,
To make them nice and clean.

Submitted by KidsSoup member Beth Steward.

View more preschool and kindergarten ducks activities and crafts

Preschool Activities: 

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Preschool Activities: 

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