When I was a kid, I LOVED to play in the mud. If it rained and I went outside to play and  wasn't filthy from head to toe, my mom would send me back out saying that I hadn't played hard enough. Remember when being a kid was fun? A lot of parents are taking their kids back to those days.

International Mud Day was started in Nepal and Australia and is now celebrated by thousands of kids in dozens of countries worldwide. The reason behind this day? For kids to celebrate nature and the outdoors...by getting muddy.

International Mud Day is celebrated differently in each community in which it takes place. For instance, in Nepal, traditional music and dances happen in the mud and the local wildlife get in on the action. In Australia, a preschool class heard about how some children in orphanages in Nepal couldn't participate in Mud Day because they only had one pair of clothes. So what did they do? They raised money to provide extra clothes for the kids in Nepal and celebrated in their schoolyard simultaneously.

The first International Mud Day celebration in the Northeast took place in 2012 at the Ithaca Children's Garden and they've carried on the tradition since. As as matter of fact, the Ithaca Children's Garden will celebrate International Mud Day with activities for kids of all ages on Saturday, June 27th from 1pm-4pm.

A donation of $5.00 per family is suggested, but not required as this event is free and open to everyone. If you plan on going and playing in the mud, be sure to go dressed to get muddy!

Check this out for directions to the Ithaca Children's Garden and to learn more about International Mud Day.

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