Clean Mud !

Today was a crazy day in our classroom. With the upcoming holiday season everyone is excited and high energy. On days like today I pull out the tried and true kid pleasing activities. Clean mud is one of those projects you can do everyday for three weeks and the kids still love it. After about a week I post the recipe in my classroom and send the kids home with clean mud in baggies to share with their parent's and siblings. I've even had parents come in and play with their child in the mud before they go home. It's always great to see parents and kids having a blast together!

Materials:
6 rolls cheap (the cheaper the better) toilet paper
2 bars of Ivory soap (made into soap flakes with a cheese grater)
1 1/2 c. Borax
Water

Take that toilet paper and throw it across the room. Unravel every inch of all six rolls... In my classroom we have toilet paper fights. When everyone is done throwing toilet paper toss all of it into a big tub. You can use a sensory tub or a bucket - whatever suits you! Next your going to combine the ivory soap flakes and just enough water to dissolve the flakes. Pour this into the tub, on top of the toilet paper. Take the same container and pour 1 and 1/2 cups of Borax. Again, add enough water to dissolve all the borax and dump into the container with the toilet paper and ivory soap. The toilet paper does not break down nearly as well without the borax, so I would not suggest leaving this step out! -- The next step is the best -- Mash it up! The more mixing you do the more it turns into a mashed potato consistency. 
I would suggest using this on a hard, sweepable floor - if you let the drops dry a few minutes they are easily swept up with a broom, making this a very easy project to clean up. If you keep it covered it should last at least a week. I usually put something into it like powdered tempra, glitter, food coloring... anything you can get your hands on is always fun!