Reptile invasion

Reptiles have gotten a little closer to my life than I thought they ever would.  I was raised in a home built in the woods of snowy Wisconsin.  When you think about reptiles, you don't think about Wisconsin.  Some of the reptiles that do survive in the north woods, were not seen often by me.  I rarely saw a turtle or snake.  Lizards, and alligators, were foreign to me.  Then I married into the military, and we were sent to Florida.  It was climate, and culture shock for me!

Lizards are so abundant here, they "decorate" the outside of my house, which creates an opportunity for my four year old, to learn the art of lizard catching.  I've seen more snakes and turtles in my backyard in the past few years, than I did my entire childhood.  The gators have prevented me from ever wanting to dip just a toe, in any body of freshwater here.

There are an array of opportunities to gaze at these creatures, both great and small, at local establishments as well.  My reptile curious son, has been to Gatorland, and on a few air-boat rides, on a gator infested lake.  We've learned a lot by getting a closer look at the toothy monsters.  Did you know gators are born with a tooth on their nose?  It's what helps them break out of the egg shell when they are born!

With International Mud Day upon us, and our almost daily interactions with reptiles, we were inspired to make a simple change to our sensory play this week.  Just a few natural materials, and some fake reptiles, were all we needed!    

We made habitats...

Created designs and patterns...

Played hide and seek in the mud...

Experimented with consistency and texture...

Imagined...

Discovered how water can flow through and over the earth...

And took pleasure in the experience that mud brings!

What are you doing to celebrate International Mud Day?
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