11th January National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day

Today it is raining here in Sydney, again! A good day for jumping in puddles because it isn't cold just wet.  When my children were young they loved nothing more than putting on gumboots and playing in puddles. On the empty blocks near us they could find tadpoles, lots of mud and thinks to make mudpies. The Americans have a day set aside in the National calendar to do this...the 11th January. I'm not sure if it will be raining then, but I'm sure you can move this celebration to a day when there are puddles. 

Preschoolers love this topic. There is a teacher reference book for Early Childhood titled Puddles which is written by Dr Claire Warden and another called Muddy Boots by Liza Gardner Walsh.

There is a new nonfiction book that was published last year Hello Puddle!  by Anita Sanchez which  explores the deceptively simple but unexpectedly crucial resource for wildlife: puddles! This lyrical, gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book is perfect for young science learners and nature lovers.

There are many picture books you could use to talk about puddles and mud. Peppa Pig has at least three books about mud and puddles. See

• The Biggest Muddy Puddle in the World 

• Peppa Pig and the Muddy Puddles

• Peppa's Muddy Puddle Walk

Here's some others you can collect from a library:

• Puddles are forJumping by Kylie Dunstan

• Puddles  by Jonathan London and Brian Karas

• Puddle Hunters by Kirsty Murray and Karen Blair

• Watch Out for Muddy Puddles  by Ben Faulks and Ben Cort

• Puddle  by Hyewon Yum

• Puddle  by Richard Jackson and Chris Raschka 

• Puddling  by Emma Perry and Claire Alexander

• Rain!  by Linda Ashman and Christian Robinson

• Red Rubber Boot Day  by Mary Lynn Ray and Lauren Stringer

• Bridie's Boots  by Phil Cummings and Sara Acton

• Worm Weather by Jean Taft and Matt Hunt

• A Good Day for Ducks by Jane Whittingham and Noel Tuazon

Now off you go, put on your boots and raincoat, grab some plastic boats or rubber duckies and go splash in some puddles. It is the perfect way to relieve stress. Oh and you might like to take some children with you but they are not a prerequisite.