Spring is here, which means it’s time to start playing in the dirt again! At least, that’s what my daughter thinks Spring means…. So imagine how much she loved today’s book about a dirt loving dog, and the fun mud activities for kids that we paired with it!

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Roy Digs Dirt was written and illustrated by David Shannon. Roy is a dog who loves dirt. He loves to play in it, smell it, eat it, listen to it, and anything else he can think up. He spends every day digging and playing in the dirt. Unfortunately, playing in the dirt means that he has to take baths, and Roy hates baths.

The text uses the double meaning of “digs” a lot throughout the book, which is a lot of fun to read aloud. Kids will love the happy puppy and his dirt-loving escapades, and may be inspired to have some muddy fun too!

Use Your Senses

The text shows how Roy loves using all of his senses to play and explore in the dirt. While I don’t recommend tasting dirt, there are a lot of other ways that you can use your senses to examine dirt and mud. First, print out this chart. Next, set up an area with dirt and mud. This can be inside in a sensory table or tray, or outdoors. Have kids use their senses of touch, smell, sight, and hearing to explore the dirt and the mud, and then compare them to find their similarities and differences.

Related Post: Mud Puddle Fun

Dirt Letters

The back of the book features the title spelled out in letters carved in the dirt by mice and Roy. This inspired us to practice our letters in the dirt too. We were able to use a muddy area of our yard and some sticks, but you could also use play dirt for this activity. Mix up a batch of pretend dirt using cocoa powder, flour, and vegetable oil. Start with a 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, mix in 1/4 cup of flour, and then slowly drizzle in vegetable oil until it reaches the desired consistency. Spread the pretend dirt in a tray and provide kids with a stick to draw their letters with.

Flip over a flashcard or call out a random letter and have kids make that letter in the dirt. This was a much more fun way to practice letters than writing them on paper over and over again!

Related Post: Digging for Fun with a Dog Named Doug

Playing in the Mud

Instead of worrying about kids getting dirty, embrace the mess and let them dig! My daughter found a muddy section of our yard and started digging and playing in it. Instead of stopping her, I let her explore and “plant” branches. She dug up little stones and was excited to find all kinds of little “treasures”. She had an absolute ball, just like the puppy in the story.

You could also fill a sensory table or water table with dirt or mud and hide some treasures inside. Have them use shovels or trowels to dig through it to unearth the treasures just like Roy does in the book. My daughter had a lot of fun digging in the dirt and finding the treasures that I hid.

Dirt Brownies

Since we love to be creative in the kitchen, we decided to have some fun with this book and create some yummy dirt snacks. First, we baked a boxed mix of brownies. While they cooled, we mixed Cool Whip and chocolate sauce to make a light topping for them. We removed a few of the edges and crumbled them up. We scooped a thin layer of the topping onto the brownies, then dusted them with with the extra brownie crumbs. You could also use cookie crumbs and add candy bugs and worms to the top!

What are your favorite mud activities for kids? Share in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this post to other mud lovers!

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