About
Since its launch in Autumn 2009, Mud Pies has had great fun working with hundreds of families, a number of Aberdeen City and Shire schools and several partner organisations including BBC Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Techfest in September and the University of Aberdeen. Mud Pies is also business category winner of the Aberdeen
EcoCity Awards 2010 and Aberdeenshire Environmental Forum Green Butterfly Award winner 2010.
The idea for Mud Pies grew out of a love of nature, and long experience of helping children learn more about the wonders of the natural world.
It also came about as a direct result of its creator Mandy Tulloch welcoming two little wonders of nature into the world herself.
She said: “I think it was only after having children myself that I really appreciate how much they learn at this early stage, and how fantastic it is to be a part of that.
“After speaking to lots of other parents, I felt there was a real need for an activity for younger children that encouraged them to get outdoors, get active and explore nature.”
Zoology graduate Mandy worked for a number of years with the University of Aberdeen’s Natural History Centre, where she co-ordinated a whole range of educational opportunities for young people.
Following the birth of her second child, Mandy decided to strike out on her own with the creation of Mud Pies. The company’s Mud Pies sessions aim to bring older toddlers and pre-school children in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire closer to nature.
Accompanying adults play an active role in the sessions, and both adult and child benefit from spending quality, learning time together.
Sessions include exploration of the woods and a simple activity or game. Classes are themed to consider, for example, different kinds of trees, or where different bugs make their home or the changing seasons.
The concept really taps into the current resurgence in interest in the environment and our natural surroundings. It also ties into major strands of curriculum development, which stress the importance of the ‘outdoor classroom’.
All courses include a chance to muck in and make mud pies, which Mandy believes epitomises an outdoor childhood.
She said: “At an education conference I attended, the guest speaker asked her adult audience what they remember most about playing outdoors and about 20 piped up with ‘mud pies’ at once. I think it would be great if children spent more time outside just playing – and it’s high time we brought back mud pies!”
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