The Muddy Hands Festival is an event in partnership with Nature Play WA, City of Canning and Parks and Wildlife Service to encourage children and families to enjoy playing outdoors and being among nature, bringing unstructured play into their everyday lives.
Muddy Hands was held on Saturday 19 November with over 3,000 attendees. Families experienced mud pits, sporting activities, hands-on art workshops, interactive stage shows and much more.
This year’s event was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all things nature play – something we haven’t been able to do at Kent Street Weir for quite some time.
Read on and check out our photo galleries to discover the fun we had!
Event Photographer: Matt Biocich for the City of Canning
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There was wet and wild weather in the days leading up to Muddy Hands, but we didn’t let that stop us!
While it meant that we couldn’t access the usual location by the river, with the City of Canning’s quick thinking, a new site was chosen just around the corner from Kent Street Weir, at the recently redeveloped pump track.
The relocation offered attendees a new Muddy Hands experience, and we were thrilled to see them embracing the change (and gloomy weather) by donning their best wet weather gear and gumboots.
The downpour at lunchtime added to the fun, with the two mud pits constantly full of kids (big and small) creating mud pies, stomping their feet in the puddles or having a mud fight.
Nature Play WA staff were thrilled to see people of all ages enjoying the mud pits.
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Muddy Hands also had a big mix of activities on offer for those who might not particularly enjoy getting muddy.
We were joined by our friends Educated by Nature with some clay-based fun and cubby building, as well as activity stations and performances by the Eco Faeries, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, West Oz Wildlife, Kids Nature Club and many more.
(click on the left and right arrows to scroll through the gallery)
Event Photographer: Matt Biocich for the City of Canning