Make Your Own Mississippi Mud Pie

Medgar Evers dreamed of a Mississippi where his children could play and grow freely. Reena Evers recalls having a taste of that freedom while playing with other children in the Elraine community. They climbed trees, played jacks and hide-n-seek, had watermelon seed fights, and picked fruit from the backyard. And they made mud pies!

Children in Mississippi have made "mud pies" for many generations. Now is your chance to make your very own!

Keep in mind that this activity is very messy, but that is part of the fun! Be sure to get an adult’s approval before starting, and ask them for help if you need it.

Step One: Gather Your Tools

To “bake” a Mississippi Mud Pie, you will need a few items.

1. A container that you can get dirty. This can be a pot, pan, bowl, or anything else to hold your mud pie.
2. A container filled with water.
3. A stirring stick or spoon.
4. Plenty of dirt.
5. Toppings! We encourage you to really explore your area for things like flowers, sticks, rocks, or even earthworms and roly-polies. Just be sure to handle them very gently and not harm them.

Step Two: Make Your Mud

Using your stirring stick or spoon, mix a bit of your water with your dirt. Experiment with different consistencies until you are happy with what you created. You can even add things like grass or leaves during this step to create different textures.

Once you have the perfect mud, fill your container.

Step Three: Decorate

Using any toppings that you found, decorate your mud pie! Be as creative as possible for this step. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different looks, textures, colors, and consistencies.