It's only Dirt!
Prepare your kids for gardening, with an inexpensive
pair of kid's gardening gloves, old clothes and shoes kept just 
for their outside "garden time". Let them  play in the dirt, make mud pies, pull weeds for you and  explore for worms etc. 
I send my children on worm hunts to tell me if my soil is healthy. The more worms the better!
This is a terrific discovery activity, they can always take a bath. 

Lost Treasure Dig

You'll need:
Any of these - Popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, 
old kitchen utensils or old toys and figurines.
Shovel
Old Paint brush
Lots of dirt or sand

Prepare the play area by burying several objects in a sand
box or a corner of the garden with no plants. Even a large bucket filled with dirt will do. Give your kids the archeology tools and they can dig up relics from the past. The paint brush is used to clean off their treasures.
Bonus Fun:
After all of the objects have been discovered, label them using made up scientific names. Then create a museum to share with family and friends!

Mud Planet Create a mini environment in a box. Fill the box with wet soil  from your yard. Add rocks and maybe some small plants. Leave it outside your a few days and return with a magnifying glass. Has anything changed? 
Are there Snails, ants or worms?

Mud Castle
Make a building or city with sand pails, empty yogurt containers, plastic shoe boxes , cups etc.

You don't need the dirt to be really wet but moist enough to form into shapes. Just like a sand castle.
Decorate your buildings with sticks, rocks and leaves.

Related Links:
Summer Fun Main Story
Water Games
Summer Art Ideas
Backyard Summer Fun
Summer Travel Tips
Kids' Arts and Crafts
Kids' Cooking
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