.png)
What is a Mudpuppy?
Mudpuppy; Necturus maculosus
The Mudpuppy, also known as a water dog, is one of 23 species of salamanders that call Indiana home. Unlike its cousins, the Hellbender and Axolotl, a Mudpuppy is the only salamander that "barks" although it really sounds more like "Squeak!"
Mudpuppies can be found in lakes, rivers, and streams in a variety of states, though in Indiana they are considered 'Of Special Concern' and are typically very hard to find. A Mudpuppy often feeds on small fish, insect larvae, and crayfish. They can live approximately 11 years and grow to be about 16 inches in length.
Our Story
Mudpuppy Palace is a non-profit organization with the mission of supporting young learners through natural play and outdoor exploration.
With 6 children between us, we mothers, Allison Williams and Laura Kuhn, saw a need in our midwest community for a place where young kids may safely play and explore the wonders of nature. Our goal is to provide a safe space where children may discover the wonderment of nature, yet not have to leave the confines of their own urban setting. Areas and activities such as a natural playground, an educational greenhouse, creature features, a STEAM(science, technology, engineering, art, and math) lab, a Maker's space, a nature-based library, an outdoor classroom pavilion, educational garden plots, and an Indiana native plant walking trail will allow patrons to experience the beauty of our natural world, while also learning about local plants, animals, and resources offered within our state and community.
It is our goal to bring these features to life through natural play, both indoor and outdoor, AND during all seasons. The best part of playing in nature is getting messy; we want to provide a space where kids can play but parents don’t have to take the mess home; let us do the dirty work.
As our motto states, muddy hands really do make happy hearts!
Our Services
Investigative Play
Children have a natural curiosity regarding the environment and
the world around them.
Mudpuppy Palace fosters this curiosity by allowing visitors to observe, explore, experiment, collect, and even dig(literally!)
into their natural surroundings.
We want kids to get their hands dirty and to really soak in what nature has to offer. And the best part? You can leave the mud
with us when you leave!
All Weather Playscape
Allowing children to experience
all aspects of weather gives kids the freedom to learn more than just visual observations. Not only does playing in and with nature build valuable skills like patience and increased concentration. it also provides opportunities for
problem solving, creativity,
joint dexterity, risk assessment,
and self awareness. As they experiment with different textures and surfaces, children begin to discover how weather changes affect their play, making their experience fun AND educational.
Daily Activities
We here at Mudpuppy Palace understand that everyone, including adults, learns in different ways. Whether you are a visual learner
or respond better to hands-on activities, our facility offers a variety of experiences for all learning types. In addition to our regular exhibitions, you will find daily activities covering a multitude of concepts being offered throughout the year. These are always included in your admission fee!
Mudpuppy Palace is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Tax ID: 88-2070205
©2024 by Mudpuppy Palace. Proudly created with Wix.com