Right now, in these times when our children are confined to their homes we are always searching for ways to keep them busy. Even though crazy things are happening in our world right now, the seasons are changing right before our eyes. This is the perfect opportunity to get outside and let our kids explore nature. We live in such a beautiful community with forests and walking paths and nice quiet streets. There really isn’t anything much more splendid than watching a child play, truly play. The play that comes along with spring is so rewarding to watch and be a part of, and so welcome after such a long, cold winter and such bizarre conditions we are experiencing right now. The excitement in the children, and parents, is so vibrant when you get bikes out for the first time, shovels, pails, skipping ropes, chalk – it feels as though it’s taken years to get back outdoors. Who doesn’t love jumping in puddles and squeezing mud between their fingers?
Here are a few tips to help keep springtime outdoor time fun and stress free. When springtime arrives and you bring the little ones outside, each time you leave the house tell yourself you will have a load of laundry after playtime and unleash the kids to playing freely. Locate an area outside your house, the garage or the front step, where you can leave dirty rubber boots and strip down your child. Then stick all the outdoor gear to dry, on a clothing rack in the garage or outside, or throw it all in the washing machine. Have towels and grocery bags close to the door so that you can put the dirty clothes in the bags or towel off toes if need be. You can also purchase amazing one-piece rain suits that are perfect for outdoor rainy and muddy play.
I truly believe every child, and adult, should experience mud and puddles. There are many benefits of which science does support. But we don’t need science to prove it when we watch our children play and see the smiles on their faces. The sheer joy they elicit when running as fast as they can through huge deep puddles (we recently have loved biking through them) will make any parent laugh and smile. When I watch mine doing it, I often feel like joining them, and sometimes I do. Let them at it, it can be one of the most memorable things you let them do.
Mud is another amazing, fun, free and attainable substance that any parent can provide for their children. You can use items you already have in your home to provide endless hours of pleasure for your little ones, some of which include plastic containers from your recycling bin, measuring cups, tin plates, muffin tins and a few spoons. Oh, and of course mud … either after a rain or add your own water to the sand box.
We have come up with five benefits of playing in mud and there are probably many more.
- Imagination and creativity – there are endless things to do with the mud, and the little ones will definitely use imagination and creativity to undoubtedly turn it into something spectacular.
- Pretend Play – will it become food, hand wash, the home of their little people or animals.
- Endless Possibilities – dump truck filling, hill making, you can experiment with different tracks left in the mud.
- Cause and Effect – Experimentation – how can we make it soupier, thicker? What happens if I ….
- Fine and Gross Motor Skill – biking through it, squishing it, spooning it.
One of my favourite parts of playing with the kids outside in mud and puddles is the make-believe coffee that is delivered to me and of course the mud pies that come alongside the coffee. I have always thought mud kitchens were the coolest things for kids to play with. A quick search on Pinterest will lead you to endless ideas on how to set this up. It is a table with some hooks to hang pots and pans and bowls and I’ve even heard of people using old sinks in their play yard. How fun.
I hope that you can take some time to sit outside to watch and join in in some awesome fun play, de-stress, remove yourself from the news, your cellphone and all the sad coverage that has taken over our lives and enjoy life from the eyes of a child. Take advantage of the not ‘so hot’ days and spend hours playing in the mud and puddles together. Let them be kids, for too soon they won’t be anymore.
By Shelley Heaphy
