The Parents’ Voice Shawville’s first article, 10 years ago, was about playing in the mud. All these years later I still firmly believe playing in puddles and mud is (maybe even more so) so much fun and so important for our children to get out and experience.
There isn’t anything more splendid than watching a child play, truly play. The play that comes along with spring is so rewarding to watch and be part of, and so welcome after such a long, cold winter, I hope this article isn’t too premature.
The excitement in the children (and parents) is so vibrant when you get bikes out for the first time, shovels, pails, skipping ropes, chalk, balls, bubbles – it feels as though it’s taken years to get back outdoors. Who doesn’t love jumping in puddles and squeezing mud between fingers?
Every so often or all the time, leave the house thinking you will have a load of laundry after playtime and unleash the kids to playing freely. A few tips we can share to help with the mess is to 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 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 to this which science supports. 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 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 these items 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 (squishing mud is a great fine motor exercise to help those little fingers prepare to hold a pencil), 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. 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.
We hope you and your family will enjoy the few weeks of spring we should get before summer arrives. 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.
