On June 29th 2021 the children at Longbarn Celebrated International Mud day this is why!
Apart from the fact playing in mud is just so much fun we also wanted:
To Be One with Earth
One good reason to celebrate this day is that this is the perfect opportunity for us to be one with mother Earth. With the instalation of our new mud pit we wanted to really utilise this new feature and what better way that to have a day deveoted to it. Hence, International Mud Day is a good day to spend with mother nature as we roll ourselves in the mud.
To Get the Health Benefits of Mud
Another good reason to celebrate this day is that you can actually get some health benefits from playing on mud. It contains minerals that are healthy and beneficial for the skin. Aside from that, simply playing with mud gives you the chance to be happy and lift up your mood. Thus, mud is beneficial both physically and mentally.
- Playing in mud will make you happier. Scientific studies suggest that playing in mud can boost mood due to a microscopic bacteria called Myobacterium Vaccae. These microorganisms increase the production of serotonin by our brains. Serotonin is a chemical known to boost mood and happiness.
To Devlop a wide varitey of skills and learning
The open-ended nature of mud encourages creative thinking and allows children to freely create without fear of making mistakes. This also contributes to a child’s sense of self, helping to build a strong inner sense of competency. Mud play is inclusive of all children. It allows children to play at their own developmental level
Encourages Creativity (Emotional Development)
Mud Art: This offers endless opportunities for creative expression. Think mud sculptures, mud pictures/designs, and mud body painting.
Builds Problem Solving-Skills (Cognitive Development)
Cooperative Play: All the negotiating, communicating and sharing that goes on in a kitchen. Children can also work alone in the Mud Kitchen and problem solve.
Uses Fine and Gross Motor Skills (Physical Development)
Kitchen Jobs: The variety of tasks the Mud Kitchen offers children. Weighing, measuring and adding small loose parts to a Mud Pie with utensils all require fine motor skills. Mixing mud flour in a large saucepan, transporting heavy buckets and reaching up high for a hanging pot all require gross motor skills
Practice Listening and Taking Turns (Social Development)
Role Play: Children act out whatever they are learning. Mud Play is a sensory experience. Therefore, provides an abundance of things for children to talk about. The Mud Kitchen offers a platform for them to practice many of these life skills.
Plays a Role in Our Mood. Mud Makes us Happier! (Emotional Development)
Scientific Studies: Children are happier after playing in the Dirt. There is magic in the Dirt. Recent scientific studies have connected the happy, relaxed and calm moods after Mud Play to the dirt that contains microscopic bacteria called Mycobacterium Vaccae. This bacteria increases the serotonin in our brains.
Inspires caring for the environment (Social Development)
Connection to Nature: It is vital in today’s world to get children outdoors to reconnect with nature. With nature-deficit disorder on the rise, Mud play creates memories and a relationship with our Earth. Planting a seed, nurturing a plant and harvesting a garden will, in turn, inspire a connection to the care of our environment in the future. I call this, “Planting seeds of inspiration.”
Builds Stronger Immune Systems (Physical Development)
Scientific Studies: Think about the kids who get really dirty and how often they get sick. Now think about the kids who are constantly applying antibacterial potions and never going outside. Scientific studies show the same microscopic bacteria in the dirt that can make you happier have also proven beneficial to the immune system.
Invites a Total Sensory Experience (Physical Development, Social & Cognitive)
Sensory Play: Research shows that sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, which lead to the child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks.
Benefits the Heart and Skin (Physical Development)
Therapeutic: Adults pay good money for mud bath spas — a secret that children have known all along. Mud relaxes and soothes! This is all good for us!