Benefits of Mud Play

Many of us enjoy waking up to the smell of rain. It is both invigorating and calming, offering each of us a  fresh start. However, it can also trigger some anxiety as you plan for the day ahead. Make sure to grab the umbrella and rainboots, because your child is going to get SOAKED. 

Children are drawn to everything messy. Their hands and feet want to explore new textures and temperatures; sensory activities are not only interesting and fun, but they also help a child make sense of their world. One of the most delightful of these textures is mud. Sloppy, wet, clumpy mud. And while we can’t shake the image of it smeared all over our white carpet and the interior of our car, a child sees a mound of mud as a new frontier.  What will it feel like if I pat it with my hands? Will it hold a shape? Can I build a castle or a tower? Is it hot or cold?

Parents, it’s time to embrace mud play! Yes, it’s a total mess. But it’s totally worth it. Children receive so many benefits from playing in the mud. These include social and emotional growth and an increase in their physiological health. Read on to find out what’s so great about this goopy, messy play!  

Mud play is great for a child’s health

But, hey– I thought mud was dirty? It is! According to the FDA, “children raised in extremely clean environments, who have little exposure to the bacteria, viruses, and parasites typically found in mud and soil, are more likely to develop allergies and asthma.” Additionally, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, children who are raised on farms are significantly less likely to develop asthma than children who are not. We are protecting our child from health problems by playing in the mud. Who knew?    

Mud play encourages academic and social emotional growth 

Have you ever played “outdoor kitchen” with your child? Has your child “baked” a tray of cookies out of rocks, sand, mud, and twigs? If they have, then they’re using their imagination and building important skills every preschooler needs! Mud is totally unstructured; it becomes anything you want it to be. Mud not only offers artistic expression and dramatic play opportunities, but it also encourages the child to act as mathematician, engineer, and scientist. How much mud will we need to fill this hole? Can we build a trench to reroute the water from this puddle? What happens if I dam the water with this rock? Children are exploring these questions on their own and as part of a larger play group. Children who are working together to build a castle or connect various trenches are building skills in collaboration and problem solving. 

So give it a try! Stomp, run, and jump in the mud. It is bath night anyway!