Playing in the dirt does have health benefits for kids, that's why I allow them to go outside and get dirty.
I love to take my kids out into our yard to play. Since the pandemic
started, Mommy Khris and I took advantage of the temporary work suspension
to let our two little kids experience playtime outside the house. As such,
it has since become our routine to go out in the morning and in the
afternoon to play on the front lawn.
Why I Allow My Kids To Play And Enjoy Their Time In The Dirt
Outside play was also a way to wean our kids off gadgets
Aside from the joy of being able to explore their surroundings, outside play
was also a great opportunity to wean our kids off their gadgets. Don’t get us
wrong, we still allow our kids to use tablets because we believe that there
are advantages to it.
However, we do want to keep things balanced so gadget use is limited to an
hour to an hour and a half each day. We just don’t want our children to be too
dependent on electronic devices for their happiness.
Kids love getting dirty
While we would let our kids run outside and pick twigs, plants, and pebbles,
we didn’t allow them to play with dirt but, as most parents soon realized,
kids will be kids so it’s almost impossible to keep them immaculately spotless
all day long.
In fact, we eventually realized that it was actually a good idea to let them
handle soil and even squish mud on some occasions. Our kids not only enjoy
sitting on the ground, digging on soil, playing with rocks, and examining
plants but they also get their dose of exercise as well as other physical
benefits.
The 5 surprising benefits of playing in the dirt
When I was young, I often heard my teachers say that rich folks and people who
are too clean are prone to getting diseases and infections. That’s because
their immune system was weak due to inadequate exposure to germs and bacteria.
As such, they did not develop the necessary antibodies to ward off infections.
I thought it was just some old wives tale but I soon realized that it had, in
fact, a scientific basis. This is also the reason why it’s perfectly fine for
me to allow my kids to play in the dirt.
Here are some of the benefits of letting kids get dirty that might surprise
you:
1. Stronger immunity
Exposing kids to germs and bacteria may have
long-term health benefits
for them like protection from allergies, infection, and incidents of
inflammation when they grow older.
2. Develops imagination and creativity
This was my personal observation but I saw that my kids were becoming more
imaginative and creative when they were playing outside. There was some effort
to do pretend play, which is important because it helps their creativity to
expand by letting their minds explore.
3. Better motor skills and coordination
All the effort that kids exert in picking up things off the ground, throwing
sticks, and collecting rocks will help develop their hand and eye coordination
as well as overall motor skills.
This is particularly helpful for my eldest son who was undergoing occupational
therapy before the pandemic. Instead of us doing the activities inside the
house, which I have to admit can get tiresome for him, I thought of mimicking
the exercises outside and I can see that it’s working well for him.
4. It gives them exercise
Physical activity is as important to children as it is to adults to keep their
muscles and bones healthy. Playing outside is a good idea to get their regular
dose of exercise.
5. It brings them joy
I think this doesn’t need much explanation because I have not seen a child who
is unhappy when playing. The moment my kids dart out of the door, you can
instantly hear shrieks of happiness from them. It’s music to my ears and it
also brings me joy to see them genuinely cheerful.
Epilogue
As a parent, I feel fortunate because my kids have ample space outside our
house where they can play to their hearts’ delight. That’s because playing
outside not only brings them happiness but it also has a host of health
advantages to our children.
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