Why Playing in the Rain and the Mud is Good For Kids | 13 Facts

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When I was four or five years old, I was playing with my best friend outside in the mud. We didn’t just get a little bit muddy — we literally played, dug, rolled in, and threw mud at each other for the better part of an afternoon during a rainstorm. He had the perfect yard for such an endeavor: 30% of his yard was made up of loose dirt. That loose dirt, mixed with crazy amounts of rain, resulted in a little slice of soppy paradise. We kept playing in that mud until there was no chance of sneaking back into my parents’ house unnoticed.

Today, there is plenty of scientific evidence that nature is not only good, but great for us. With our urban jungles, indoor culture and never-ending stream of new technological wonders we may have removed ourselves from nature, but we will never be able to take nature out of us. After all, nature is where humans have evolved for millions of years, long before electronics, standardized testing, parents’ fears of abduction and over-scheduling of extracurricular activities diminished the time children get to spend on unstructured play outside.

So what exactly can spending time in nature do for your child? Consider these facts:

  1. Children who play outside are more physically active, which helps prevent obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other health issues
  2. Children with nature-rich schoolyards are calmer and pay more attention to their teachers than children whose schoolyards have few natural elements.
  3. Children with ADHD experience significantly fewer symptoms after spending time in nature
  4. Children who play regularly in natural environments have more advanced motor skills, such as agility, balance and coordination, and are sick less often
  5. Children who play outside have higher levels of vitamin D, which in turn strengthens their bones and immune systems
  6. Children who learn how to garden eat more fruit and vegetables and are more likely too keep a healthy lifestyle later in life
  7. Children who play outside engage in more imaginative games, interact more and get along better
  8. Children whose schools offer outdoor classrooms or other forms of environmental education score higher on standardized tests
  9. Children who grow up having regular contact with the natural world are more likely to develop a lifelong love for nature and care to preserve it
  10. Children are less likely to engage in bullying when they play in natural environments
  11. Children who play in nature score higher on concentration and self-discipline tests
  12. Children who are exposed to the natural world develop stronger awareness, reasoning and observation skills
  13. Children who play outside suffer less nearsightedness and are less likely to need eyeglasses


That’s the the impact of the child-nature connection in a nut shell. Great – but how do you go about fitting more nature time into your and your child’s life?

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