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<\/p>\nGrowing up on both a farm and a ranch (yes, they\u2019re very different) gave me an appreciation for life I hope everyone is able to find. My imagination was constantly showing itself.\u00a0 From barn forts, to mud pies, I was always covered head to toe in dirt and smiles.\u00a0 Most kids ran through sprinklers, my friends and I ran through pivots.. really, really big sprinklers. . One of my earliest memories is my cousins and I swimming in the irrigation ditches and rinsing off in the cattle tanks.<\/p>\n
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..writting this blog is triggering so many memories \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n
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The imagination that I developed is attributed greatly to being an only child for the majority of my childhood but much of that credit also needs to be given to my lack of fear of getting dirty.<\/p>\n
All of these experiences created a rhythm for my life that I will forever be grateful for.\u00a0 I am stubbornly self sufficient..I need to ask for help more.. I\u2019m a hard worker and not at all afraid to get dirty in the process, and I am aware of the importance of being in touch with nature…grounded..<\/p>\n
Teaching your children the importance of good hygiene is important of course, but just as important as letting experience the world of dirt.\u00a0 Chasing children around with baby wipes and hand sanitizer is only bringing stress to the parent and preventing their immune systems from learning to fight off intruders.<\/p>\n
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Here are a few reasons to consider letting your kiddos play in the dirt!<\/p>\n
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They\u2019ll likely be more active<\/p>\n
When kids are allowed to play in the dirt, they may sit and make mud cakes for a while, but they\u2019ll likely also be running, jumping, crawling and cartwheeling through it. All of this exercise is highly important, and the cornerstone of a child\u2019s development.<\/p>\n
As a bonus, when kids are enjoying being physically active on their own terms, it also teaches them that exercise is fun: an important lesson that will benefit their entire lives.<\/p>\n
Immune system boost<\/p>\n
Playing in the dirt \u2014 and even eating a bit of it \u2014 can help train and strengthen young immune systems. As microbiology and immunology educator Mary Ruebush\u00a0explains<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing his immune response to explore his environment. Not only does this allow for \u2018practice\u2019 of immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response what is best ignored.\u201d<\/p>\n So, exposing your child to dirt early on may actually help their immune systems to battle invading organisms as they grow.<\/p>\n It may lessen the chance of developing allergies<\/p>\n Along with helping to strengthen the immune system, playing in the dirt may lessen a child\u2019s chance of developing allergies. This is because gradual exposure to allergens in your area can allow the body to become accustomed to them.<\/p>\n As we\u00a0reported previously<\/a>, it has been found that children raised on farms suffer from less instances of allergies and autoimmune conditions than children not raised on farms. A big part of this is dirt exposure.<\/p>\n Grounding is important<\/p>\n Grounding, also known as \u201cearthing,\u201d is simply having \u00a0 To let your kids get some good grounding into their days, let them run through the dirt barefoot when the weather permits. It doesn\u2019t take long to wash off their little feet!<\/p>\n They need the vitamin D<\/p>\n Playing in the dirt often means more time in the sun \u2014 and kids need that vitamin D to protect the health of their bones and immune systems.\u00a0Sun safety measures<\/a>\u00a0are important, but not enough time in the sun isn\u2019t healthy and could lead to negative effects.<\/p>\n A close relationship with nature<\/p>\n When children play in the dirt, they learn a lot about nature. They learn about the plants that grow in the soil, and about the creatures that live in it. For young children, the textures of soil, mud, sand and grass are extremely stimulating, and they learn a great deal about their environment from engaging with it.<\/p>\n A love of nature that is nurtured early on can lead to a lifelong love of nature \u2014 a noble passion, indeed.<\/p>\n It may boost their brains<\/p>\n A body of research has found a link between time spent in the outdoor environment and increases in kids\u2019 cognitive skills. For one example, a 2004\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0published in the journal\u00a0Environmental Education Research\u00a0found that an environmental education course positively affected the critical thinking skills of high school students.<\/p>\n It helps relieve stress<\/p>\n When children are allowed free, unstructured playtime in the great outdoors, it may greatly help to relieve stress and anxiety, according to the\u00a0National Wildlife Federation<\/a>. Since stressors abound for kids between schoolwork, social issues and all of the other struggles that accompany growing up, some stress-relieving playtime is crucial.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll be happier!![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dee-signlandscaping.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Garden-Shop-kiddos-300x225.jpg\")
our feet and bodies in contact with the earth. As we explored in a\u00a0previous article<\/a>, doing this on a regular basis may lead to a reduced risk of many chronic conditions.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dee-signlandscaping.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Dirty-Philo-241x300.jpg\")
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