5 Reasons to Let Your Child Play in the Dirt

The weather is finally cooling off in Phoenix, AZ!  WOO-HOO.

For our family that means spending as much possible time out doors at our little homestead. 

Ya’ll we are always up to some sort of shenanigans.  So if you’re ever bored, come on over!

As we live in the desert, you may have guessed that our property is primarily DIRT.  

Two dogs, two children, eight chickens, and one husband later, I have officially accepted that you might just find dirt in every nook and cranny of our home.

A little dirt never hurt anyone.

Some people may cringe at the amount of dirt that gets dumped out of the little boots or that falls out of their jeans after a solid evening of making mud pies.

For anyone that knows our kids, knows that you can find them in the “soft dirt” by where Daddy works on things. 

One of our friends jokingly asked if our three year old is ever not playing in the dirt (since she is in it any time we go outside).  We all chuckled and I told them that as long as she doesn’t attempt 10 minutes before going to church on a Sunday morning, then we don’t care. 

I get it… some times you just don’t want to take the extra time to strip the kids outside and throw them directly in the shower.  Attempting to keep their hands off the walls and get them straight to the bathroom can be quite the task.

With all their excitement of making mud food or creating dirt angels, some times it feels like you’re attempting to herd cats.

But hey,

A little dirt never hurt anyone.

Dirt washes off walls, and brooms sweep up that pile of dirt that came from who knows where. 

Here are 5 reasons that you should let your child play in the dirt.

1.  Rollin’ (in the dirt) On a Budget

Guess what?  This stuff comes free to most. 

Even if you don’t have dirt that kids can play in, maybe a lawn or a pile of leaves is more your style.  Let them frolic!

If you’re in the middle of a city somewhere and don’t have much of a yard, you’re not free here either.  Let them look on the sidewalk for bugs and different types of leaves. 

Ahhh!  Keep that jingle in your pocket, there is some free fun for your kiddos right there. 

When we were in the middle of the city we had the typical green turtle sandbox and we filled it on up with sand for hours of play.  Cheap, cheap, cheap.

2.  Watch their Creativity Thrive and The Imaginations Soar

This is a fun one.  I personally love hearing those little voices say “Pretend that ______” or “Okay, let’s make ____”.

At our house it is usually a sand or mud pie.  With rocks and sticks on top.  Or eggs and pancakes.

My favorite. 

It’s my favorite because of the amount of fun they have doing these things. 

Just the other day my little one wanted to make her dirt into mud, so she figured out how to squeeze the top of her camelback cup to make the water drip out. 

Innovative.  I like it.

Or when they don’t have shovels available, they’ll grab rocks and sticks.  If they find an old container, they’ll fill it on up. 

They may lay on their tummies and scoop as much dirt as they can with their tiny arms and hands to make a “mountain”. 

Even when they look like a little chimney sweeper in five minutes, I guarantee they’ll have a giant grin on their faces!

Learning in the dirt is fun.  We draw letters in the dirt and our three year old says what they are.  Way more fun than paper and pencil!

3.  Appreciation of the Outdoors

Let nature show them that they can always be entertained by the outdoors.  This is pure entertainment that they can’t receive from a screen. 

I think that allowing children to get “bored” is a wonderful thing as it teaches them to get creative and figure out something to do! 

When they look at the details of rocks or even the specks of sand, they’ll most likely be amazed at how intricate it is all designed.

If they can see how amazing these details are in nature, how incredible when they realize they are so much more than that and God created them perfectly.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalsms 139:13

Teaching youngins to find joy in being outdoors is beneficial through all seasons of life. 

Don’t you think that they will grow to love the simplicity in nature when they are constantly submerged in it? 

These are the memories that’ll last a lifetime with them.  This is what they will want to carry on to their children one day too.

I know that when I was a child, being outdoors was my absolute favorite.

It’s God’s natural playground that He gave to us.  Let’s enjoy the heck out of it. 

4. It’ll Make You Laugh

Sit back and just watch what they do and listen to what they say. 

Promise you’ll get a few good chuckles out of it.

Just this past weekend while they were playing in the dirt, they slowly made their way towards our parked bobcat. 

They grabbed the outdoor pillows we have on the wagon wheel bench and made themselves a cozy little bed in the bucket of the bobcat. 

My husband and I laughed as we genuinely thought they may take a little snooze in it too. 

5.  A Little Dirt Never Hurt Anyone

Except for when the kids get excited and scoop it up too fast and it gets in the other one’s eyes.

Otherwise, it is pretty fool proof.

Kick off your boots too, Mama, and go play with your babies in the dirt.

It might just bring back some childhood memories for you and you may find out you still make a mean mud pie. 

Go exfoliate your hands a bit and soak up the enjoyment that your kiddos get from you getting covered in dirt with them. 

Embrace these times.  Takes lots of pictures.  But then don’t forget to set that phone down and play with them too.

The shower and broom will be waiting,

Bri