On the Coast – Families Issue 94 I June/July 2018 | Page 6

Alkira Early Learning Centre
Mindfullness to mud
Mud mud glorious mud! The benefits of
mud play and its ability to boost children’s
immunity in the early years has been
highly researched in the past few years
and further scientific evidence supports
just how important mud play is in cognitive
development of children and their overall
wellbeing.
Recent research suggests that playing
with mud, even though such an enjoyable
experience in itself, can also
stimulate the immune
systems of children
and help to prevent
allergies and
sometimes even
asthma, Yes, you
hear right…it’s
healthy for children
to get MUDDY!
The research
has also found
links to children’s
overall wellbeing
from regular exposure
to Mycobacterium Vaccae
(A bacteria found in dirt) which
may help reduce a child’s vulnerability to
depression. When you dig much deeper
into the research, the bacteria responsible
for this also has the ability to increase the
level of serotonin in the brain, releasing
endorphins and improving cognitive
development and mindfulness.
There is an emerging body of
research that indicates mindfulness can
help children improve their ability to pay
attention, to calm when they are upset and
to make better decisions. In short, it helps
with emotional regulation and cognitive
focus (Rudell Beach Jul 23, 2014). The use
of sensory experiences like mud and clay
in early childhood services to create calm
relaxing environments is fast emerging in
early childhood services.
Alkira ELC has embraced this research
and incorporates mud play in the children’s
daily activities. Mud can be used in so
many ways, one of our favourite being
through art. The great thing about using
mud through art is it gives children ample
opportunity to make mistakes and learn
through experimentation whilst smashing,
stirring, measuring, moulding, baking
and painting and then doing it all over
6
KIDZ O N T H E C OA S T
again! Whilst immersed
in this endless sensory
experimentation, children are
developing their fine and gross motor
skills, they are hypothesising, problem
solving, using creativity and imagination
whilst gaining social skills as they learn to
cooperate, negotiate and communicate
with their peers.
And even though mud can be just a fun
experience where we get rather dirty, it
also gives children the opportunity to be
a part of the natural environment around
them which we believe is so important in
the hi tech age we live in.
International Mud Day began on June
29th 2009. The creators of International
Mud Day wanted to find a way to help all
of the children of the Earth feel closer to
each other and what better way to do it
than through the Earth itself? There are
countless ways to celebrate International
Mud Day, but all of them have one thing
in common: you have to get dirty. This
day can be especially fun if you have
children, because who likes to get dirty as
much as children? At Alkira ELC this has
been one of the highly celebrated days
we take part in each year and is much
anticipated by the children, families and
educators. In 2015 we transformed our
grass hill into a ginormous mud slide for
the Alkira ELC community which was a
great success. The following year we added
an obstacle course and 2017 expanded
this to Alkira Early learning “Mini Mudder”
for the children, their families along with
the educators to participate in. This year
we have decided to incorpor