Passion For Digging

Lower School students have been taking their learning beyond the classroom. The recent purchase of gardening tools has ignited a passion for digging. During recess, one could observe groups of students gathered towards the back, among the trees, eagerly digging in the dirt. They worked together to create rivers flowing into larger pools of water, searching for worms in the mud puddles. Although the Facilities Team may not be thrilled about the resulting transformation of a grassless area into a landscape of tributaries and pools, the children's enthusiasm for designing water flow systems and uncovering hidden treasures, like a large boulder they collectively moved, is undeniable.   

 

The mud has provided endless opportunities for students to practice social skills, such as cooperation, negotiation, and collaboration. In addition to the social skills that are practiced as they dig, playing in the mud also allows students to freely create without fear of making mistakes. While parents may lament the dirty laundry resulting from their children's outdoor escapades, they can take solace in knowing the joy and educational value derived from playing in the dirt. The benefits of mud play, as outlined in the article "Why Playing in the Mud is More Than Just Fun," include increased happiness, enhanced brain activity, elevated physical exertion, and the cultivation of creativity, among others.