Mud, Marvelous Mud! By Michelle Rupiper http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2016/the-benefits-of-mud-play Topics: Sensory Play, Outdoor Classroom,Benefits of Outdoor Play Date: June 28, 2016 Oh the joys of mud! Since the dawn of time children have been drawn to mud puddles and dirt as a part of their play. Mixing soil, water, and other natural materials like pebbles, leaves, or grass provides children endless possibilities for learning and fun. Many of us have fond memories of creating mud pies, digging for worms, or making streams and valleys in the mud. But it’s not just about fun. Children benefit from messy, muddy play. Benefits of Mud Play Scientists have now confirmed
Life in the summer is good…until it is not. Summer energy is as light and expansive as the air that surrounds us during these hot, sun-filled days. As parents and teachers at a Jacksonville Beach preschool, we savor the days of not getting up early, waking the children up, packing lunches, driving kiddos here and there by this time and by that time… As parents we crave open-endedness. A little inconvenient news: Open-endedness is quite uncomfortable for a young child. Young children crave time, even though they cannot put that into words. They crave the time to dive deep into play, but they also need to know when they’re going to eat (and even, perhaps, what they are going to eat), when t
