It's Mud Week at childcare organization Wiedewei! Children's mayor Fleur Booij gave the starting signal for this week full of mud fun. By reading the book The naughtiest piglet, about a pig who would rather roll in the mud than go to bed, she opened the Mud Week.
ModderWeek is derived from National Mud Day, which took place last Monday. Instead of a day full of mud fun, Wiedewei chose to spread this out to a whole week. At Wiedewei Paddewei, they really went all out. The children painted with mud, made a mud river, walked barefoot through the muddy barefoot path, made mud soup and had a great time splashing around in the mud bath. Brothers, sisters and children's mayor Fleur also joined in.
Mud contributes to resistance
It is common knowledge that playing outside is good for children. Being outside means fresh air, exercise and vitamin D. But playing with mud is even healthier. Finnish research shows that playing in the mud has a positive effect on children's resistance. Because children come into contact with all kinds of micro-organisms, they build up a strong immune system.
Good for motor skills and creativity
In addition to the health benefits, playing with mud is also good for children's development. By playing with different structures, children's senses are stimulated. They feel different types of mud and notice what it does to the structure when more or less water is added. Building mud towers is good for fine motor skills. At the same time, children immerse themselves in their own fantasy world, which is good for creativity and imagination.
Mud fun for young and old
The Mud Week is not only a lot of fun, but also incredibly healthy. And the children are enjoying it to the fullest. Lindy, mother of Juul, can't get her daughter to come home. 'Normally she comes straight away when I ask if we're going to watch trains, but now she doesn't look up or around. She's having such a good time. I understand, I would have preferred to keep playing in the mud when I was younger. I still do now, by the way, last week we were walking around the garden barefoot with a few parents!', she says laughing.
