On Thursday, June 27, Eccles Early Childhood Development Lab School at Salt Lake Community College provided a way for children to experience and connect with nature by celebrating International Mud Day.
According to World Forum Foundation’s website for Nature Action Collaborative for Children, “International Mud Day is children and early childhood professionals all over the world celebrating nature, outdoors, and mess by getting really muddy.”
Several children, parents and caregivers joined in on the fun and got down and dirty in the name of education. There were sprinklers, mud, a pool in which to wash off and a pool of clean mud that comprised of toilet paper, shaved ivory soap and water. There was also a play kitchen where children could make mud pies.
Children from the Eccles Lab spend one day each week outside for a water day and outdoors activities. According to a Montessori Life study, interactions with nature help children develop creativity and help with learning and observation with the world around them.
