Why Playing with Dirt Doesn't Hurt

The Spring weather has finally arrived! Soon enough you may find that your children are covered in dirt, leaving a trail of their adventures on your kitchen floor. Sure, dirt hurts the cleanliness of your home, but studies have shown there are many benefits to playing outdoors, with the company of dirt. 

According to the National Wildlife Federation, playing outside can have a long-lasting impact on child development. Playing outdoors increases fitness levels, and promotes healthy bodies. While outside Vitamin D levels have been known to increase, which is a preventative for future healthy problems like issues relating to bone development, heart disease, and diabetes. 

Playing outdoors also has some great social benefits. Studies have shown that within minutes of seeing green space children's stress levels fall significantly. Playing outdoors also benefits children socially, allowing them to form close relationships. 

And then dirt comes in. Playing with dirt exposes children to healthy bacteria, parasites, and viruses, that help build a healthy immune system. Children who are rarely exposed to dirt have a higher chance of suffering from allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune diseases. Research has shown that within minutes of children making contact with dirt, their moods have improved, stress has been reduced and anxiety has decreased. 

You might be thinking how you can play in the dirt with your children. Luckily, we have a few ideas that you can take advantage of.

1. You can pick a spot where your children can dig. Give them a shovel and a bucket and watch them explore the world of dirt. 

2. You can go for a walk in your own yard or take a walk with your children through your neighborhood. 

3. Plan a nature scavenger hunt. 


These three very different activities will allow you to interact with your children outdoors and explore nature. You'll be amazed at how much your mood will change, from doing something as simple as going on a short walk. 

In the celebration of dirt and all the fun it brings along, we are happy to invite to our Dirt Don’t Hurt event. On Thursday May 28^th from 10am-1pm, we will explore the wonders of the natural world, and meet a few animals along the way. We can't wait to see you there!

* Written by Melinda Kinnear - Public Relations Intern

Animals Winged and Wet

Birds of prey are pretty interesting to learn about and see up close as Museum visitors had the chance to do this Past Friday, August 2.  New England Reptile and Raptor was here showing different birds of prey like the Barn Owl and Turkey Vulture while sharing some really interesting facts.  

Did you know:

• The Great Horned Owl is called the tiger of the woodlands because of its strength.  
• The gut of a vulture is so vile that most bacteria and disease can’t survive!
• The ear openings on an owl aren't symmetrical.
• Owls have 7 more vertebrae in their necks allowing them to be able to turn their heads around further than us.
• Turkey vultures can smell something dead from 12 miles away and are the only American bird with a sense of smell.
• The Paragon Falcon is the fastest diving bird and can reach speeds over 200 miles an hour!

These were some of the many interesting facts that we learned Friday.

Touch Tanks was also at the Museum on Friday providing a chance for kids to interact with different types of water creatures.  There were snails, crabs, oysters and hermit crabs for them to touch and hold and have fun learning about.   

Some cool information that we learned:

• 1 oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day (that’s a lot of water!)
• When a crab outgrows its shell is sheds its old shell which is called molting 
• Green crabs are actually an invasive species.   
• There is seaweed in toothpaste.
• Crabs are plankton in their larvae stage.
• Hermit crabs use their antennae to feel and also to smell a little.

Everything that the kids interacted with was gathered from the Cape and will be returned to the Cape.

Did you miss these events or maybe your kid enjoyed them so much that they wanted to learn more?  If so, take them to the library where they’ll be able find books to teach them more or you can take them outside for some hands on exploration.  You can take them to a local conservation for the chance to see some birds of prey or join a group such as the Junior Bird Club or participate in programs like Birding by Van.  To discover more about the ocean and its inhabitants you can take them to the beach to see what they can find. 

Animals Winged and Wet wasn't the Museums last summer drop-in!  There are still drop-in days every Thursday and Friday up to the end of August.  For more information on Museum drop-in days you can click here.

Make an Earth Day Splash

With Earth Day approaching and our area experiencing near drought conditions, now is the perfect time to teach your child some simple ways to “Save the Earth”, starting with a tangible resource your child uses every day, water.

For starters, help your child realize just how much we use water every day. Young children may only think of really obvious uses, such as drinking or bathing. As you go about your day, challenge your child to notice when you use water: doing laundry, washing dishes, and see what else she comes up with. When outside, notice all the plants and animals that need water as well as its other uses such as washing the car, filling the pool, or even for birds to take a bath.

Next, help your child realize how he or she can help conserve water. One very simple idea that I use in my home is instead of dumping the rest of our water bottles and drinking glasses from dinner down the drain, we use that water to fill the dog’s water bowl and water the plants. We try to remember to turn off the tap while brushing our teeth and turn down the water pressure when soaping up in the shower. Try this: Have your child plug the drain while taking a shower so he or she can observe how much water he uses. Do it again for his next shower, but have him challenge himself to use less.

Take advantage of the lovely spring weather and go for a walk along a nearby pond or stream. The NRT of Easton’s Sheep Pasture has a nice little pond where you can see turtles, frogs, ducks, dragonflies, and plants. You may have a stream in your neighborhood, or try a Massachusetts State Park. Talk about all the plants and animals that need the water. If you can get close to the water, you can make an underwater scope to see what lives under the water too.

Then notice any trash around the water. Talk about what could be harmed by this trash. Could birds or fish eat it, or get tangled up in it? If it is safe, we try to put on some rubber gloves and dispose of the trash in a proper container. The kids always feel good about helping the animals and plants who make this area their home. Remind your child that even litter that is not near the water can eventually make its way to the river by wind or rainstorms, so it is important not to litter anywhere. Even in their small way, kids can make a big difference.

For more Earth Day fun, don’t miss the Museum’s Earth Day/animal related creative movement with Mariah Bradbury on Thursday April 19 at 10 & 11 AM. Or stop by The Children’s Museum’s Wild Place any other Thursday afternoon, 1:30-2:15, through the end of May for "A Wild Time", where we will be exploring nature through science experiments and crafts.

Michelle VanVoorhis is a mom, a licensed elementary school teacher, educator at the Children's Museum where she teaches Summer Mini Camps and many drop-in programs through the year, including "A Wild Time". She contributes to the Museum's blog on a regular basis.