Page 8 - Our Play Curriculum

EARTH – Playing with mud, mud sliding, mud kitchens, getting dirty but often having the

time of your life. Creating opportunities for children to play with earth is essential; research

has shown that playing in mud can make you happier. Recent research has shown that dirt
contains microscopic bacteria called Mycobacterium Vaccae, which stimulates the immune

system and increases the levels of serotonin in our brains, an endorphin that soothes, calms,

and helps us to relax. Playing with earth can range from digging and playing in the mud and

mud wrestling to clay modelling.