6 Mar 2009
Last year, I had the opportunity to preview -- and to contribute a back cover blurb for -- a charming nature activity book called I Love Dirt!
Besides being catchy and fun, that title certainly evokes the innocence and joyful abandon of childhood nature play. But it also might be insightful; loving dirt, it turns out, really could be good for children.
It just might be that our instinctual affection for dirt, mud and muck pays dividends in our overall health. A growing number of researchers believe that good old-fashioned dirt play exposes children to a myriad of bacteria, viruses and microbes, all of which make for a stronger immune system. Further studies examine the connection between the rise of maladies such as asthma and allergies and children who spend more time in sanitized environments than outdoor, "dirty" ones.
Microbes and parasites -- it may sound scary. But none of this is to suggest that hygiene is somehow less important. After the bathroom, before preparing food--there are times when hands simply always should be washed. (With soap and warm water please; the zeal with which we've been using antibacterial soaps and sanitizers may be fostering super-resistant bacteria.) Common sense -- as always -- still prevails.
So… what's a parent to say to the child who runs barefoot in the dirt or is always elbow-deep in muck? Pass the mud pies, please!
For more, check out the New York Times article Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You.
| Todd Christopher is the National Wildlife Federation's Director of Online Family Media. |
