Mud Dipping For World Mud Day
‘To children mud play is another resource that they can use to help them learn skills’
Students of Lil Champs Preschool celebrated the World Mud Day at the Bulaccino Organic Farm in Votualevu, Nadi yesterday. Accompanied by their parents and joined by the Vodafone Fijian 7s reps Kalioni Nasoko and Waisea Nacuqu, the students were allowed to enjoy a moment in the mud apart from visiting the farm as part of the excursion.
Preschool director Shabreen Nisha said allowing children to play with mud should be common in early years setting.
She said mud play is now recognised as a source of learning as there are vast learning opportunities during mud play. “Children can have so much fun playing with mud. They can develop their creativity and whilst playing pretend play with their peers. “To children mud play is another resource that they can use to help them learn skills,” she said. “We as educators encourage mud play in early years to develop children’s sensory skills, connect them to nature, allow them to learn science concepts, build on imagination skills and help children’s language and communication skills. Children love to discover how the world works around them by simple things like splashing mud, trickling mud, singing in mud puddles, all these involve different types of physical activity. “Sometimes it can be hard for parents to let children get dirty and freedom to go outside to be kids. As educators, we need to advocate the benefit of this type of play.”
Ms Nisha believes that this field trip will encourage parents to understand the importance of nature and hoping this National Sports Day and World Mud Day will bring a vast change to people’s lives. She thanked Bulaccino for sponsoring their visit to their farm. Parents committee chair Jodie Summers said: “The field day on World Mud Day is an exciting opportunity for the kids to get closer to nature, see and feed some farm animals, plant seeds, play in the mud and have a great time!”
“It’s great to see the kids get out of their normal surroundings and experience a farm and playing in the natural environment.”