With Mud Day, IVN wants to give the importance of free play in nature a more prominent place on the agenda. This could mean playing in a forest or park, but also simply on a green playground. Natural play areas encourage different, more active play behaviour. An increasing number of studies show that children who grow up in a greener environment have better mental health. Nevertheless, children today play outdoors six times less than their parents or grandparents did.
Obesity and poor motor skills
The consequences of spending so much time playing indoors are becoming increasingly clear: more children are struggling with obesity, children’s motor skills have deteriorated, and the same applies to their eyesight as a result of frequent screen use. ‘But playing outdoors is also very important from a social-emotional perspective. It really makes children happier. After all, what could be more delightful than climbing a tree or playing in the mud?’ says IVN project leader Marc Veekamp.
Scotland
Veekamp was recently in Scotland, where legislation and regulations now stipulate that children in childcare must spend 50 percent of their time outdoors. ‘They understand how important this is. Children play very differently in nature than they do indoors with toys. Simply giving them some sand and water, as they do on Mud Day, creates enormous enjoyment. In nature, children invent their own games, which is incredibly beneficial for all kinds of aspects of their development. In addition, children are outdoors in the fresh air rather than in small spaces with low humidity and high CO2 levels, which is naturally much healthier.’
IVN and Humankind are also striving for more nature-rich childcare in the Netherlands. Both organisations believe that this could also partly help address the major challenges currently facing childcare as a result of staff shortages and absenteeism due to illness. The positive effects of greater contact with nature and the outdoors naturally apply to adults as well. Nature-rich childcare could therefore contribute to lower absenteeism and make working in this sector more appealing. Veekamp says: ‘The government’s plans to make childcare virtually free from 2025 onwards, which will lead even more parents to use childcare, also genuinely require a good, healthy and therefore nature-rich design.’
At home too
Mud Day has been organised by IVN Nature Education since 2016. This year, around 2,800 locations are taking part, most of them childcare locations. Putting on a mud mask, baking mud pies or simply enjoying playing in the mud: it is all possible on that day. IVN therefore calls on all parents to embrace Mud Day and let their children enjoy themselves at home too. And not just on 29 June, but throughout the year. On the website www.modderdag.nl, the organisation provides free tips and inspiration for parents to discover and play together with their children.
International Mud Day
International ‘Mud Day’ originated in Nepal and Australia, with the underlying idea that children should come into greater contact with nature. The day is now celebrated every year on 29 June in countries including Denmark, Great Britain and the United States. In the Netherlands, Mud Day was first organised in 2013.