Benefits for children’s health and well-being from being engaged into outdoor childcare
Researchers have now affirmed something that children have intuitively known for years: playing in mud is fun. It has been proved in recent studies that there is microscopic bacteria called Mycobacterium Vaccae in mud (Rupiper, 2016). With help of that bacteria the immune system is stimulated and increase the levels of serotonin in the brains, an endorphin that soothes, calms, and helps us to relax. It is suggested that it may reduce child’s vulnerability to depression once there is regular exposure to the bacteria.
Recently, a research study was conducted in Finland where two groups of children were compared – urban children who attend day care services with yards of pavement, tile and gravel, and children from greened-up childcare provisions. The second group of children demonstrated the increase in T-cells and other important immune markers in their blood within only 28 days (Marja et al, 2020). As a result, the above researchers concluded that children’s play in the greenery environment for just one month may be enough to change their immune system in a positive manner.
The effectiveness of outdoor environment in supporting children’s health and well-being has been emphasised in many other empirical research, including Chawla (2015) and Brussoni et al.(2017). Their research study findings showed that those children who were regularly engaged in outdoor play had a considerable reduction in depression, antisocial behaviour and had a bigger interest in play that involves natural materials, self-regulating play and prosocial behaviour.
