Here’s what studies have to say about kids playing in mud

There has been much debate over whether parents should allow their children to play in the mud or dirt, but studies have found that preventing youngsters from getting dirty occasionally may have unintended consequences.

Playing in the mud and dirt can really teach a child’s immune system to fight against a variety of conditions like allergies and asthma, according to a BBC story citing a recent study.

The study asserts that it can improve a child’s mental health by strengthening their resistance to anxiety and depression. The research demonstrates how spending time outside and playing with certain natural materials, like soil or mud, which contain potent bacteria, can benefit a child’s health and development.

A article from Healthline, citing numerous studies, suggests what they refer to as ‘mud play,’ explaining that it is similar to playing in a sandbox or on the beach but with mud, which is damp or wet dirt.

They contend that research supports the idea that playing in mud is healthier for kids than living in a clean environment, which, on the other hand, increases the risk of allergies and asthma.

Germs found in mud may actually strengthen a child’s immune system, citing research from 2014, the report shows that even when young children were exposed to dust, pet dander and other allergens before the age of one they were less likely to develop allergies and wheezing later in childhood.