Dirt

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Dirt has been used as a loose part by human children for as long as there have been human children. I saw it today. Out for a walk with my pups, I spotted a kid–must have been about 7–passing time at the bus stop by scooping up handfuls of the stuff and letting them run through his fingers. Then he pulled an eraser from his backpack and drove it through the dirt, creating a figure-eight racetrack.

A few years back, the city built a new elementary school in our neighborhood. The centerpiece of the playground was one of those brightly colored but boring play structures. It had a few slides, a couple of tunnels, and a thing or two to climb–all on top of a poured-in-place rubber safety surface. It must have cost $70,000. On the first day of school, during kindergarten recess, I noticed that a quarter of the class was more interested in a tiny patch of soil in the corner of the playground than the expensive centerpiece.

Kids like it because it is interesting. Tactile. Engaging.

A Chance For Heavy Work

Hauling, scooping, raking, pulling, throwing, stirring, dumping, pounding, scooping, and digging dirt are examples of heavy work. And it turns out lots of kids need more opportunities for heavy work in their early learning days. Among other things, these activities that push and pull against the body help build muscle strength and control.

A Chance To Bump Up Against Nature

Dirt can be home to all kinds of other amazing loose parts. All those interesting items that grow out of it and under it, for example. The flowers, the weeds, the trees, the potatoes, the rutabagas, the apples, the tomatoes, and all the rest.

And, let’s not forget the creepy crawlers, squirmer, and diggers that live under it. Playing with dirt is a chance to get close to all those other living things. It’s also a chance for very informative STEM play and exploration.