Sandboxes are nice. But, they’re also pretty common. It seems every park, day care and preschool has a sandbox, not to mention plenty of backyards too. If you really want to introduce a hefty dose of science and outdoor fun to your kids—nothing beats the sheer joy and possibility of a big pile of dirt.
Now, I know that not everyone has the space or the inclination to put a big pile of dirt in their back yard—but if you do, just think of the possibilities for your kids (and the neighborhood kids as well). And, if you don’t have the space, you’d be surprised how many piles of dirt you can find in a neighborhood or city—parks, community gardens, and new housing developments are just a few places. Even a small yard can entertain a brief dirt pile if you are building flower or vegetable beds or adding top soil to your garden.
Dirt piles have such grand potential—there is the science of digging for bugs and worms and looking at things under a microscope or with a magnifying glass, but there is also the construction and play potentials of a dirt pile—digging tunnels and building roads; making volcanoes, mountains, and mud structures; and climbing, crawling; and leaping on and around the pile. Not to mention hauling dirt in buckets and wagons. Hours of activity can be had with a relatively small-sized pile of dirt.
During my own childhood growing up on forty acres, we often had a big mound of dirt that had been piled up in the building of a workshop or barn, or the clearing away of a portion of land for some other project. A good many of my childhood memories are wrapped around all the adventures that happened on, around, and because of a big mound of dirt (I hesitate to mention the dirt clod fights and other battles made possible by building fortresses out of mounds of dirt—knowing it could be considered rather politically incorrect).
So, if you’re looking for something to get your kids outdoors and add a little excitement to your outdoor play options, you might consider installing a marvelous mound of dirt…
See Also: The Joy of an Unpredictable Nature Walk,Coping With Cabin Fever, and Five Summer Activities to do With Your Kids