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dingledine 01:23 PM 09-25-2013
Do you let your daycare kids play in the dirt. I have many dirt spots, as the gophers/moles have made them. I do NOT let the kids play in those anymore. However, near the house, I have a dirt/mulch area, and I let the kids dig/play in there, with tools etc. I DO have a sandbox as well though.

Is that just too dirty in general? What do you think?

I watch an 16mo, 17mo, 3, and my 4 year old daughter.
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SilverSabre25 01:42 PM 09-25-2013
Yup mine dig in the dirt. Every single day. I have big metal dump trucks and tons of shovels and things. dirt digging is the favorite boy activity. girls do it somewhat, but less for the pleasure of dirt and more for a purpose like making "muffins".
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sharlan 01:51 PM 09-25-2013
I do not allow the kids to play in the dirt. I have two sandboxes for that.

BUT, they play in it every single day. Every day I say, GET OUT OF THE DIRT at least 50 times.
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nothingwithoutjoy 01:54 PM 09-25-2013
The dirtier the better, in my opinion. (However, digging up dirt in my lawn is not ok with me. We have lots of dirt for digging--"woods," mud kitchen, garden--so my yard is off limits for digging.)
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Neekie 04:08 PM 09-25-2013
Yep, I let mine play in the dirt, but I tell the parents to send them in clothes that they can get dirty. Playing in the dirt is so much fun! I remember doing that when I was a kid. I usually change them into clean clothes and make them clean up with soap and water once we get back inside so I can keep my carpets and furniture clean.
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kathiemarie 06:19 PM 09-25-2013
My back yard is ALL dirt. So yes they paly in it.
I did have a DCM say you should put grass in. I said sure if the P---- family wants to help landscape I would. She said "sure! that's what my FIL does and he would be happy too!" So, now I'm going to get my back yard done! I can't wait. I'm going to go with a natural theme. No grass though my dog is allergic.
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Maria2013 07:33 PM 09-25-2013
Originally Posted by dingledine:
Do you let your daycare kids play in the dirt. I have many dirt spots, as the gophers/moles have made them. I do NOT let the kids play in those anymore. However, near the house, I have a dirt/mulch area, and I let the kids dig/play in there, with tools etc. I DO have a sandbox as well though.

Is that just too dirty in general? What do you think?

I watch an 16mo, 17mo, 3, and my 4 year old daughter.
kids love dirt and I love to watch them play

I have mulch over dirt and I offer tools as well, (I got rid of my sandbox) my parents know not to sent the kids wearing nice clothes cause when they go outside they are free to get down and get dirty....they're all ok with that
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coolconfidentme 07:34 PM 09-25-2013
We have a dirt kitchen complete with pots, pans, cups, plates, etc. The kids sale dirt creations to each other & pay for them with leaves!!
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AcornMama 08:20 PM 09-25-2013
We play in the dirt daily. All the kids (daycare and my own) are working on digging a big hole together. They've uncovered a big rock and they're trying to figure out how to get it out. There's a mess of little roots in their way. They are having a blast! Best kind of fun!

I also tell parents to send kids in clothes they don't mind getting dirty. I also require each child to bring a raincoat and a pair of boots at enrollment that stay here so we're always prepared for messy play.
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Play Care 03:09 AM 09-26-2013
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy:
The dirtier the better, in my opinion. (However, digging up dirt in my lawn is not ok with me. We have lots of dirt for digging--"woods," mud kitchen, garden--so my yard is off limits for digging.)


Originally Posted by :
I do not allow the kids to play in the dirt. I have two sandboxes for that.

BUT, they play in it every single day. Every day I say, GET OUT OF THE DIRT at least 50 times
YES! Why is this?! I've warned them that when they dig a hole in the middle of the yard it's dangerous as kids running and playing can fall because of it.
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Meyou 03:31 AM 09-26-2013
We have a mud kitchen and it's the most played with toy in the yard. We love dirt here.
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LK5kids 04:42 AM 09-26-2013
I don't do dirt...just my preference. I do have a sand table and plan to put in a sand kitchen.
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Neekie 05:09 AM 09-26-2013
Originally Posted by Play Care:




YES! Why is this?! I've warned them that when they dig a hole in the middle of the yard it's dangerous as kids running and playing can fall because of it.
Yes, my dcks are not allowed to dig in the lawn or anywhere they want either. There are specific areas for digging in the dirt like our garden area. And I do not allow them to dig in the dirt whenever they want to either. We have certain days and times set up for dirt digging because it is such a messy activity. But I have a huge sandbox that they play in everyday. The sandbox is actually a favorite over here.
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Familycare71 05:32 AM 09-26-2013
No- no dirt here... We have a sand box. If they feel the need they can dig there- I can't handle dirt (well more so mud!)...
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Heidi 06:56 AM 09-26-2013
http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/se...l/messy%20play

This is my dream...I'm not quite there yet, but I wish I were. It looks so dang fun! This site has so many ideas!
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SilverSabre25 06:59 AM 09-26-2013
Originally Posted by Heidi:
http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/se...l/messy%20play

This is my dream...I'm not quite there yet, but I wish I were. It looks so dang fun! This site has so many ideas!
If I had an outdoor sink....
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Neekie 02:57 PM 09-26-2013
Originally Posted by Heidi:
http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/se...l/messy%20play

This is my dream...I'm not quite there yet, but I wish I were. It looks so dang fun! This site has so many ideas!
Oh, that looks so fun! I want to be a kid again. I don't think I would let the dcks go mud sliding though, but I would let my own kids do it.
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Neekie 02:59 PM 09-26-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
If I had an outdoor sink....
And yes! An outdoor sink would be helpful! How about an outdoor shower?
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Heidi 03:13 PM 09-26-2013
might have to put this on next years "microgrant" for our QIP:

http://www.gardeningwithkids.org/out...rden-sink.html
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Maria2013 06:01 PM 09-26-2013
Originally Posted by coolconfidentme:
We have a dirt kitchen complete with pots, pans, cups, plates, etc. The kids sale dirt creations to each other & pay for them with leaves!!
I love this idea!
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Familycare71 06:04 PM 09-26-2013
Originally Posted by Neekie:
And yes! An outdoor sink would be helpful! How about an outdoor shower?
If I had an outdoor shower- then they could play in dirt!
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Cradle2crayons 06:28 PM 09-26-2013
My kids get dirty dirty dirty. In the summer they get in their bathing suits and then before we come in I spray them off lol.

I warn parents from day one no good clothes. If they don't listen, then they can't complain when they get dirty.

Of course, I do clean them off good and wash faces and feet etc. it's not like I send them home nasty,

But since my kids are afternoon kids they are nice and clean when I put em to bed
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laceylmm 06:49 PM 09-26-2013
Originally Posted by Heidi:
might have to put this on next years "microgrant" for our QIP:

http://www.gardeningwithkids.org/out...rden-sink.html
Love this!
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originalkat 07:37 AM 09-27-2013
Love the outdoor sink idea!! I NEED one of those.
I have a dirt area for digging and a sand area. I like to keep the areas separate though.
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Heidi 08:37 AM 09-27-2013
I never answered the question. I have about 6 inches of sand (pilfered from an empty lot next door..we live in a very sandy area). Under sand is black dirt we originally put there when we landscaped.

This summer, my 12 year old and my only SA had a blast digging huge tunnels in the sand area and filling them with water. It was a muddy mess but they had so much fun. The SA is the girl who was very unhappy here last summer, btw. Not a single complaint this year!

Since I have almost all infants (and 1 toddler) now, we don't use the sandbox or play yard at the moment. We just play on my giant covered front porch instead.

I will need to add fresh sand and wood chips in the spring. Oh well, would have anyway.
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misslori50 08:43 AM 10-01-2013
Originally Posted by cradle2crayons:
my kids get dirty dirty dirty. In the summer they get in their bathing suits and then before we come in i spray them off lol.

I warn parents from day one no good clothes. If they don't listen, then they can't complain when they get dirty.

Of course, i do clean them off good and wash faces and feet etc. It's not like i send them home nasty,

but since my kids are afternoon kids they are nice and clean when i put em to bed
we love dirt
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AnneCordelia 08:49 AM 10-01-2013
We have a sandbox for digging. Sand brushes off when it is dry.

As a oparent I wouldn't appreciate my child covered in dirt at pickup, so I don't let my dcks dig in dirt. It gets under fingernails, smudged into clothing, etc.

We have lots of messy fun with shaving cream, paint, sand, etc, that rinses easier than dirt or can be done in a smock.
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dinosaurz 09:13 AM 10-01-2013
this
http://mynorthwest.com/11/493934/Gir...-to-researcher
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Lianne 11:12 AM 10-01-2013
I had a sandbox but hated letting the kids play in it because of the mess they dragged inside despite my best efforts not to. Plus, my sand would get damp and go moldy even with a lid on the sandbox. The kids didn't seem to miss it so this summer I sold my sandbox and the kids started playing in the dirt that had been in. They loved it.

I found the dirt didn't stick to them or get into the cuffs of pants or shoes/socks, etc. the way sand did. When we went outside I'd fill a water table that sat beside my kitchen door (outside the yard) with an inch of water and a couple drops of soap and the kids would wash up on our way inside.

I was given some free top soil mid summer and added it to our dirt pile aka dinosaur pit. A provider on a board I'm on (maybe this one?) had a photo of the dinosaur jungle she'd created for her daycare kids and it inspired me to put our plastic dinosaurs out. We also gathered rocks and neat pieces of woods from our walk to add as well. I trained a vine to grow up the fence and it's off shoots creeped into the dino pit eventually.

I also have a plastic Little Tikes kitchen and a bin of play dishes, pails, shovels and trucks for them to play with in the dirt. It's one of the kids' favorite activities in my yard
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