“Don’t get dirty!” used to be something parents said a lot, feeling upset when they saw their kids get their nice clothes dirty. It didn’t matter if the kids were running around in fields, climbing trees, or catching little frogs; their clothes would always get dirty by the end of the day. Nowadays, many parents might secretly wish their kids could get a little dirty. With cities growing bigger and kids more interested in video games and social media, playing outside and getting dirty is not as common as it used to be. For many kids, there’s hardly a chance to get muddy at all.
Scientists have known for a while that some dirt can benefit you. Studies have shown that people who grew up on farms, where they’re around lots of different germs, often don’t get sick with things like Crohn’s disease, asthma, and allergies as much as others. An idea that’s been around for a while among parents is called the “hygiene hypothesis.” It suggests that if kids are kept too clean when they’re little, they might get sick more easily later on because their immune system doesn’t develop as it should.
A research article in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology showed that kids who come into contact with cockroach and mouse allergens and certain bacteria during their first year are less likely to have allergies or asthma when they get older. Playing outside isn’t just good for health; it’s also great for learning. When kids play with mud or sand, shaping and squeezing it, they learn to use their senses and muscles together. This is called sensorimotor development. Francesco Vitrano, an expert who works with kids and teaches in Italy, says this kind of play helps kids understand the signals their bodies send them.
Playing outside and doing different activities can help kids deal with feelings they might not know how to handle inside their homes or schools. There’s a special kind of play called “sand tray therapy,” where kids use sand and little toys to show what they think and how they feel. This can help kids who struggle to talk about their emotions. Also, when kids play outside, they move around a lot, which is great for their bodies. They can get stronger and have more energy when they have lots of space to run and play. This can also help them not become overweight. A study by Elizabeth Gershoff, a professor in the US, says that playing outside is really good for kids to stay healthy and fit.
Keeping our children clean and healthy is important to prevent diseases, but too much cleanliness might be harmful. Studies are showing that an overly sterile environment can lead to a rise in conditions like autoimmune diseases and allergies, such as asthma, eczema, food allergies, and hay fever. When children aren’t exposed to common germs and microbes found in dirt, their immune systems can become overly sensitive. This sensitivity makes them more likely to develop inflammatory diseases and react more severely to infections.
Asthma is a serious concern in Singapore, causing 2.6 deaths per 100,000 people each year, which is about half the number of deaths from road accidents. Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is also problematic, leading to poor sleep and stuffy noses and often making asthma worse.
Research in Europe shows that allergic diseases are less common in rural areas, such as farms, compared to cities. Experts believe this is because children in rural areas are exposed to more dirt and germs early in life, which helps their immune systems develop properly.
Early exposure to a variety of harmless bacteria is crucial for building a strong immune system. This exposure helps shape how a child’s immune system will respond to threats in the future during its critical development stages.
