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My daughter went out the door this rainy morning, with no umbrella, no raincoat and sandals on her feet, splashing in puddles as she walked out to the bus stop. Being a mother, I started to suggest that she put on some sneakers or 'more appropriate' footwear, but I stopped as I watched her raising her face to the sky and wiggling her toes in the water.
Whether it was from a sense of rebellion, or a genuinely enjoyable moment, I could see that she was perfectly happy being wet.
Why are we so afraid of our children getting rained on? What do we think will happen and why do we assume this a bad thing?
For me, its definitely conditioning. To my mom, it was about mud, extra laundry and an unwanted trip to the doctor. My parents insisted wear those stretchy rubber boots that slip over your shoe, (bright red), wear a bright green plastic raincoat, and carry a huge (clear) bubble umbrella, along with my books, notebooks and lunch box. It made walking very difficult. At least it gave the neighborhood kids something entertaining to do on the bus ride to school. (As if I didn't get teased enough!)
My parents were only doing what theirs did: protect their child's well-being. It was believed that playing in the rain would cause you to catch a cold and they didn't want me to experience sickness. We know now that rain actually will not cause illness, but 40 years ago, this was an accepted fact.
This morning I also started to protect my daughter's well being, as my parents did for me. We don't want our kids to suffer-or to be uncomfortable. But I think sometimes in protecting them from perceived discomfort, we accidentally teach kids other lessons that we don't mean to. Those accidental lessons prevent children from developing a healthy attitude towards change & about their own ability to handle change. It makes it hard for them to embrace new experiences in more positive ways.
What if we turned the tables on how we viewed rainy days and other 'uncomfortable' experiences and looked at them through a new perspective? What if we taught kids to perceive rain as an adventures or "Skill Builder" instead of another inconvenience to be dealt with or a danger to be protected from?
Then rain wouldn't be something to be avoided-it could be an event to look forward to. Even one to learn from.
Whenever it rains, children tend to want to explore it in their own way as my daughter did this morning. Rain has a certain sensory appeal for kids and I can think of 8 reasons off the top of my head why we should let them (and ourselves) play in the rain once and awhile:
- Puddles - (They are just so much fun to splash in!)
- New Adaptations of Games -(Puddle Jumping, Scavenger Hunt, Puddle Tag, etc. )
- Sensory Experiences (The way the air smells before it rains, the feeling cool droplets on skin & bare feet in Wet Grass, Mud, watching chalk drawings wash away, the sound of drops falling on leaves & awnings, the smell of wet grass or woods.)
- Connecting with Nature - (In a new and different ways. Slugs, earthworms, frogs, etc)
- Stress Reduction - (Water in any form is calming to our nervous systems )
- Outdoor Learning Experience (Earth Science, Biology, The rain cycle, ecology, preservation of environment, how plants grow, reducing pollution)
- Life Skills - (teaches children to be prepared, self-reliant, adaptable to change, to explore their environment & world, to try new experiences, and that sometimes its OK to be a little uncomfortable, Social bonding with friends and family and makes a great conversation starter for language & conversational skills.)
- Chicken Soup & sandwiches afterwards to warm up! (Children can help prepare a warming, nourishing snack with close supervision)
Even though there are many benefits to rain play, adults should still supervise closely. Drowning can occur accidentally in a small amount of water, so never leave your younger child alone in puddles. If there is thunder, or lightning if a child is sick, or if playing outside is difficult to control such as near highways or street, please use extreme caution. In addition, if it is too cold to play more than a few minutes, be sure the child is dressed properly- for warmth and for dryness.
* Do you or have you ever let your child play in the rain? How did you play and what did you notice? We welcome your comments!
Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com
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Going Barefoot
Sensory Scavenger Hunt
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Thank you for this article! I have a two year old and have been apprehensive to take him out to explore the rain. Because I typically encourage as much exploration as is safely possible, I was not sure where my fear of playing in the rain came from. One concern I do still have is ring worms and other potential risks from playing in puddles; do you have any information on this topic?
ReplyDeleteRayna thanks for your question-here are 2 links with some general information about the fungus that causes ringworm:
Deletehttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001439.htm
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/ringworm-of-the-skin-topic-overview
Generally, Ringworm fungi thrive in moist, warm areas, such as locker rooms and swimming pools. On the body, the fungi thrive in the hair and in skin folds-(elbow, back of knee, etc.) You can also catch it from pets, sandboxes and from the garden soil. It is contagious through skin to skin contact and the sharing of towels and washcloths, but highly treatable with creams you can buy at the pharmacy. If NOT treated, it can become a more serious skin infection. The key is to keep the skin-especially the folds of skin-dry.
The best way to let your child enjoy the rain (or swimming in pools and lakes) is to be sure to have the proper rain gear, especially for the feet-(waterproof boots) and give a bath or shower after puddle play-washing hair and body thoroughly- and DRY the skin well-particularly in between toes & fingers, in the groin area and other crevices of the body. You can use a small amount of medicated powder - or plain cornstarch on the feet before you put socks on-or wear slippers or sandals for a bit after bathing to allow the feet to dry properly.
In general, and aside from lightening & flooding, the benefits of puddle play outweigh the risks, and create a fun play and learning experience for kids. I hope this was helpful-and I hope you will be enjoying some rain play with your son soon! :)
~Barbara