Mud. It seems like a nuisance, doesn’t it? As soon as it rains, mud is everywhere, and it literally gets all over everything. There are definitely no benefits this slippery, sticky dirty substance could offer, right? Wrong. And the creators of International Mud Day are out to prove it! After all, mud is quintessential to the outdoors, and the outdoors mean fresh air and exercise, two of the best things for people. And so what if we get a little dirty? Plenty of research has shown that coming into contact with a certain amount of bacteria is good for us, as it helps build up immunity, as opposed to living in a virtually sterile environment, which makes our bodies very vulnerable. Not to mention how many minerals mud can—there’s a reason why people pay hundreds of dollars for mud masks and baths at spas. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get dirty!
History of International Mud Day
The creators of International Mud Day wanted to find a way to help all of the children of the Earth feel closer to each other…and what a better way to do it than through the Earth itself? International Mud Day began in 2009 at a World Forum event, when Gillian McAuliffe from Australia and Bishnu Bhatta from Nepal got together to talk about ways to encourage feelings of community and appreciation for the world around us. The collaboration that followed has inspired educators, children,and families across the globe, from Holland to Nepal to the United States, to celebrate International Mud Day together each year on June 29. Regardless of age, race and religion, covered in mud, we all look the same!
How to celebrate International Mud Day
There are countless ways to celebrate International Mud Day, but all of them have one thing in common: you have to get dirty. This day can be especially fun if you have children, because who likes to get dirty as much as children? One of the most creative and fun activities that would be perfect to do on International Mud Day is making mud sculptures or mud cakes. It’s easy to adjust the consistency of the mud you’re using by simply adding a little more earth or water, so it should be easy to make what you want to make, while enjoying plenty of carefree laughter and quality family time in the process. Yet another easy way to enjoy this day to the fullest is to make a homemade mud pit using a blow-up pool. Not only is this cheap, but it also makes for a truly unique experience. All you have to do once you’ve bought a small blow-up pool is fill it with mud that can easily be filled using a mixture of earth and water that your children can then splash around in. Just make sure that you’re prepared to throw out your their clothes once you peel them off, because there is no way those clothes will ever get clean again.
After all, as American botanist Luther Burbank said,
Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers,water bugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud turtles, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb. Brooks to wade…bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to toll, sand, snakes and hornets; any child who has been deprives of these has been deprived of the best part of…education.
Matope. Inaonekana kama usumbufu, sivyo? Mvua inapokuwa inanyesha, matope huenea kila mahali, na kwa kweli hufunika kila kitu. Kwa hakika hakuna faida yoyote ambayo dutu hii ya mviringo, yenye kunata na chafu inaweza kutoa, sivyo? Si kweli. Na waundaji wa Siku ya Kimataifa ya Matope wako nje ya kuthibitisha hilo! Baada ya yote, matope ni muhimu kwa nje, na nje inamaanisha hewa safi na mazoezi, vitu viwili bora kwa watu. Na nini kama sisi kupata kidogo chafu? Utafiti umeonyesha kuwa kuwasiliana na kiasi fulani cha bakteria ni nzuri kwetu, kwani husaidia kujenga kinga, kinyume na kuishi katika mazingira yasiyo na sumu, ambayo hufanya miili yetu iwe dhaifu sana. Bila kutaja ni madini mangapi matope yanaweza kuwa nayo - kuna sababu kwa nini watu hulipa mamia ya dola kwa ajili ya vinyago vya matope na kuoga katika spa. Kwa hiyo unangoja nini? Hebu kupata chafu! Siku ya Matope ya Kimataifa (International Mud Day) ni siku ya kutengeneza mazingira ya kutengeneza matope kwa ajili ya watoto duniani kote, na ni njia gani bora ya kufanya hivyo kuliko kupitia dunia yenyewe? Siku ya Kimataifa ya Matope ilianzishwa mwaka 2009 wakati Gillian McAuliffe kutoka Australia na Bishnu Bhatta kutoka Nepal walipokutana kuzungumza juu ya njia za kuhamasisha hisia za jamii na uthamini kwa ulimwengu unaotuzunguka. Ushirikiano huo umewachochea walimu, watoto na familia duniani kote, kutoka Uholanzi hadi Nepal hadi Marekani, kusherehekea Siku ya Kimataifa ya Matope pamoja kila mwaka Juni 29. Bila kujali umri, jamii na dini, tukiwa tumefunikwa na matope, sisi sote tunaonekana sawa! Siku ya Kimataifa ya Matope: Kuna njia nyingi za kuadhimisha Siku ya Kimataifa ya Matope, lakini zote zina kitu kimoja cha kawaida: lazima uchafue. Siku hii inaweza kuwa ya kufurahisha sana ikiwa una watoto, kwa sababu ni nani anayependa kuchafua kama watoto? Moja ya shughuli za ubunifu na za kufurahisha zaidi ambazo zingekuwa bora kufanya katika Siku ya Kimataifa ya Matope ni kutengeneza sanamu za matope au keki za matope. Ni rahisi kurekebisha uthabiti wa matope unayotumia kwa kuongeza tu udongo au maji kidogo, kwa hivyo inapaswa kuwa rahisi kufanya kile unachotaka kufanya, wakati wa kufurahia kicheko cha bure na wakati wa familia ya ubora katika mchakato huo. Njia nyingine rahisi ya kufurahia siku hii ni kutengeneza shimo la matope la nyumbani kwa kutumia dimbwi la kupasua. Si kwamba tu ni ya bei nafuu, bali pia ni uzoefu wa pekee sana. Baada ya kununua dimbwi dogo la kupumua, ni lazima uijaze kwa matope ambayo yanaweza kujazwa kwa urahisi kwa kutumia mchanganyiko wa ardhi na maji ambayo watoto wako wanaweza kupeperusha. Tu kuhakikisha kwamba wewe ni tayari kutupa nje nguo zao mara moja wewe peel yao mbali, kwa sababu hakuna njia nguo hizo itakuwa milele kupata safi tena. "Lakini, kama mtaalamu wa mimea wa Marekani Luther Burbank alivyosema, ""Kila mtoto anapaswa kuwa na keki za matope, nzige, wadudu wa maji, wadudu wa matope, wadudu wa matope, majani ya mwituni, majani ya chestnut, na miti ya kupanda.""" "Mbwa, nyuki, vipepeo, wanyama mbalimbali, mashamba ya nyasi, miamba, mchanga, nyoka na mbweha; mtoto yeyote ambaye ameachwa na haya ameachwa na sehemu bora ya elimu."""