We warmly welcome new families to Grendon Underwood School and Muddy Boots Nursery. Whether you're moving into the area or exploring school and preschool options, we would be delighted to show you what makes our school a special place to learn and grow. Contact us to arrange a visit or to speak to our friendly team about available places.

Nursery Manager: Beth Baker -bbaker@gucs.org.uk

School office: Emma Mitchell - office@gucs.org.uk

Phone: 01296 770388

 

 

Please see below some new research about the benefits of muddy play. 

From risky play to dirty play: why young children need ‘dirty’ nature play in their lives (Barrable, A. and Robinson, J.M. 2026) is brand new research, barely a month old which we think needs celebrating.

Excerpt:

Risky play, which describes exciting forms of free play that involve some uncertainty of outcome and a possibility of physical injury, is increasingly recognised as vital to children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development. However, an equally important but often overlooked form of engagement is ‘dirty play’: the unstructured, tactile interaction with soil, mud, plants and the microbial life that inhabits them. This article explores the developmental, immunological and ecological value of such interactions, which are frequently dismissed or sanitised due to modern hygiene norms and societal perceptions of ‘dirt’ as dangerous or undesirable. We synthesise evidence from microbiome science, environmental psychology and early childhood education to argue that microbially rich natural environments play a crucial role in shaping healthy immune systems, preventing inflammatory and allergic diseases, and nurturing curiosity, sensory development and nature connectedness. Integrating ‘dirty play’ into early childhood settings supports children's health and could cultivate ecological empathy, encouraging deeper, lifelong relationships with the natural world.

Read more here  From risky play to dirty play: why young children need ‘dirty’ nature play in their lives