International Journal of the Whole Child 
2016, VOL. 1, NO. 2                                                                                                                                                                              

 

 Digging in the Dirt 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
This “dirt digging” is serious business. Some people smile and say, “I am just having fun and playing.”  
In reality, “I am estimating, predicting, hypothesizing, digging, pouring, mixing, blending, planting, 
building, creating, planning, weighing, sensing, balancing, discovering, knowing, and organizing. As I dig 
in the dirt, you may hear me talking to myself. Yes, I do this to help me think through my digging issues.  
Do I dig deeper? Do I add more water? Should I mix the dirt with the sand? What materials do I need to 
construct a mud wall? Is there another tool I can use than just my shovel? My dirt playing is quit 
complex. If you are still not sure, consider the content areas I am targeting including language arts, 
chemistry, geology, physics, mathematics, and art. And finally, playing in the dirt is great fun.”