Ok maybe dirt doesn't taste as good as Marie Antoinette's cakes, but it probably won't hurt if a few pieces are swallowed by accident while a toddler flings them into the air with a shovel, right? I'm sure she will be fine. I turned out alright and I even swallowed some dirt on purpose on a dare once (I chickened out at the offer of worms though). 

If you're not letting your kids eat dirt, at least let them play in it! Eloise loved helping me dig holes and plant flowers this weekend. She even helped with burying vegetable seeds in 2 out of our 3 garden beds (couldn't use one because we found a nest full of baby bunnies in one corner and felt it best to leave them be). Don't worry the baby bunnies are fine! We found them on Saturday and watched momma bunny visit and nurse them early this Sunday morning so we know they are still being cared for. I'll even add a UFO quality video of proof below for you non-believers.

Since Eloise loved playing in the dirt, we stayed outside for five straight hours yesterday. Yes it was hot. Yes she got VERY dirty. Yes she may have 'helped' move some veggie seeds to the grass, but so what? She had a blast! And to cool off I let her water the garden with the soft spray on the hose. Yes she got wet. Yes she got me wet too (and my phone which I saved instead of getting a cute photo of her watering). To end the day she went straight in the bath. It was a lot of work to clean up, but I will definitely let her do it again and again and again.

​And if you don't think playing in the dirt for fun is reason enough to let your kids do it, here are some additional benefits at healthline.

UFO quality bunny evidence! (sorry don't have the software yet to rotate videos) Can you see the momma bunny? She's chewing her fur and adding it to the nest!