One of my all-time favourite ways to encourage authentic, independent play is to get outside. Why? Because I can almost guarantee that my children will gravitate towards the ‘mud kitchen’ for a daily dose of imaginative play. Whether they are making a potion or ‘food’ there’s always some way to get creative with play whilst outdoors.
So what’s the deal with a mud kitchen, is it expensive?
Short answer, yes it can be if you decide to order something bespoke, but it needn’t be. If you’re handy with tools, or know someone who is, then you can always DIY one. There are plenty of instructions to follow over on Pinterest.
I ordered ours via Amazon – I opted for a cheaper brand because we move countries every few years. I’m not going to recommend the brand because it hasn’t weathered very well. That being said, it does still do the job.
How to get started?
To be honest, all you really need to get started with a mud kitchen is an old wooden table or bench (you could use outdoor varnish to preserve it) and a collection of old kitchen equipment. If your children love it and you feel like splurging on a bespoke mud kitchen later on down the line, then go for it!
When we replaced our ancient pots and pans with some shiny new ones, the older stuff made it’s way into the mud kitchen instead of getting thrown away at the local tip. The children love using the real deal and it helps add some authenticity to their play. It’s also a good way to save money too!
Why is a mud kitchen beneficial?
The main benefit is that a mud kitchen will help to encourage authentic play. It’s particularly great for when your children are entering the realm of make believe ‘dramatic play.’ You can read all about the benefits of dramatic play here.
Other benefits include:
- Easy ‘sensory play‘ option. Sensory play is important and there’s no better way to embrace it than to be outside engaging with natural resources!
- Language development – playing pretend, learning new vocabulary, playing with siblings /other children
- Early math – counting ingredients, capacity, volume, weight etc
- Hand-eye coordination – pouring ingredients, adding water and so on
- Fine motor skills – stirring potions, using tongs, grating chalks.
- Learning about the world – children make sense of their everyday world by emulating what they see.
- Simply being outside! Children need at least 2 hours outside each day. Playing in a mud kitchen is an easy way to pass that time.
You can learn more about the benefits of being outdoors here.
20 of Our Favourite Mud Kitchen Resources
Okay, so have I convinced you to create a mud kitchen? If I have, then it’s time to get collecting resources. Some of these are seasonal and it might also depend on what part of the world you live in.
- Old (rust free) pots, pans and baking trays
- Water dispenser
- Kitchen utensils – wooden spoon, whisk, spatula, tongs
- Cheese grater
- Chalks
- Flowers – fresh or dried
- Herbs
- Pinecones
- Conkers (you can soak these in vinegar and bake them to preserve – we’ve had ours for years!)
- Leaves
- Sticks
- Pumpkins, especially mini ones!
- Food colouring
- Small watering cans
- Dirt / mud (check that soil is ‘child-friendly’ and free of pesticides)
- Tea pot & cups
- Colander
- Rocks
- Sand
- Gravel
Please always use your best judgement when using everyday and natural resources in play. Small items that might pose a choking hazard risk should not be used with under 3’s. Throw away any items that have gone rusty.
Want More?
If you want to understand the importance of dramatic play better, click here.
If you want to start a collection of everyday resources, click here
If you want to learn the importance of outdoor play, click here.
I’m Siân (rhymes with yarn), a play advocate, proud parent to three, and former teacher. My mission is to infuse more joy and less overwhelm into the lives of parents. Discover play-based activities with me that not only make learning FUN but also forge deep connections with your young learners, creating memories to cherish forever.
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FAQs
Physical Development:
Mud Kitchens are a great resource to help with children's gross and fine motor skills by: Using kitchen utensils (spoons, forks, tongs) to stir, mix, pick up, and prod. Lifting and carrying water and soil in pots, pans, and jugs to make their mud pies.
What mud do you use for a mud kitchen? ›
A useful approach for mud kitchens is to supply soil from purchased loam topsoil rather than from gardens or uncovered plant borders (all garden centres sell this; don't try compost as it does not behave sufficiently like soil for satisfactory mud play). Freshly excavated mole hills also supply lovely clean topsoil!
What are the words for mud kitchen? ›
A set of 10 mud kitchen words on wooden discs - hot, cold, bake, bubble, sizzle, stir, smell, pour, whisk and boil.
How to extend mud kitchen play? ›
-Add a Seating Area: A few stumps can easily be transformed into a restaurant, cafe, or bakery. This opens up a lot of imaginative role playing opportunities for both younger and older kiddos. -Encourage Donations: Ask parents and staff to donate any gently used kitchen items they may be getting rid of.
What children learn from playing in the kitchen? ›
Gross and fine motor skills: Whether it's using kitchen toys or real plastic bowls and other tools from your kitchen, as they physically engage with kitchen play, children are building the fine and gross motor skills they need to move through the world around them.
What is mud play activity? ›
Mud play is like playing in a sandbox or on a beach, except it's an activity with mud, which is just wet or damp dirt. Children can squish, dig, pile, or push mud around. They can also jump, splash, and slide in mud or even throw it against a wall!
Should kids play in mud? ›
Yes, it's actually healthy for children to get muddy! Mud is also an excellent medium for learning. The same release of serotonin that occurs when playing in Mycobacterium Vaccae dirt has also been shown to improve cognitive function.
What age mud kitchen? ›
A mud kitchen is an outdoor play station that allows children to engage in pretend and messy play by cooking with mud, sand, and water. Mud kitchens help children to develop fine motor skills, roleplay, exploration, and social skills. Mud kitchens are beneficial for children ages 1-7.
What are the rules for a mud kitchen? ›
Like all interest areas, mud kitchens have some ground rules. In addition to the basics—share, be kind, take turns—a mud kitchen adds: “mud is not for throwing” and “do not eat mud.” The rules should be kept to a minimum and need to be explained before opening the kitchen.
Are mud kitchens a good idea? ›
Mud kitchens stimulate creativity and imagination and provide engaging and valuable play to children in a wide age range. Children between age one and seven will get the most out of a mud kitchen, but older children are still likely to take pleasure from it too.
Mud kitchens are effectively a mockup of a real kitchen often made from wood. It should have many of the features of a normal kitchen including taps, a hob, sink and perhaps even an oven. Depending on the size of the unit there will also be various 'prep' surfaces that can be used for all sorts of things.
Is a mud kitchen Montessori? ›
Why are Montessori mud kitchens considered so beneficial for children? Sensorial exploration: Mud kitchens encourage children to engage in hands-on, sensory play. Children can touch, feel, and explore the different textures and consistencies of mud, sand, water, and natural materials.
What kind of dirt for mud kitchen? ›
The best (and – weirdly – cleanest) kind of mud you can buy for a mud kitchen is topsoil – it's the closest to 'garden dirt' and has got the best texture for mixing – it makes extremely satisfying muddy gloop!
How to make a simple mud kitchen? ›
To create a simple mud kitchen try one of the following: Balance a shelf on some round log seats or milk crates. Cut a hole in the shelf for a basin and use a nearby fence to hang utensils on. Reuse an old wooden table or camping table and either put a mixing bowl on top or set one into the table.
What children learn from making playdough? ›
Making play dough is the perfect way to introduce your child to simple skills like measuring, counting and following a series of instructions. It can also improve communication and problem-solving skills. This recipe is our favourite for making playdough.
What are the advantages of a mud kitchen? ›
Communication and Language Development
Mud kitchens encourage children to talk about what they're doing, and often the excitement of being outside and involved in messy play gets young learners feeling even more confident about speaking and sharing their thoughts.
What children learn through messy play? ›
Messy play is the open-ended exploration of materials and their properties. It allows children to use their natural curiosity and engage their senses at the developmental level appropriate for them. They learn foundational cognitive principles as they exercise motor, language, and social skills.
What are the perks of a play in the mud educational philosophy? ›
Messy play provides children with an exciting tactile and sensory experience that inspires their curiosity, allows them to explore the world around them and enhances their learning. Muddy play is a lesson in how to be carefree, adventurous, spontaneous, and live in the moment.
