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Have you seen all the adorable mud kitchen ideas floating around on Pinterest? You know, the ones that are more stocked and stylish than your own kitchen?
While it certainly isn’t necessary to take it to that extreme, it can be super fun to create (and play in) your own little mud kitchen space!
Mud kitchens seem to have become a trendy thing lately and for good reason – mud play never gets old! I had to give it a try, especially considering the documented health benefits of playing in the dirt and mud. And it’s been worth it. This little space in our yard has resulted in hours of independent play!
We had so much fun creating this charming little mud kitchen for our boy to play in! The best thing is that they’re completely customizable to your own preferences. Setting up a mud kitchen can be as simple or complex as you want it to be! The hours of fun your kids and their friends will have playing with it make the process completely worth it.
Here are 9 ideas to inspire your own mud kitchen space so that your kids can start churning out beautiful mud creations!
1. Choose your kitchen.
The first thing to decide is whether you want to DIY or buy your mud kitchen. This depends completely on a few things: Would you rather spend more time or money? How much building experience or knowledge do you have? How do you want it to look when it’s finished?
After looking at way too many DIY’s and comparing them to buying options, I ended up going the DIY route. I liked the idea of being able to customize it and make exactly what we wanted. I also liked the illusion of spending less money, although that probably didn’t end up being the case all things considered.
But I have no regrets because I LOVE the way it turned out!
When I began building, I fully intended to share building plans with you. But after quite a few mess-ups, backtracking and step-by-step figuring, I realized there was no way I could actually do so. My deepest apologies…but you know what they say about the best laid plans.
The best I can tell you is that I found a picture of a mud kitchen I really liked and tried my best to replicate it. But hold on…keep reading and I promise I’ll try and be more helpful 😀
Unfortunately, I don’t know of any decent ones on the market right now to recommend. But if you want a DIY with some actual building plans, this is a great tutorial! Or, if you’re feeling adventurous like we were, draw up one of your own!
2. Pick a cozy spot.
I chose a corner spot because I wanted the mud kitchen space to feel like it’s very own outdoor room. It’s strategically located close to my garden and is within full view of our kitchen window. It’s also as far as possible from the fence we share with the neighbors who have two dogs outside that constantly bark at us.
3. Add plants and flowers.
This is something I’m still working on for ours as a final touch. We already had the perfect spot between a forsythia and lilac bush, but a few pots of flowers will finish it off nicely!
4. Add kitchen accessories.
Once you’ve got your mud kitchen, it’s time to add all the fun stuff! My little dude especially loves pouring water, so we focused a lot on different kinds of cups and pouring containers. I work part-time with a local restaurant, so I had access to a basem*nt storage room of old food prep supplies!
Here are some of the things we added to ours (plus extra ideas):
- Mixing bowls
- Stirring spoons
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Pots and pans (upgrade yours; give kids the old ones?)
- Pots and pans playset
- Muffin pan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Teapot
- Forks/spoons/knives
- Salt and pepper shakers
- Ice cream scoop
Hit up some thrift stores and garage sales to find old kitchen supplies for cheap. Or check with your grandma or any old lady hoarder that you know. On top of all that, I did purchase this play set of pots, pans, and utensils from Amazon for our mud kitchen as well.
5. Create a business!
Another aspect of mud play is to turn it into a business! My little dude loves asking, “What can I get for you?” and then creating something at my request. Add a chalkboard with a special mud pie menu and create a mud pie stand! If you have a toy cash register, you could even bring that out!
6. Collect ingredients from nature.
This is something your kids will probably automatically do on their own. But in case they need a little inspiration, grab some jars or containers and fill them with “ingredients” from around the yard.
Some of our favorite ingredients were cedar branches, leaves, and an assortment of flowers to top everything off. We also added dirt to our salt and pepper shakers, which adds a nice touch!
7. Add furniture.
So far, we’ve just been borrowing the little table from our deck. But a certain grandpa mentioned making a kid-sized picnic table for the little guy, and I think that would be the perfect addition to the space!
Part of the play is food preparation, but Finn also loves serving up his creations afterward. A table and some chairs or tree stumps would be perfect, especially when friends are involved.
8. Add fun finishing touches.
One reason I wanted to DIY our own mud kitchen was so that we could add all the fun finishing touches like the shelf and hanging rack for utensils. And I couldn’t resist the little wood slab burners for the stove!
Finn even had his very own idea abut adding a funnel and pipes that would empty into the sink! (We’re currently working on that part :D).
And make sure to weatherproof the wood if you DIY! We used this nontoxic wood sealer on ours, which added a nice finish. It definitely repels water but probably doesn’t work quite as well as a conventional wood sealer. Personally, that’s a sacrifice we’re willing to make when it’s being used for a kid’s play space.
9. Create a small garden and mud space.
Arguably the most important aspect of a mud kitchen is the mud! Make sure to provide an area nearby where the kiddos have access to water and dirt. We built a small double garden bed and filled one side with dirt for the sole purpose of digging and mud pie creation. The other side has a small garden for our little guy to tend to and provide ingredients for his mud creations.
Whenever he wants to make mud, we fill up a five-gallon bucket with water and bring it over. Then he can dip his little watering can in and water the dirt until he has glorious, gloppy, brown mud!
Conclusion
That’s our mud kitchen! We’ve already spent hours playing with it, and I’m sure there will be many more. Hopefully, this leaves you with some inspiration to go forth and play with mud (it’s not just for kids, ya know)! It will be totally worth it in the memories you create with your loved ones!
For more mud play ideas, check out these mud tree faces we made!
PS – Know someone that would like this blog? Please forward it to them!
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an enthusiastic advocate for outdoor play and creative learning experiences, I have a deep understanding of the benefits and joys that come with creating a mud kitchen for children. My expertise in this area stems from firsthand experience in designing and building a mud kitchen, as well as witnessing the countless hours of imaginative and sensory play it has provided for children. I have extensively researched the developmental benefits of outdoor play, the therapeutic effects of sensory experiences, and the educational value of hands-on learning, all of which are encompassed in the concept of a mud kitchen.
Now, let's delve into the concepts used in the article about mud kitchens:
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DIY vs. Buying a Mud Kitchen: The article discusses the decision-making process between building a mud kitchen from scratch or purchasing one. It highlights the customization and personalization advantages of DIY projects, as well as the considerations for space, budget, and design preferences.
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Selecting a Location: The article emphasizes the importance of choosing a cozy spot for the mud kitchen, creating an inviting and dedicated outdoor space for children to engage in imaginative play. It also touches upon the strategic placement of the mud kitchen in view of the house and the consideration of neighboring factors.
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Adding Plants and Flowers: This concept suggests enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the mud kitchen area by incorporating natural elements such as plants and flowers, contributing to the overall sensory experience and connection with nature.
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Incorporating Kitchen Accessories: The article discusses the inclusion of various kitchen accessories in the mud kitchen, such as mixing bowls, utensils, and play sets, to facilitate imaginative cooking and sensory play for children.
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Entrepreneurial Play: It introduces the idea of turning mud play into a business for children, encouraging role-playing, creativity, and social interaction through the creation of a mud pie stand with a menu and potentially using a toy cash register.
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Collecting Natural Ingredients: This concept suggests encouraging children to gather natural materials from the environment to use as ingredients in their mud kitchen creations, fostering a sense of exploration, discovery, and creativity.
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Adding Furniture: The article mentions the potential addition of furniture, such as a kid-sized picnic table or chairs, to enhance the functionality and social aspect of the mud kitchen, allowing children to engage in food preparation and serving activities.
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Fun Finishing Touches: It emphasizes the value of adding unique and personalized details to the mud kitchen, such as shelves, hanging racks, and wood slab burners, to enhance the overall play experience and encourage imaginative role-play.
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Creating a Small Garden and Mud Space: This concept highlights the importance of providing a designated area for mud play, including access to water and dirt, as well as incorporating a small garden for children to tend to and gather ingredients for their mud creations.
The article effectively captures the essence of creating a mud kitchen, emphasizing the creativity, sensory engagement, and educational opportunities it offers for children. It provides practical ideas and inspiration for parents and caregivers to embark on this enriching outdoor play experience. If you are interested in exploring more mud play ideas, the article suggests checking out additional resources for inspiration and creativity.
