What Can Kids Do With A Mud Kitchen?

We are thrilled to unveil an extra special addition to our imaginative garden play range… Bigjigs’ very first Mud Kitchen! To celebrate the upcoming launch, we’re getting stuck into this popular outdoor plaything to help you figure out if it’s something you’d like to treat your tots to. 

What Is A Mud Kitchen? 

A kids mud kitchen is a garden play station designed to inspire sensory play. Similar to a toy kitchen, but suitable for outdoor use, mud kitchens are usually made from solid wood and typically feature a sturdy work surface, sink area, pretend hobs, steel mixing bowls, and other mud kitchen utensils. Here, children can concoct mucky creations made from sensory-rich natural ingredients, such as soil, sand, water, grass, leaves, petals, and more!

Why is it called a mud kitchen?

It’s called a mud kitchen because of the primary element it revolves around (mud) and the culinary setup it’s based on (kitchen). Mud kitchens also earned their name from the activities they’re mostly used for, such as cooking up mud pies and brewing leafy teas, encouraging kids to experiment with various textures and natural ingredients in a familiar kitchen-like environment. 

What age is a mud kitchen for?

Serving as an outdoor haven for sensory play, mud kitchen toys are particularly beneficial for children in the developmental stages of toddlerhood through to early primary school. Typically, kids from the ages of 1-7 will get the most enjoyment out of a mud kitchen. This is because mud kitchens involve sensory, imaginative, and social play experiences, catering to the learning needs and interests of this age group.

Why play in a mud kitchen?

Outdoor mud kitchen play fosters a deeper connection to the natural world through hands-on sensory interactions with mud, sand, water, and other garden-foraged finds. Studies show that sensory activities support children’s brain development, cognitive growth, and memory function, while enhancing their dexterity, creativity, and self-regulation skills. Mud kitchens also provide opportunities for imaginative play, enhancing children’s vocabulary, social skills, and emotional intelligence.

What do children do with a mud kitchen?

If you need inspiration on what to do with your child’s wooden mud kitchen, here are 8 mud kitchen ideas and recipes your little chef will dig!

• Experiment with fizzy mud: Add some bicarbonate of soda and powder paint to a bowl of mud, then pour in vinegar for a bubbly spectacle! 
• Bake sandcastle cakes: Use a cupcake tray and whip up some sandy sponges, then decorate them with shells and pebbles.
• Dig for wiggly worms: Bury some cooked spaghetti in a sinkful of mud, then see how many spaghetti worms your kids can fish out with toy tweezers.
• Set up a cafe: Design a menu full of stone stews, soil soups, garden salads, rock cakes, and herbal teas, then serve them up for Mum and Dad!
• Try rock painting: Find some large rocks in your garden and let your young artist loose with a paintbrush.
• Forage for a new fragrance: Infuse rose petals in water to concoct a fantastical fairy perfume.
• Make a bird feeder: Spread some peanut butter onto a pinecone, roll it in bird seeds, tie a string around it then hang it on a tree for the birdies. 
• Plant some strawberries: Lay a seed tray on the work surface and plant some strawberry seeds inside, then place them on a sunny windowsill to grow.

Bigjigs’ New Mud Kitchen (Coming Soon!)

Serve up mud muffins and soil sarnies with our marvellous new garden Mud Kitchen for kids! Sustainably crafted from eco-friendly FSC® Certified wood (FSC-C147826), the kitchen features two shelves, four hob rings, a sink, blackboard, and bucket tap. It also comes with lots of handy mud kitchen tools, including pots and pans, cooking utensils, and a wooden chopping board. Watch this space to discover more.