How to Make Your Own DIY Mud Kitchen for Kids

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Are you more than ready for your kids to enjoy some screen-free imaginative play this summer? When it comes to getting outside and experiencing nature, not much can top making mud pies in their own mud kitchen!

Kids of all ages love messy play and a mud kitchen can provide hours of fun and entertainment. The best part of this DIY project is that your mud kitchen plans can be as simple as you’d like. You can literally use what you have on hand – repurposing kitchen utensils, old pots, and even food containers that you might normally toss in the trash.

If you really want to level up your kids’ outdoor fun this year, read on to learn all about making your own DIY mud kitchen. 

What is a mud kitchen?

A mud kitchen is a designated outdoor space where your little ones can make their own culinary masterpieces (not intended for any actual consumption!) from mud (or really any material found in nature) using real kitchen utensils and supplies.

You have so many options for making your own outdoor play kitchen – from upcycling an old indoor kitchen, to building your own from pallets, to making your own from materials you already have on hand (as discussed here). 

Why should I make a mud kitchen?

• They promote imaginative play, giving kids an opportunity to exercise their creativity through role play or even artistic expression in the “dishes” they create. I love seeing the pies and cakes embellished with rocks and petals created by my daughter.
  
• Sensory play (especially in nature!) is a mood booster for everyone involved.
  
• It’s a great way for little kids to work on fine motor skills. Stirring, pouring, pinching dirt, pulling apart flower petals, mixing, decorating..
  
• It’s a wonderful way for both you and the kids to relax. A shady place under a tree makes the perfect spot for your little outdoor kitchen. Crack open your favorite summer reading material and let your little one enjoy hours of independent play.

What goes in a mud kitchen?

Everything but the kitchen sink! (Well.. actually the kitchen sink would be just perfect if you’ve got one to spare!) The best thing about making your own mud kitchen is that you can customize it however you want. You can put as little (or as much) money in this project as you’d like and your kids are still guaranteed to love it.

Personally, I preferred going the minimalist route and used a combination of kitchen utensils that we already had, natural materials, and some vintage cookware that had been in our storage building for a long time. The results were magical! 

Below are what I might consider some “mud kitchen essentials“: 

• Some type of work surface (aka where the culinary magic will happen!) This could be a table top, a chest of drawers, pallet wood, scrap wood, or any piece of discarded furniture that has seen better days. I have even seen tree stumps used as workspaces. We used an old end table that was a little wobbly but had a nice bottom shelf, perfect for storing pans and bowls. 
  
• Kitchen tools / utensils. This is where you can get really creative. Kids will love big wooden spoons, bowls, cake pans, forks, etc.  I have found that mixing in some kitchen items that are “off the beaten path” really feed the imaginative play. Some examples:
  • a strainer
  • a Bundt pan
  • a whisk
  • measuring cups / spoons
  • a spatula
  • a rolling pin
  • a stock pot (perfect for mud soups!)
  • a cupcake pan
  • a teapot
    
    • Peruse thrift stores or garage sales for cheap and creative options for stocking your little mud kitchen. Always consider safety (ie. nothing sharp or glass) and age appropriateness when selecting items for your kitchen. 
      
• (Optional) A sink or source of water. Everyone knows that water makes any kids’ activity much more fun! If you’re able, you can add access to a water hose or even just fill up a pitcher for kids to use in recipes and for washing dishes. If you’re really crafty, you could add a sink hole to the work surface and place a large bowl or Tupperware container in there as a makeshift sink. And if you’re really, really crafty (like well beyond the scope of skills represented in this post) then you might even add a real working sink.

Fun Ideas / Prompts for Mud Kitchen Play

• Make a “shopping list” (kind of like a nature scavenger hunt) and then help your little chefs track down the ingredients they will need to fulfill their recipes. You might include items like “dandelions,” “acorns,” “green leaves,” “clovers,” or anything that grows abundantly around your home.
• Play “restaurant.” Your little one can make a menu, take your order, and then prepare & serve it! They will love hearing your rave review as you pretend to eat it all up! Side note: a chalk board and some chalk make wonderful additions to the mud kitchen. Your child will love writing the “daily specials” on the board!
• Have a “baking challenge.” Give a prompt or theme and let their imaginations run wild! (ie. “a cake for a fancy wedding”)
• Incorporate counting into play for the little kids. You can make recipes that call for “5 rocks,” “3 leaves,” etc. 

Comment below with your DIY mud kitchen ideas! For more simple living ideas with kids, check out our Farm Kids section!