Most dads reading this will remember their own childhood, spent outdoors until the sun went down. We ran around the fields, explored the muddy banks of streams (perhaps our own versions of mud kitchens), and played conkers with the collection we found on the ground.
No doubt the dads who now have young children will have witnessed the gradual shift towards technology and the indoors first-hand throughout their own teenage years.
In recent years, however, there has been a significant effort to get children back to nature. At a time when fewer parents are less willing to let their children roam away from home, there has been a monumental rise in popularity for mud kitchens, the perfect combination of nature in the comfortable proximity of home.
What are mud kitchens?
In its simplest form, a mud kitchen is an outdoor play kitchen designed to encourage children to pretend to cook using mud, grass, sand, water and more. Simpler versions will have a worktop space with sink-like bowls, while more extravagant ones might have shelves, hooks for utensils, cupboards, pretend taps, a pretend hob or oven, and even twisty knobs.
They are more often than not made from good quality hard wood to withstand the Great British weather, but some components like taps might be made from plastic and bowls are typically metal, and you can find some that are entirely plastic.
The benefits of mud kitchens
The value of learning through play is no secret. There have been numerous studies published over the years that show play to help children develop a whole range of skills and psychological traits. There are direct links with improved creative thinking and imaginative skills, fine and gross motor skills, independence and confidence, social skills and more.
Unsurprisingly, mud kitchens provide huge benefits to children:
Who can play with a mud kitchen?
The beauty of mud kitchens is that they can be used by children of all ages from three up to about 10. While the core activity might be the same, the ways in which different aged children will play with a mud kitchen will be different.
Younger children will be more focused on imaginative and role play, pretending to be cooks and chefs and bakers, or creating as much mess and having as much fun as possible. As they get older, you can encourage children to use it in different ways to help their development and education - it could be used to aid counting skills or science skills. Introducing measuring jugs and beakers can help them to learn more complex equations or how to measure ingredients out, setting them up for later life as they learn to cook for real.
Our favourite mud kitchens
With all that in mind, we’ve scoured the internet to find 10 of the best mud kitchens.
Editors Review
"A comprehensive kitchen for an affordable price, and an Amazon’s Choice product."
The TP611 is the mid-range offering from TP Toys, and provides two play stations for wet and dry play with a sizeable container water, mud and sand play. It comes with two handy storage shelves, an open-and-shut door, painted hobs and a stainless steel set containing two saucepans and a whisk.
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Editors Review
"Genuinely stunning handmade kitchen, and the roof is quite a unique feature."
This is a highly sought after handmade mud kitchen from an independent retailer on Etsy. Made from pressure-treated Canadian red wood, it includes four raised wooden hubs and twisty knobs, a utensil draw and matching open-and-shut oven door, plenty of shelf space and a row of utensil hooks. Its most unique feature, however, is the striking pitched roof.
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Editors Review
"A really simple option for a great price"
The TP608 is a budget mud kitchen offering from TP Toys. Ideal for children who will mostly play with it on their own and gardens where space is limited, it features a sizeable container, a painted hob and serving area and shelf for the accompanying stainless steel pots and pans.
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Editors Review
"Stunning rustic design and packed with amazing features"
The Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen from Plum Play is an incredibly versatile option for parents with a larger budget. It has several ways to play with space for potted plants and herbs, a built-in planter for growing vegetables and plants, and an easy-clean painting screen. It also includes windchimes, a high-quality stainless steel sink and set of pans and plenty of shelf space.
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Editors Review
"A simple option at an affordable price"
The Midi from roba is ideal for parents who want a simple and straightforward mud kitchen on a budget. Made from weatherproof, solid wood, it features a large plastic container with two side serving areas and a removable lid that allows it to double as a handy craft table. It has a large shelf underneath the container, four sturdy wooden utensil hooks and smaller top shelf.
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Editors Review
"A 2019 Outdoor Toy Awards winner"
This Wooden Mud Kitchen from Chad Valley is an award-winning choice at an affordable price. It includes two stainless steel sink bowls, a large open-and-shut cupboard and shelf space, four oven hobs, 8-piece utensil set and hooks.
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Editors Review
"Stunning rustic look and just look at that veg patch"
This is a stunning rustic mud kitchen-veg patch combo from Happy Planet Toys on notonthehighstreet.com. Made from reclaimed timber and 99.9% recycled materials, one one side you have the mud kitchen with large stainless steel bowl, rustic timber hobs and knobs, open-and-shut door with clear plastic window and recycled utensils. One the other side, you have a large vegetable garden planter with a pot holder shelf.
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Editors Review
"The working tap makes this one really unique"
This simple offering from Smyth’s is a brilliant option for anyone looking for a mud kitchen on a budget, while still providing something quite unique on the market. It’s biggest plus is the working tap that attaches to a hose, adding an extra element of fun (although it could get messy if the kids are left to operate the tap themselves!). The wood is pressure-treated, there are two blackboard strips, and although there are no utensils or hobs, it does leave a nice surface area to work on.
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Editors Review
"An excellent stimulus for imaginative play with fans of Peppa Pig"
Jump in muddy puddles before cooking up a delicious chocolatemud kitchen in this Peppa Pig-themed mud kitchen. It includes a stainless steel bowl with pretend tap, three oven hobs, a large blackboard for recipes and drawings, an open-and-shut door with clear window and shelf space.
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Editors Review
"Unique space saving choice on a budget"
The Early Fun Mud Kitchen from TP Toys is perfect for any parent looking with a limited budget or limited space. This mud kitchen attaches to a wall or side of an existing wendy house or shed. It includes a large plastic container with a water butt and tap above it, with a small surface area to the side and hooks for the included utensils. It also comes with a stencil to paint the hob and ‘mud kitchen’ logo.
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Mud kitchen FAQs
Most parents usually have a handful of questions to ask before they make any large or potentially expensive purchase and mud kitchens are no different. We’ve tried to cover as much ground as we can here:
Many are, but it’s always best to check. It’s not always a case of ‘expensive ones always do, and cheaper ones don’t’ either.
A lot of mud kitchens do come with utensils, often matching the aesthetic of the kitchen. But not every mud kitchen comes with utensils, so it’s best to check before you buy. If it doesn’t, you can always let your children use some old pots and pans and utensils you’ve forgotten about at the back of the cupboard.
Many bespoke independent manufacturers on marketplaces like Etsy or notonthehighstreet.com offer personalisation options from colours to wording to motifs. Mud kitchens from major retailers rarely allow for personalisation on purchase, but you can always get creative and paint or decorate yours when it arrives (great activity idea!).
Mud kitchens bought from major retailers almost always require self-assembly, but don’t worry - most reviewers say they’re pretty easy to put together. If you’re buying from an independent business, they’re much more likely to put it together for you (it just might make delivery a little more expensive).
Definitely not! They’ve also been home to sand and water play (sometimes at the same time as mud..). And there’s nothing stopping your little one from using their toy food items, either.
They tend to be quite large so can be heavy or difficult to move. Mud kitchens from independent businesses are often made with larger, heavier timber so tend to be much heavier.
Possibly. Naturally, playing with mud exposes children to germs and that may lead to them getting a little poorly. However, numerous academic studies show that exposure to germs helps to build a stronger immune system.
Yes. Embrace it! You don’t really have a choice if you’re going to buy one…
