DIY Mud Kitchen Outdoor Activity

Looking for something FANTASTIC? Try this DIY Mud Kitchen because it is everything.

Hello sweet little DIY mud kitchen. You were everything I wanted you to be. Everything I hoped for. This was the muddy moment we’d been waiting for.

Why yes, I just wrote a love letter to a mud kitchen sensory bin and you know what: I am totally find with it.

Because that’s how cool this activity was.

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Wait. What is a DIY mud kitchen?

I know you see the fancy mud kitchens all over Pinterest. I see them too.

They’re elaborate.

They’re beautiful.

They’re undoubtedly amazing for kids to play with and I have nothing but love & adoration in my heart for backyards that have them.

But I just don’t have the time or the space in my yard. So I came up with this DIY Mud Kitchen set up for my kids. It might not be pretty, but it’s pretty much awesome.

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It doesn’t need to be fancy to be effective.

Kids don’t need fancy.

They need fun. Just because this mud kitchen was dripping in beauty or coordination – well, that didn’t matter to the kids.

Would a fancy one be “prettier”? Of course it would! But kids don’t need fancy for an activity to be engaging and effective.

Setting up this DIY mud kitchen is so easy

The Supplies:

• A large storage container (like this 41 qt one from Target)
• Smaller bins or bowls
• Scoops, bowls, cups, and other kitchen tools

Oh and water, dirt, and yard clippings.

This reminded me so much of my friend’s mud bricks!

Here’s the truth: We have a small plastic kitchen outside that serves as a make-shift outdoor kitchen / gathering space.

It’s small, but I wanted bigger today.

I wanted my kids to have a mud kitchen set up created on a larger scale than our small, cheap kitchen – and set on the ground where they can easily reach it.

And they absolutely loved this kitchen!

Having this muddy set up on the ground level for the kids was so crucial.

It gave them the best possible vantage point to their play and let them really move in and around it.

Sometimes, taking play and moving it to a different area is all we need to spice up the fun level.

That’s exactly what happened when I put this mud kitchen set up on the patio, away from our actually cheap outdoor kitchen.

How does a DIY mud kitchen promote learning?

Oh, this kind of activity has so much learning for children.

• Sensory / tactile learning
• Science (the mixing of materials and nature exploration)
• Life skills
• Fine motor skills
• Cooperative learning
• Imaginative play

This isn’t just about making a mess on the patio. There is so much more here than just messy play.

RELATED: But now are you curious about the benefits of messy sensory play? Learn more here.

Remember – you can have an amazing mud kitchen that’s super simple.

Look how simple this was, but look how engaging it was.

It’s been over a week since I made this activity and guess what I can still see on my patio? This set up.

I’ve added a little more to it but the bones remain the same. Why? Because sometimes the simplest activities end up holding their attention the longest.

Go make a DIY Mud Kitchen. Trust me.