If you’re looking for DIY mud kitchens because you’ve heard all these great things about getting an outdoor kitchen for your kids, then you’ve come to the right place. My children have had a mud kitchen since they were 5 years old and they still adore it. You can see our mud kitchen here.
Not sure what a mud kitchen is? Start here!
If you haven’t heard all the wonderful ways mud kitchens support your little ones, here’s a brief overview.
Mud kitchens help children:
- spend more time outside away from screens ( screen time is not bad, but as parents or educators, we need to ensure there is balance)
- engage in unstructured pretend play which is the best way to learn!
- play with natural materials which support sensory exploration and build children’s immune systems
- learn basic cooking skills without wasting food
- develop independent and social skills because a mud kitchen provides opportunities for both
DIY mud kitchens are awesome but a little overwhelming
The ideas I have listed below might make you feel out of your depth but a mud kitchen doesn’t have to cost a lot or take a huge amount of time to make.
If you’re looking for something simple, head to your local second-hand shop and buy some big buckets and cooking utensils. Grab some sand and dirt from your local landscaper and your kids will have a blast. This kind of setup will cost no more than $50.
I still recommend that you watch the videos below. They will give you heaps of ideas.
Building a mud kitchen as a gift?
Add The Muddy Chef to your shopping cart and gift it to your kids alongside your mud kitchen. It will inspire their own muddy creations and teach them how to follow instructions.
DIY mud kitchens
I’ve collected the best DIY mud kitchen ideas and tutorials all in one place. Enjoy being inspired. Your kids will LOVE having an outdoor play kitchen in their backyard!
Reclaimed pallet wood and scaffold board DIY mud kitchen
2. Two pallet mud kitchen
3. Old chest of drawers DIY mud kitchen
4. Cute mud kitchen
5. Super-sized DIY mud kitchen
6. $100 DIY mud kitchen for beginners
7. Build your DIY mud kitchen off a fence
8. Mud Kitchen with working sink!
9. Mud Kitchen with a recycled kitchen sink
10. These kids built their own DIY mud kitchen
11. Huge DIY mud kitchen makeover
12. Fancy mud kitchen
13. Recycled plastic mud kitchen
I hope you enjoyed all the fantastic DIY mud kitchen ideas that I put together for you. If your children love making mud pies, they will adore my book The Muddy Chef. It’s a cook but not for making food. Instead, you’ll find earthy breakfasts, no-lick lunches, squishy dinners, mucky desserts, and icky sticky drinks, all made using mud and other natural materials found in your backyard. z
See an entire list of mud kitchen books.
