Mud kitchens are the most popular additions to backyards everywhere recently! Here is some inspiration for the best mud kitchens for toddlers and preschool kids - from the simplest DIY mud kitchens to the elaborate mud kitchens with various stations.
But first, let's start with a little FAQ about mud kitchens.
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Curious about mud kitchens?
What is a mud kitchen?
A mud kitchen is a toy kitchen built for outdoor backyard play. They are meat to get dirty and give kids the opportunity to play outside with mud and other messy "ingredients" - hence the name mud kitchen.
Mud kitchens are usually more rustic looking than the colorful kitchens made for indoor play that parents often buy for their kids playroom. Mud kitchens are typically made from wood using pallets, wooden crates, or wooden construction materials, such as 2x4s.
What can you do with a mud kitchen? / What's the point of a mud kitchen?
Mud kitchens give toddlers a whole new way to play outside and develop their imagination. It's a great way to do more sensory play, and a fun backyard activity other than water play.
Here are 30+ Mud Kitchen Play Ideas.
What age are mud kitchens for?
Mud kitchens can be used for toddlers as young as 18 months and for kids up to ~10 years old. As long as a child is interested in pretend play, cooking, getting messy in the backyard, they will love a mud kitchen.
How tall should a mud kitchen be?
The height of a mud kitchen really depends on the height of the children that will use the mud kitchen. In this post for how to create a mud kitchen, the mud kitchen was about 26 inches high.
This mud kitchen from Amazon is about 22 inches high.
Can you buy a mud kitchen?
Yes, you can buy mud kitchens! There are a few different options on Amazon. This is a great one for smaller spaces.
This one is a little bigger and has space for a pretend stove, counter space, and a sink with a refillable tap!
So yes, buying a mud kitchen is a great option because building one can definitely be a huge project. The tools and materials are expensive, if you don't already have them.
Some of my favorite mud kitchen ideas for toddlers
1. This simple mud kitchen...
This simple mud kitchen shows that you don't need to have your kitchen in a muddy area of a backyard. Concrete slabs are just fine for lots of imaginative toddler play!
Related: Easy Ice Cream Sensory Activity
2. This mud kitchen for small spaces
3. This mud kitchen setup for multiple kids
4. This amazing elaborate mud kitchen!
This mud kitchen is bigger than many kitchens in NYC apartments!
5. This mud kitchen for small spaces
Don't let the lack of space or a backyard stop you from giving your child the chance to play with a mud kitchen! Set up something like this for them using a sand and water table, give them a bowl and a whisk, and let them play chef!
Kids won't know that there are more elaborate mud kitchens out there, they'll be so excited about this simple setup!
6. This mud kitchen with storage
This mud kitchen is perfect for storing all the mud kitchen accessories and letting the kids decide what they play with.
7. How's this one for mud kitchen inspiration?
8. An easy mud kitchen built with wooden crates
9. This beautiful blue mud kitchen with a matching stool
10. What about a mud kitchen for indoor spaces or a mud kitchen for a mud room?
11. Mud kitchen goals...
As you can see, there is no wrong way to build a mud kitchen. You can get as creative and elaborate as you like!
But I guarantee you that your kids would enjoy playing with a simple setup, even if you decide to go the easy route and buy a mud kitchen.
Looking for more toddler play ideas?
- Water play ideas for indoor and outdoor spaces
- Open ended toys for toddlers
- I Spy printable - free printable!
- Sequencing puzzle printable - free printable!
- Printable visual schedule - free printable!
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