Are you looking for ways to encourage your kids to spend more time outside? Your little one can get stuck right in and make mud pies using sand, dirt, water and plants if you purchase a mud kitchen. Many designs are also fitted with a water function, taps and opening ovens so they can role-play and pretend they're making a real meal!
It's best to look through our buying guide if it's your first time purchasing one, so you end up with a high-quality product your child will love. We've also included a ranking of the best outdoor mud kitchens in the UK for toddlers and kids, with options from top brands like Chad Valley, TP Toys and Plum. They're all available to buy for great prices from Amazon, Argos, eBay and John Lewis.
Mud kitchens are a lot of fun, but if you're on the fence, we're here to tell you about their many learning benefits. Firstly, as they are fitted with pretend ovens, cupboards and sinks, they are perfect for role-playing. Role-play helps to improve your child's creative thinking, language development and social skills as they immerse themselves in a world of their own creation.
The use of water, dirt and various other garden materials to make recipes adds a sensory play element, which can improve coordination and brain development. Combining and mixing ingredients also helps to teach investigative and measuring skills needed for science and maths lessons.
When you're buying a mud kitchen, there are a few things you need to consider to find the best one. We've put together some key information on important features to look out for to help you choose.
Most mud kitchens are free-standing, but some need to be attached to a wall. Freestanding models often have more features, like shelves and cupboards for storing accessories and other items. Some even include a pretend oven that kids can act out cooking food inside, further immersing themselves in the experience.
If freestanding mud kitchens are out of your budget range, look for a compact design that you can secure to an outdoor fence or wall. Although these styles have less storage space, they're less likely to fall or tip forward. Alternatively, you could build your own custom kitchen by attaching a wall-mounting model to a wooden table.
Mud kitchens need to be treated before you can use them outside. The easy option is to go for one that states it has already been treated, which means it's been coated with preservatives or had a pressure treatment. This protects the wood against the elements and stops it from rotting or becoming damaged by various pests.
If the kitchen comes untreated, you'll have to do the job yourself. It's important to coat it with a preservative that protects, rather than a wood stain or oil that only enhances the appearance. If you choose to not treat the wood, it should only be used outside in dry weather and stored indoors after use.
One other great feature to consider in a mud kitchen is a working tap or pump – all you have to do is connect the tap to your garden hose. This feature saves you from having to fill up the bowl with water before the kids start to play.
Another option is to purchase a mud kitchen with a water butt attached to a tap. These are better for conserving water, as you can let it fill up with rain or put a rationed amount from the mains supply inside. They'll still have the same realistic experience of turning the tap, but you'll conserve energy and save money.
Your child needs pots, pans and utensils to role-play their kitchen activities, and luckily, some mud kitchens come with these included. Their new toy will be ready to use straight away and they won't get bored waiting for the extra gadgets to arrive.
Also, keep an eye out for mud kitchens with a blackboard, which further adds to the role-playing fun. Kids can invent their own recipes and write them down to remember, or they could decorate the board with fun pictures and even pick a name for their kitchen.
It's time to see our top 10 list of the best mud kitchens in the UK that are sure to impress your little one. We've included some great products from top brands like Chad Valley and TP toys, and there's even a Peppa Pig themed design in the mix.
£95.99
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | No |
Working Tap | No |
Water Butt | No |
Kitchen Accessories | 6 |
Blackboard | Yes |
£148.99
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | Yes |
Working Tap | No |
Water Butt | Yes |
Kitchen Accessories | 4 |
Blackboard | Yes |
£189.00
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | Yes |
Working Tap | Yes |
Water Butt | No |
Kitchen Accessories | - |
Blackboard | No |
£54.99
Type | Fix to wall |
---|---|
Treated | Yes |
Working Tap | No |
Water Butt | Yes |
Kitchen Accessories | 4 |
Blackboard | Yes |
£100.00
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | No |
Working Tap | No |
Water Butt | No |
Kitchen Accessories | 8 |
Blackboard | Yes |
£189.00
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | Yes |
Working Tap | No |
Water Butt | No |
Kitchen Accessories | 7 |
Blackboard | No |
£74.95
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | No |
Working Tap | Yes |
Water Butt | Yes |
Kitchen Accessories | - |
Blackboard | Yes |
£59.99
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | Yes |
Working Tap | No |
Water Butt | No |
Kitchen Accessories | - |
Blackboard | Yes |
£74.00
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | Yes |
Working Tap | No |
Water Butt | No |
Kitchen Accessories | 5 |
Blackboard | Yes |
£159.95
Type | Freestanding |
---|---|
Treated | No |
Working Tap | Yes |
Water Butt | Yes |
Kitchen Accessories | - |
Blackboard | Yes |
Image | 1 ![]() Big Game Hunters | 2 ![]() Playhouse | 3 ![]() Charles Bentley | 4 ![]() Big Game Hunters | 5 ![]() Plum | 6 ![]() Chad Valley | 7 ![]() TP Toys | 8 ![]() Craftplay | 9 ![]() TP Toys | 10 ![]() Peppa Pig |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Triple Mud Kitchen With Working Tap | Marvellous Mud Kids' Kitchen | Children's Wooden Mud Kitchen | Mud Kitchen With Working Tap | Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen | Wooden Mud Kitchen | Deluxe Mud Kitchen Playhouse Accessory | Acacia Wood Mud Table With Pump | Deluxe Mud Kitchen | Mud Kitchen Playset |
Features | Loads of Storage and a Working Tap and Water Butt | A Creative Look With Colour-Coded Taps | Excellent Value for Money With Realistic Sounds | A Compact Design With Excellent Features | Help Them Develop Green Fingers | Room for Two to Join in the Fun | An Affordable Option to Fix to a Wall or Fence | Focus On Making Fantastic Concoctions | Great for Multiple Kids With a Large Bowl and Worktop | A Fun Kitchen Approved by Everyone’s Favourite Pig |
Price | £159.95 | £74.00 | £59.99 | £74.95 | £189.00 | £100.00 | £54.99 | £189.00 | £148.99 | £95.99 |
Type | Freestanding | Freestanding | Freestanding | Freestanding | Freestanding | Freestanding | Fix to wall | Freestanding | Freestanding | Freestanding |
Treated | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Working Tap | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Water Butt | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Kitchen Accessories | - | 5 | - | - | 7 | 8 | 4 | - | 4 | 6 |
Blackboard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
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It's important to teach kids early to enjoy playing outside so they can get lots of healhy exercise and fresh air. Check out our article on the best outdoor toys to encourage your child to explore the garden – you could even buy a sandpit or teach them to ride a scooter!
A mud kitchen is sure to keep your little one entertained as they pretend to bake and create different concoctions. We hope our tips and ranking have given you some ideas. Remember to consider different features like working taps, water butts and accessories when buying a mud kitchen.
Author: Rosa Fairfield
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