Like play kitchens, but designed specifically for the great outdoors, wooden mud kitchens can provide children with a wholesome sensory play experience.
Packed full of features that encourage learning and fun, they combine the power of your child’s imagination with tactile mud, leaves, water and sand.
Mud kitchens come in many shapes and sizes - from small and compact models designed for one to larger more robust mud kitchens big enough to share. Whatever your preferences, come rain or shine, here's our pick of the best mud kitchens you can add to your garden today.
What age are mud kitchens suitable for?
The majority of mud kitchens are recommended for children from around three years of age. Thanks to their open-ended play, you could easily see your child continue to play with their mud kitchen till around eight years of age. While their style of play is likely to adapt and develop as they grow, mud kitchens offer longevity and good overall value for money.
What are the benefits of a mud kitchen?
Mud kitchens come with many educational and well-being benefits including:
- Boosting their imagination: Whether they’re playing the role of head chef or shopkeeper, acting out role-play scenarios can help your child use their imagination and get creative.
- Social skills: When playing with friends or siblings, mud kitchens can encourage children to communicate with each other and learn important life lessons such as sharing, problem-solving and teamwork, From a language perspective, discussing their creations with a parent or caregiver and following ‘recipes’ can also help them learn more vocabulary and boost their language development.
- Fine motor skills: Collecting ingredients from the garden, washing them in the sink, digging in the dirt or mixing with spoons and utensils can help develop crucial fine motor skills.
- Sensory stimulation: Mud kitchens can introduce children to a range of unique textures, sights and smells as they play with natural ingredients from their surroundings.
- Time outside: Last but not least, spending time in the fresh air provides a great source of Vitamin D and can stimulate melatonin production, helping regulate sleep patterns so that everyone gets a good night’s rest.
What features should I look for in a mud kitchen?
Here are some things to consider when selecting the right mud kitchen for your family:
- Dimensions: How big is the mud kitchen? It’s important to ensure that the height and size are age-appropriate for your child. In addition, do you have the space to accommodate it in your garden or outdoor space? If you are buying for an only child, smaller more compact models may be sufficient. However, if you’d like your child to share with friends or siblings, you may want to consider a wider, more spacious model, with plenty of space for children to play side by side.
- Durability: What is the overall quality of the wood and has it been treated to protect it from the elements? Some mud kitchens are suitable for leaving outdoors all year round, whereas others recommend covering them when not in use. If the wood isn’t treated, you may need to factor in the cost of a wood preserver to help protect it and prolong its life.
- Ease of assembly: By their very nature, nearly all mud kitchens require some form of assembly, however, some are easier to construct than others. Consider how long the mud kitchen takes to assemble, whether this can be done alone and any additional tools that may be required.
- Accessories included: Not all mud kitchens come with accessories included, so it's worth checking what's listed in the specifications and weighing up its overall value for money. If the mud kitchen doesn't include any, you’ll want to consider purchasing a selection of pots and pans to help encourage creative play.
Best mud kitchens at a glance
- Best mud kitchen overall: Chad Valley Large Wooden Mud Kitchen - £125, Argos
- Best budget mud kitchen: Chad Valley Mud Kitchen - £60, Argos
- Best sensory mud kitchen: Plum Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen - £200, Amazon
- Best mud kitchen for small gardens: TP Toys, Early Fun Mud Kitchen Playhouse Accessory - £40, Amazon
- Best mud kitchen for siblings: Rebo Muddy Mischief Children’s All Weather Outdoor Mud Kitchen - £160, Amazon
- Best value mud kitchen: TP Toys Deluxe Wooden Mud Kitchen - £120, Very
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Chad Valley Wooden Mud Kitchen (Large)
Best: overall
With easy-to-follow instructions, lettered pieces and pre-drilled holes, the Chad Valley Wooden Mud Kitchen is surprisingly straightforward to assemble, so your kids won't have long to wait before they can head out to the garden and start enjoying it.
With two removable sinks, it’s big enough for two children to share and play together side by side, whether that’s cooking up a storm on the four hob rings or adding their creations to the oven below. We love the large blackboard where children can add their names or list their favourite dishes, while the included steel pans and utensils make a welcome addition to help kick-start their imaginative role play.
The downside? The brand recommends that you cover this mud kitchen during heavy rain or strong sunlight, so you may prefer to treat the wood with a wood preserver for an extra layer of protection.
- Suitable for: 3 years plus
- Dimensions: H105, W93.5, D52.5cm
- Material: FSC-certified wood
- Assembly time: Approximately 1 hour
- Accessories included: Includes eight kitchen utensils
Buy now £125.00, Argos
Chad Valley Wooden Play Kitchen (Small)
Best: budget mud kitchen
Retailing at just £60 and a more compact version of the mud kitchen above, this small Chad Valley Mud Kitchen is ideal for those with a smaller budget, less outdoor space or who simply want to add some small outdoor toys to their decking, patio or balcony.
While it’s just as easy to assemble as the larger design, this mud kitchen doesn’t include an oven and only has one sink, making it less suited to sharing than the full-sized equivalent. It’s also worth highlighting that accessories aren’t included with this model, so you’ll need to pick up some pots and pans to truly bring this mud kitchen to life.
We love the blackboard where your child can list their ingredients and practice their handwriting. Thanks to the two built-in shelves, they can even add some flower pots or herbs to help personalise their space. As with the larger Chad Valley Mud Kitchen, however, we recommend you take the time to paint or wood prime this mud kitchen to keep it looking its best.
- Suitable for: 3 years plus
- Dimensions: H93.5, W77, D31.8cm
- Material: FSC-certified wood
- Assembly time: Approximately 1 hour
- Accessories included: Four hooks and metal basin sink
Buy now £60.00, Argos
Plum Discovery Outdoor Mud Pie Kitchen Sensory Play
Best: sensory mud kitchen
Arriving in several boxes including large sturdy ‘logs’ of wood, assembling this mud kitchen can feel like quite a daunting task, requiring two adults and taking around two hours to bring it to life.
The result is certainly worth the wait, however, as it leads to a robust forest school-style mud kitchen with excellent attention to detail and several unique ways to play.
We love the perspex screen and glass pens for menu writing, while the natural wind chimes make a great addition to stimulate the senses during play. The charming garden area and tools are a great way to encourage green fingers - a space for children to plant seeds and watch them quite literally, spring to life.
With stainless steel pots and pans included, this spacious mud kitchen can provide hours of entertainment for siblings and friends. It doesn’t come cheap, but thanks to its robust weatherproofed design, we’re sure it’ll last the test of time.
- Suitable for: 3 years plus
- Dimensions: L161 x W63 x H114cm
- Material: Pressure-treated wood
- Assembly time: Approx 2.5 hours
- Accessories included: Stainless steel pots and utensils
Buy now £200.00, Amazon
TP Toys Deluxe Mud Kitchen Playhouse Accessory
Best: mud kitchen for small gardens
If you’re keen to enjoy the benefits of a mud kitchen without taking up valuable space in your garden, this wall-mounted option makes a practical choice.
Attaching to a play house, shed or fence at the most suitable height for your child, the TP Toys Deluxe Mud Kitchen Playhouse Accessory creates a convenient and accessible mud kitchen, even in compact outdoor spaces. It’s worth noting that you’ll need to embrace your inner artist during set up, painting on the hob rings using the included stencil as a guide.
Despite its affordable price tag, this mud kitchen comes with a selection of pans and a whisk included. We also love the water play elements with this design, with a large water butt where children can gather rainfall and pour it directly into the sink below.
- Suitable for: 3 years plus
- Dimensions: 31 x 55 x 56 cm
- Material: FSC certified wood and plastic
- Assembly time: Approximately 1 hour
- Accessories included: Sink, water butt, two saucepans, pot with lid and whisk
Buy now £40.00, Amazon
Rebo Muddy Mischief Children’s All-Weather Outdoor Mud Kitchen
Best: mud kitchen for siblings
If you’re looking for a larger mud kitchen that provides plenty of space for children to play together, the Rebo Muddy Mischief could be just the ticket. It’s a little more functional than fancy, however, we love its robust pressure-treated design, which can be enjoyed from all sides for a full 360 degrees of play.
While you’ll need to invest in some pots and pans, the deep removable sink is the ideal place for children to mix up ingredients, before stashing their creations on the shelves below.
We love the large built-in bench area, allowing children to sit down and observe their siblings as they set to work in the kitchen.
- Suitable for: 3 years plus
- Dimensions: H105 x W127 x L90cm
- Material: Pressure treated timber
- Assembly time: Approximately 2 hours
- Accessories included: Sink only
Buy now £160.00, Amazon
TP Toys Deluxe Wooden Mud Kitchen
Best: value mud kitchen
In terms of value for money, you really do get what you pay for with the TP Deluxe Wooden Mud Kitchen, offering plenty of areas for children to play and share.
Made from high-quality FSC-certified wood, this mud kitchen comes with loads of fun features including a working water butt and a large oven with an opening door. With a selection of stainless steel pans and whisk included, children will love retrieving their utensils from the hooks, before folding out the extendable countertop to start preparing their creations.
As an added bonus, we love that the sink can be completely covered when not in use, conveniently keeping out dirt, debris or the curious neighbourhood cat.
- Suitable for: 3 years plus
- Dimensions: H96 x D40 x W98cm
- Material: FSC certified wood
- Assembly time: Approximately 1.5 hours
- Accessories included: Stainless steel pans and mixing whisk
Buy now £120.00, Very
Verdict
While the right mud kitchen for your family will very much depend on your outdoor space and budget, we think the large Chad Valley Wooden Mud Kitchen makes a great choice for the majority of families.
Easy to assemble, with a spacious layout and a selection of accessories included, it makes the ideal canvas for your child’s imagination and creativity. To keep it looking its best, we recommend you pick up some wood preserver for additional peace of mind.
