Our Mud Kitchen
If you follow us on Instagram, you'll see that we strive for as much outside time as we can. The fresh air does wonders for our moods, sleep, and even cognitive development. As a society, we spend a lot time indoors, so once outside, it's a whole new world for children to explore. And without your doing, the adventure changes seasonally and daily through the weather, providing new explorations and sensory enrichment.
In addition to a backyard, we are fortunate enough to have a wooden swing set. It has a tree house, a door, a bench with a little window, two swings, a trapeze bar and a slide. We also have a mud kitchen. Dirt, water, containers and spoons. Can you guess where the kids play the most? That's right, the mud kitchen. It costs nearly nothing to set up and minimal maintenance which at most includes dumping water containers each day in the summer months to eliminate mosquitoes. With this setup, our kids play for hours making mud pies, mud brownies, mud milkshakes, and magic potions. Occasionally I will order a mud coffee as they love playing "Mud Restaurant".
Is all this talk of dirt and mud making you cringe? I'm here to talk you back from the ledge.
Number one, expect their hands to get dirty.
Number two, expect their shoes to get dirty.
That's it. For the most part. We wash hands when we go inside and take our shoes off at the door. Rarely are their clothes covered in dirt and if they are, we throw them in the wash. Do you do laundry? Well, mud and dirt go great in a washing machine so that works out. Point is, don't be afraid of a little dirt! It's actually good for them! Natural dirt, sunlight, and fresh air help to build a healthy immune system.
Below you will find our mud kitchen favorites but we encourage you to raid the back of your kitchen cabinets, ask in your local Buy Nothing group, stop by a yard sale or thrift store to pick up your own tools. No one thing is necessary but a variety of materials will encourage the most play. In my own experience, kids tend to gravity towards the real deal instead of toys, ie: a wooden spoon instead of a beach shovel or an old muffin pan instead of a bucket. Think of the things your child might play with in an indoor kitchen and replicate it outside. (Remember not to leave any electronics or battery powered items outside.) You'll be surprised how they may play more with an item simply because it is outside.
A workspace: this can be a kids picnic table, a water table, a variety of wide stumps, or simply an open area on the ground. Also, a designated space to dig- either a specified area in the yard, a sandbox, or large container of dirt. Give your children their own space so you don't end up with holes throughout your backyard or flowers uprooted.
Water: There are a few ways you can go about this. You can fill up one or two large containers for your children to use throughout their playtime. They can have free access to the spigot and hose. Upcycle an empty and clean laundry detergent container with a push button. You can supply no water and they will still have fun.
Containers: beach buckets, aluminum baking pans, a colander, old food storage containers, an egg carton, anything your child can fill up and dump out is a mud kitchen staple
Utensils: Open up that "big utensil" drawer and KonMari it. Add to the mud kitchen your extra soup ladel, spatula, and anything else you can't remember the last time you used. Beach shovels and play kitchen spoons work too.
When you first set up your mud kitchen, you may take a few minutes to play in it yourself. Especially if playing outdoors is new to your child. Once they see you scooping and mixing, they're likely to jump in themselves. Play along makinhg mud pies or sit back and order one from the chef.
Here are a few accounts we follow to encourage outside play and exploring:
@1000hoursoutside is the challenge we completed in 2020 and will keep working towards each year to keep us motivated to spend the most time outdoors. "When kids are given time to be outside their bodies instinctively seek out the sensory input they need to grow and develop. "
@puddleparenting - 3 moms with tips and tricks to spend time outside with kids
@blackadventurecrew explores their homestate of Alabama while advocating for diversified outdoorsy families!
Book: "There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather" By Linda McGurk: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids
Now, go play!