Chatterbox2012 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Hi All I have lots of literature on Mud kitchens and the benefits for the children. Has anyone invested in a mud kitchen and can tell me how they have dealt with the challenge of the mess? I would really appreciate any of your experiences and advice about how to implement one? Thanks very much in anticipation Bonnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 HI Chatterbox, i loved my mud kitchen so much i created another one! We started off my a trip to ikes for a few pots and wooden bits. But we used a corner of the garden which was enclosed and de-comisioned an old mircowave and used an old table near the digging pit. The 2-4yr olds children loved it. So we created a second using an old plastic kitchen (I know this isnt the point, but for the under 2's appropriate) and made a table with tyres. We asked parents for any kitchen stuff and had a mass of cake tins, pots pand and utensils. To deal with all the mess we keep it to 4 in the area at a time, and have been using cheap ponchos, but are investing in all in one suits. As well as wellies. A good enhancement that we were told was adding potatos, for counting, and their are always around and cheap. The Children love the kitchens, and spend hours playing together making things and adding water. Go with it, its worth while. Petunia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Hi Bonnie, welcome to the forum. We have a mud pie kitchen, very much a home made affair. I buy top soil from a garden centre, the children have a collection of pans, sieves, colanders, ladles, spoons, jugs and we take out buckets of water for them to mix, they are allowed to make "soups" and all manner of concoctions and they love every minute of it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 I am starting a mud kitchen of sorts after half term . I am using a old sand and water tray and have managed to get a few cooking bits and bobs . My concern is the mess!!!!!!!! which i dont mind but we have no water tap outside and everything has to be cleared away before we leave. I know our children will love it though but will I !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatterbox2012 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 I am now feeling very excited! That's a great idea to ask parents for contributions - I like parent involvement. I was thinking of limiting the number of children to 3 or 4 as we do have some under 3's. I was planning to "sell" this to the parents by talking about the benefits but have you had any problems from any of your parents? I am so pleased that your mud kitchens have been so successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 oooh this sounds fab!! We do similar in terms of set up - the more 'found' the better the response and my question is 'do you bother to clean everything down after the session'? We don't as a rule (until it gets too bad) but then a part of me worries about it being attractive to the children the next day (but it does smack of a fruitless task when it's all covered again in seconds!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 No, I haven't had parents worried, complaining or anything really - there are days when the children do get rather mucky, we don't limit the number of children, they tend to spread out a bit if we get more than a handful, can't say it's all good clean fun! but it is incredibly enjoyable and lots of language too, leads you to do anything really within the 7 areas. We don't seriously clean up as we don't have an outside tap, but I do use up any water left over to sloosh things before stacking them back up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 photo's are great for winning over parents - who can argue with the photo of the child head to toe in mud (that someone else has had to clean up after hehe!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 (edited) try muddy puddles for waterproofs all in one's - they had a great sale on last week. Could be worth an email to ask if they have any surplus stock they want rid off - I did this a while ago and was directed to their Amazon store you might be able to pick up a few cheap (may not be ideal colours for all but would free up pennies for others) edited for very poor spelling and grammatical errors! Edited February 5, 2013 by gingerbreadman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Our mud kitchen has been in operation for a year or so now and is very popular. We don't limit the number of children, but they know that if they want to play in there they must wear a splash suit and wellies. Our mud kitchen became very slippery at the beginning of winter so we put lots of bark chips in there and it has become a bark kitchen for the time being. It's not quite the same but at least it means it can be used over the winter. We also had lots of donations of pots and pans and even an old cooker and Belfast sinks from parents. Good luck, it's really worthwhile! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sn0wdr0p Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I got some really good ideas for ours just by searching on google images for mud kitchen. There are some really super ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatterbox2012 Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Some really fantastic ideas thank you! It's useful to know your experiences to give me confidence to start my mud kitchen. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Does anyone have any pics they wouldn't mind adding we have a 12' x 12' approx redundant corner in our garden at the moment we were thinking about a sensory/wild life area, it started out as just a mud patch but grass grown over now but now thinking maybe putting back to mud patch .....but it will be the staff I need to convince, Inge had added 'evolution of a play area' to fsf fb page, but can't access that at work to show staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 http://nosuchthingasbadweather.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/outdoor-play-party-bringing-parents.html I cant find the one you mean Mouse, but this might help with parents Chatterbox. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) thanks Rea that was the site, i did find it on google but still couldn't get the link to their 'evolution of a playarea' from it, can you ? that had some great pics of them knee deep in mud ...sure my staff are gonna start hyperventilating though lol Edited February 7, 2013 by mouse63 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyPancakes Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I've been thinking about this for a bit, and have just had a scathingly brilliant idea!! I have been worried about cats getting into the area. I'm looking out at my old plastic playhouse that will probably only last this year. I think this would work well as a mud kitchen and I can close the doors and keep pesky night visitors out. Now? Where to put it...? H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 thanks Rea that was the site, i did find it on google but still couldn't get the link to their 'evolution of a playarea' from it, can you ? that had some great pics of them knee deep in mud ...sure my staff are gonna start hyperventilating though lol Volia! Looks brilliant http://nosuchthingasbadweather.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-evolution-of-outdoor-space.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Yeah thanks Rea that's exactly the one I was trying to open for them to see.....it's the very sloppy puddle with the cookers in I really wanted them to aspire too.....we'll see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Those photos speak volumes! When you look past the 'prettiness' of the early days the children aren't engaged...roll forward and the potential learning is so obvious that my hubby was able to see the difference (and that really is saying something!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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