If you’re looking to add a mud kitchen to your garden but don’t have a huge budget to spend, this wooden mud kitchen from The Works offers excellent value for money. It includes fun features such as a chalkboard, tray and metal bowl, with two hob rings and turnable dials. We love the addition of two plant pots on the top; great for encouraging children to grow their own herbs or seeds for ‘garnishing’ their creations. We are a family run business. Mud kitchens are handmade in both the Southern Highland & Far South Coast, NSW.

How many children can play with it: For a mud kitchen to work for more than one child, there needs to be multiple activities, so they aren’t fighting over the same thing. A chalkboard, easel and gardening section are all great additions to the standard cooking area. The mud kitchen needs to be wide enough for side-by-side play; alternatively, a 360-degree design is ideal for two or more children. Encourages creativity: 'Mud can be moulded and decorated and it responds differently than sand, clay or play dough.' Getting hands-on with tactile materials also stimulates imagination and encourages artistic play.

How much does a mud kitchen cost?

Once the two end pieces are complete, attach the floor and table boards between the two and screw them into place.

It also serves as a blank canvas to paint the kitchen in any colour you wish. Our customers find it is easiest to do this before assembly. Plus, it being in the garden allows kids the freedom to make a mess and it doesn't matter as much as it does inside the house. How much does a mud kitchen cost? The overall dimensions are important for fitting the product into the area you want to use it in the garden. You also get an idea of how big the surfaces are for putting your pots, pans and mixtures on. The great thing about the mud kitchens is they do go flat up against a wall/fence or boundary so you can fit them in some of the smallest spaces.Please note timber naturally weathers over time, particularly when exposed to full sun & water for long lengths at a time. ** If you haven’t heard all the wonderful ways mud kitchens support your little ones, here’s a brief overview. Mud kitchens help children: Playing in the mud is a fantastic way to ground yourself and it creates an instant connection to nature - something children need to more of now, as they grow up around screens and other technology. Remember we've got lots more ideas for everyone to enjoy in our family garden ideas feature. Why are mud kitchens beneficial?

Connects kids with nature: It's hard to care about things that you're not really involved with, and many kids these days spend more time glued to their screens than out-of-doors. But getting kids outside to play, act out make-believe worlds, and explore, creates happy memories with the one most primal element in our world: nature. Along with that comes a development of respect and understanding for the great outdoors. They are easy enough to make if you have the time and are DIY orientated.” suggested by Mumsnet user onedsrightnow Messy play is vital, but we don’t often encourage it for fear of the inevitable tidying up. The best mud kitchens provide a great alternative to playing indoors - a safe space for your child to mix potions and throw water about without restriction. Choosing the right size This may seem like a simple one but it’s really important that you buy the right sized mud kitchen for your child. This will help you enjoy the product more.Mud kitchens aren't just fun, they're super beneficial for little ones too. The experts at Mud Kitchens reveal why: So what is a mud kitchen? Well, as the name suggests, it’s a kitchen full of mud. But, instead of it being in your home, it’s an outdoor kitchen specifically made for mud fun. Your little ones will love making mud cakes, potions and other creative projects right from the garden. What are the benefits of muddy play? Storage space: A mud kitchen with shelves, cupboards, drawers and hooks will take lots of building, but it will look more authentic, provide extra fun and be good places to store accessories and ‘ingredients.’ Cooking Area The basic areas such as the hob cooking surface are also an important consideration. Generally you will have two rings on your hob as standard with a small surface area to place objects on. However larger products will feature four rings - giving lots more surface area to have lots of different containers on the rings at once. Members of the Mumsnet community agree that a sturdy mud kitchen with lots of fun accessories is a great way to keep their children playing happily in the garden. So, we weighed the toys their toddlers have played with and loved, which they wholeheartedly recommend. Their experiences, including weatherproofing and cleaning advice and the mud kitchens which suit children of all ages, have informed our choices of the outdoor toys you should invest in. Expert opinions

The TP Muddy Madness Mud Kitchen is a thoughtfully designed toy that encourages lots of creative play, from preparing ‘veg’ on the removable countertop to washing up in the large sink underneath. There’s plenty of room and a variety of play zones and activities, so up to three children can easily play together. A mud kitchen is essentially about cooking up grubby fun. Your kids can sauté leaves, oven-bake mud pies and wash up after your garden gnomes have devoured the meal. If you’re looking for DIY mud kitchens because you’ve heard all these great things about getting an outdoor kitchen for your kids, then you’ve come to the right place. My children have had a mud kitchen since they were 5 years old and they still adore it. You can see our mud kitchen here. Dimensions: 43 x 96 x 108; Material: Wood; Age range: Unspecified What to look for when choosing a mud kitchen?

The best mud kitchen for your family will very much depend on your requirements, however, for its high quality, versatility, substantial size and range of accessories included, we feel the TP Muddy Madness is the best mud kitchen you can buy today. Whether you’re buying for a single child or for siblings to share together, this mud kitchen offers great value for money and is built to last the test of time. How we chose our recommendations Recommendations from real Mumsnet users