13 Best mud kitchens for kids in 2023 (2024)

LOOKING for something to entertain your kids? One of these best mud kitchens will do the trick.

For children, the summer holidays are all about playing outdoors with their toys. Kids love getting grubby in the garden, digging in the soil, collecting leaves and generally enjoying the freedom of playing outside — and a mud kitchen is one way to allow them to safely explore this urge.

Mud kitchens encourage imaginative, creative play using natural materials, where there are no rules on staying clean and tidy. So, they're ideal for both kids and parents.

What is a mud kitchen?

A mud kitchen is a play kitchen to be used outside, where children can use their imaginations to role-play and pretend to cook.

The idea is to use primarily mud or sand to play with but kids can also use anything they can find outside such as leaves, flowers, twigs, pebbles and more.

It allows kids to get messy and have fun in the garden, where the mess doesn't matter so much for parents!

There are lots of different kitchens to choose from at varying price points - we've rounded up 13 of the best mud kitchens for kids available to buy now.

Best mud kitchens at a glance

• Best all-rounder mud kitchen: TP Deluxe Wooden Mud Kitchen
• Best mud kitchen for toddlers:
• Best mud kitchen with oven: Peppa Pig PEPPA'S MUD KITCHEN
• Best mud kitchen with blackboard: Great Little Trading Company Mud Kitchen
• Best mud kitchen with tap: Big Game Hunters Triple Mud Kitchen with Working Tap
• Best mud kitchen for a small garden: TP Toys Early Fun Mud Kitchen Playhouse

TP Deluxe Wooden Mud Kitchen

• TP Deluxe Wooden Mud Kitchen, £109.99 at TP toys - buy here

TP Toys has a great range of mud kitchens for kids and this is the first of four to make our list. An all-singing and dancing mud kitchen, the TP Deluxe is made from FSC-certified timber and features a four-ring hob, oven, blackboard, roomy splash tub, refillable water butt and working tap.

It's big enough for up to three children to play with at the same time so ideal for a large family. Plus, it comes with a starter set of pots and pans and a spacious under-shelf to store them on - this mud kitchen has got all bases covered.

Dimensions: 97.5 x 40 x 96cm; Material: FSC certified Yellow Cypress; Age range: 3+

Wooden indoor and outdoor mud kitchen

• Wooden mud kitchen, £99 from Great Little Trading Co - buy here

Looking for a great mud kitchen that can be used rain or shine? This stitched pine model from Great Little Trading Co will keep little hands busy for hours with its many features.

There's a 'cooking' area, a drawing area and lots of little cubby holes for toys (maybe they'll take an interest in tidying...).

For creative young minds, you can also buy an easel accessory pack to go with this mud kitchen, although it'll cost extra.

Toyrific Playhouse Marvellous Mud Kitchen

• Toyrific Playhouse Marvellous Mud Kitchen, £74.99 at Robert Dyas - buy here

Another well priced mud kitchen from the Playhouse collection, kids are sure to love creating muddy dishes in this cute kitchen made from varnished FSC® certified Canadian hemlock wood.

As well as looking great, this durable kitchen is well equipped with rust-free stainless steel pans and utensils that are easy to clean after each mucky session.

The splash steel sink is also easy to clean stainless steel - and the little plant pots are a nice touch to encourage little gardeners.

Dimensions: 83cm x 90cm x 41.5cm; Material: Solid FSC Canadian Hemlock wood; Age range: 3+

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We love the sweet weather station on the side so little ones can keep track of the conditions for plant growing and outside 'cooking'. Made from natural wood, which has been treated to protect it from the elements, you can leave the kitchen outside but it's advised to cover it or bring it indoors in the autumn and winter.

It includes a refillable water butt with tap and the removable splash tub can take up to 4kg of mud, which is ideal for mixing up a big mucky stew.

There's a simple hob and hooks for your starter set of stainless steel pans and mixing whisk, which are included with the kitchen.

At under £40, this small mud kitchen is perfect if you're trying out a mud kitchen for the first time.

Plus, the plastic play sink has a handy lid to add another chopping board space if needed.

The kitchen comes complete with a four-ring hob and two sinks, as well as an oven - plus an eight-piece play utensil set is also thrown in.

It's recommended to cover or shelter the play kitchen during heavy rain and strong sunlight to help keep it in prime condition.

• Big Game Hunters Triple Mud Kitchen with Working Tap, £181.99 at Amazon - buy here

If you want to up the ante and get something super special, this Big Game Hunters mud kitchen has a working tap that you can attach to a hose for running water.

The kitchen is 110 x 90cm and is big enough for multiple children to play at the same time - with plenty of storage and worktop space too.

There's also a sliding draining board and large splash tub, which is removable and easy to clean after each muddy play session.

With a separate lift-off water dispenser as well as oven, hob and blackboard, every muddy kitchen feature has been thought of here to maximise outdoor role-play fun.

Dimensions: ‎110.5 x 43 x 90.5 cm; Material: Wood; Age range: ‎18 months and up

TP Toys Splash & Play Early Fun Wooden Mud Kitchen

We love the TP pump and play working sink that serves up running water when you pump the button.

There's also a blackboard to record your favourite mud pie recipes along with a painted hob, oven, pan rack, serving station and storage shelf.

Plus, there's a stainless steel, easy-clean utensil set thrown in too.

• Peppa Pig PEPPA'S MUD KITCHEN, £84.99 at Very - buy here

Fans of the famous pink pig are sure to love this Peppa Pig-inspired mud kitchen.

Made from FSC-approved fir wood, this cute Peppa kitchen has three hobs along with a sink, opening oven and recipe chalkboard.

There are also little hooks to hang up your pans and utensils, which come with the kitchen - including twopans, a lid, ladle, whisk and spatula.

Dimensions: ‎85 x 91.2 x 40cm; Material: FSC-approved fir wood; Age range: ‎3+

SportspowerPremium Mud Kitchen

• SportspowerPremium Mud Kitchen, £89.99 from Very - buy here

Complete with a functional chalkboard and faux kitchen utensils, this mud kitchen has everything it needs to keep your little one's attention.

It has four hobs, two sinks, a cupboard and hooks to hang the utensils neatly. It's a little basic compared to some of the other mud kitchens on this list, since it doesn't have a working tap or fake oven.

But, it's still great for encouraging your kids to use their imagination. And at £89.99, it's pretty affordable.

Dimensions: ‎52 x 90 x 105cm; Material: Unspecified; Age range: ‎3+

TP Muddy Madness Wooden Mud Kitchen

• TP Muddy Madness Wooden Mud Kitchen, £144.99 from Amazon- buy here

This mud kitchen is ideal for young budding chefs. It has everything your kids need to pretend they're in a real kitchen, from an oven with a door and a removal splash tub to mixing bowls and blackboard space.

It's customisable too, coming with a DIY stencil to create your own hob rings and logo.

So, if your kid frequently changes their mind about what kind of play business they're running (one day it's a bakery and then next it's a sweet shop, for example), you'll be relieved by the flexibility of this mud kitchen.

Dimensions: 43 x 96 x 108; Material: Wood; Age range: Unspecified

What to look for when choosing a mud kitchen?

Chat to your child about what they'd like to see in their mud kitchen but remember they can add their own extras and that's all part of the creative play.

The majority of mud kitchens include some sort of play hob, oven and sink and many include additional features such as a blackboard. When considering the price point you're happy to pay, look at whether the wood has been treated to be weather resistant and the quality of the materials used for durability.

Also, look at what is included with the kitchen as many mud kitchens come with play pots and pans and utensils but for some you would need to purchase these separately.

What is the point of a mud kitchen for kids?

A mud kitchen allows kids to role-play and have some creative outdoor fun with friends or by themselves. As summer approaches, children love being outside and it means they can have fun with natural materials such as mud, sticks, leaves and stones and use their imaginations to 'cook' with these 'ingredients'.

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?

We saw a huge variation in costs of mud kitchens so consider how much you want to spend and what you're looking for. This is a substantial toy, usually made from wood, so they don't come cheap - varying from around £50 to £250. You can expect to find a decent quality kids mud kitchen for around £100.

How much should I spend on a mud kitchen for kids?

How much you spend on a mud kitchen depends on your budget and what features you require in a mud kitchen.

A decent-sized high-quality wooden mud kitchen will cost you at least £75. But, you can find smaller mud kitchens or ones made of less hardy materials for a cheaper price.

However, if you want your mud kitchen to last or your kid is particularly fussy about it having a certain amount of fake utensils or an oven, you'll probably want to spend £100 or more.

Is a mud kitchen worth the money?

This really depends on whether your child likes imaginative play and making a mess! It may be worth investigating how your kids react to this kind of play before making the investment, for example by putting a bowl and utensils in the garden for them initially to see what they do.

If you're buying your first mud kitchen, the TP toys early fun mud kitchen is a good starting point with a low price point.

Where to buy a mud kitchen and accessories?

We found a great range of mud play kitchens and accessories at Amazon, Robert Dyas and John Lewis. Also, check out TP toys for great value, good quality mud kitchens.