Why Mud Kitchens Are The Perfect Way To Encourage Imaginative Play

Would you love to encourage the children in your care to enjoy more imaginative play? It’s something that all children need to do to gain a huge range of benefits, including: 

• Healthy expression of emotions
• Ability to ‘put on other shoes’ and learn empathy
• Improvement of language skills
• Improvement of maths skills
• Aiding introduction to various academic concepts
• Improvement of concentration
• Ability to explore feelings in a safe space
• Learning to share and play with others

Children, if left to their own devices, will enjoy imaginary play with little to no encouragement or stimulus. However, certain pieces of equipment can help provide the perfect setting for this kind of play, with the humble mud kitchen being at the top of the list. What seems like a simple piece of equipment is actually the perfect starting point for a world of exciting, beneficial, imaginative play for the child or children in your care, and here’s why: 

Inclusivity

“Tell me and I’ll forget. Teach me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

Mud kitchens are inclusive because children of all ages and abilities can get something from them. Teachers, caregivers, parents, siblings and friends can all join in on the fun, providing the perfect opportunity for anybody of any ability to get lost in their creativity and create a world of fun.

Mud Kitchens Are Recognisable

One of the easiest ways to encourage a child to enjoy role play is to provide a version of something they already know, that they can interact with. Mud kitchens are instantly recognisable to a child as they look like the kitchen they have at home. You can even get faux washing machines, cookers and other items to go in them, so the child already knows ‘what to do’ in the space – they just copy what they have seen their parents do, or what they have seen on TV. 

From there, they might pretend to be Mum and Dad, they might become grandma making a cake, then the kitchen could be where they are presenting a cooking show they have seen on TV, or where they make worm pies to feed the friendly aliens they have made up. Simply – mud kitchens are a recognisable starting point that offers a foundation for a world of imagination. 

Boundaries Can Be Pushed

“I am happy out here. Dirty feet, messy hair & wild water on my skin. Out here with the wild things; this is where I belong.” – Brooke Hampton

A mud kitchen looks like a normal kitchen, but in the mud kitchen there are no rules. You can splash, you can squish, you can get messy and muddy, you can bang and bash, shout and scream, sing and dance. It’s true messy play, allowing children to fully express themselves and be creative, something that they may be restricted with otherwise in other settings. 

Messy play is also known to have additional benefits beyond creativity. Research says children who are able to explore with their senses can grasp physical skills more quickly. Messy play can also help develop a child’s motor skills as they squat and stand to grab mud, use their muscles to carry water, squeeze soil and sand, stir their mud pies, and move around their mud kitchen. 

Nature Is A Stimulus

“Show the children every winged thing. The bees, dragonflies, queen ants, bluebirds, luna moths & swallowtails. Creatures that inspire them to defy gravity. – Nicolette Sowder

Mud kitchens are usually placed outdoors, so there are all kinds of natural items that can add extra stimulus to the child’s play. Twigs can become cutlery, leaves can become vegetables, worms can be dinner guests – it’s a naturally supportive setting for imaginative play. 

Accessories Galore

Nature provides a lot of natural accessories for a mud kitchen, but there are lots of cheap ways you can add plenty of extra accessories too. Pots, pans, growing herbs, child-safe sand – you can even get faux toasters and toast, groceries, pretend meals – the possibilities are endless. So whatever your child is ‘into’ at the moment, you can introduce those items to the kitchen to help with their development and enjoyment of the space. 

Inspire The Children In Your Care With A Mud Kitchen

Whether you’re a nursery, a primary school, a forest school or parents looking for a wonderful new toy for your child, a mud kitchen is a great idea. Why not contact a trusted outdoor play  equipment supplier today to see what’s on offer. With the right mud kitchen for your outdoor space, the children in your care will be making mud pies under rainy skies to the benefit of their health, development and happiness, for many playtimes to come.