This $60 IKEA “Mud Kitchen” Hack Turns Your Backyard into the Ultimate Play Spot

As we (finally!!!) head into the warmer months, many parents, myself included, are brainstorming all the ways kids can spend time outside. I’m leaning into one thing: The messier the play, the better. It usually means the kids are fully engaged in what they’re doing — and outdoors, which is a win. That’s exactly why I love the mud kitchen. It’s just a small setup, but it can offer hours of sensory play.

A mud kitchen is a setup that looks a lot like a standard kid’s play kitchen, but it lives outside and not in a playroom. Rather than “cooking” with play food, kids can use a table to create potions and concoctions with stuff they find outside (think: mud, sand, leaves, sticks, grass, and flowers). Mud kitchens allow for independent, open-ended play. Kids can really flex their imaginations while exploring nature.

Can’t you just move your kids’ indoor play kitchen outside for the summer? Sure, but it may not survive a season of wet, messy play. Many of the mud kitchens on the market are made with treated wood (to withstand the elements), and many of them also have working water faucets (which is great when you don’t have to worry about soaking your home’s floors). 

You can buy a preassembled mud kitchen starting at around $150 and upwards, with basic models including shelves, sinks and work surfaces, and pricier versions that feature upgrades like real working sinks or a four-burner stovetop with turnable knobs.  

While there are plenty of mud kitchens available for purchase, if you have any interest in a DIY project, this social media hack, which costs about $60 in total, offers up adorable inspo for creating your own custom version instead.

The hack comes from creator @life.with.my.toddler, who often posts DIY project inspiration. The creator uses wooden crates and plastic bins to assemble the structure. The real magic happens when adding props, including a watering can and flowers arranged in Mason jars. The best part? All the items used to construct the mud kitchen are from IKEA. Easily accessible and affordable? Sign me up.

The creator sells a step-by-step guide to creating this mud kitchen, complete with easy-to-follow instructions and details on the exact products used. You can also draw inspiration for your own from the post itself. The creator does offer some tips in the comments of this post, including details on the products (two Knaggling wooden crates, two small plastic Trofast tubs, one large Trofast tub, and a spice rack), and advises treating the wood before taking the mud kitchen outside to keep it protected outdoors.

If you’re up for a project, this seems like a relatively simple way to build (and customize) your own outdoor play station. Build it, then step back, and embrace the mess!