Cold weather needn’t stop outdoor play. All you really need is are the right resources – that’s why this Winter Mud Kitchen is the perfect choice during the colder months!
“It’s too cold to go outside!” Is often given as a reason to stay indoors no matter what the weather. But being cooped up indoors all day isn’t good for anyone. That’s why we tend to go outside no matter what the weather is. Having fantastic outdoor resources such as a winter mud kitchen is a great way of encouraging outdoor play in the colder months. And if you need tips on how to get outside in all weathers, read this post on my exclusive membership page, How I drink my Coffee Hot.
Why Is A Mud Kitchen Beneficial?
Other benefits include:
- Easy ‘sensory play‘ option. Sensory play is important and there’s no better way to embrace it than to be outside engaging with natural resources!
- Language development – playing pretend, learning new vocabulary, playing with siblings /other children
- Early math – counting ingredients, capacity, volume, weight etc
- Hand-eye coordination – pouring ingredients, adding water and so on
- Fine motor skills – stirring potions, using tongs, grating chalks.
- Learning about the world – children make sense of their everyday world by emulating what they see.
- Simply being outside! Children need at least 2 hours outside each day. Playing in a mud kitchen is an easy way to pass that time.
20 Winter Mud Kitchen Resources
Here are just ideas for what you can use in an Winter mud kitchen. I always recommend that you use items that are seasonal rather than store bought. Availability of the items below will depend on where you live.
- Mud
- Snow
- Pinecones
- Leaves
- Stones
- Berries (check if safety)
- Sticks
- Ice
- Old Pumpkins
- Icicles
- Acorns
- Twigs
- Dry Autumn Leaves (if still available)
- chesnuts / conkers
- pine needles
- dried herbs
- pink rock salt (not for children who mouth everything!)
- red lentils
- moss
- bark
Blog posts to read next:
If you loved these Winter Mud Kitchen Ideas, you might also enjoy some of our other related posts. Most are suitable for both toddlers and preschoolers:
Interested in learning more?
If you enjoyed these Winter Mud Kitchen ideas and want to learn more about sensory play and the importance of play in the early years, you might just like my exclusive membership, ‘How I drink my Coffee Hot’ too. The membership costs just $5 per month and you get access to 10 mini courses on a range of topics including sensory play, play spaces and starting school. Here are some membership posts that you might enjoy:
