Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

mud kitchen

DIY Portable Mud Kitchen

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A DIY portable mud kitchen that can quickly and easily be set up indoors or outside, Fall leaves are the highlight.

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I am a huge fan of mud kitchens but also love a DIY portable mud kitchen option.  A “to go” mud kitchen that can be taken on nature outings or set anywhere in the classroom is economical and easy to set up. And it offers a multitude of imaginative play opportunities.

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Portable Mud Kitchen Supplies

Supplies for a portable mud kitchen that can quickly and easily be set up indoors or outside, Fall leaves are the highlight.

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To make a pop-up mud kitchen, simply use supplies you have on hand. Gather the following:

  • milk crate
  • small wire shelves
  • cardboard box square
  • play pots and pans
  • loaf pans and muffin tins
  • soup spoons
  • wood slices
  • pine cones
  • rocks
  • leaves
  • black permanent marker
  • black crayon
  • circle tracers

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The DIY Portable Mud Kitchen

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This portable mud kitchen can be set up anywhere. In the classroom, it allows you to bring in natural materials for early learners to explore in an effortless way.

To put it together, start off by using circle tracers (think food container lids) to draw stove burners on a cardboard box square with a black permanent marker. Color in some of the circles with a black crayon.

Place the stove top drawing on an upside-down milk crate. Or draw stove burners on the bottom of a box.

Set the crate and drawing (or box stove) in a sensory table (sand and water table.)

Add small wire shelves (available at dollar stores).

Collect old pots, pans, muffin tins, and serving bowls and place them in the table. Include serving spoons.

Sprinkle in rocks, wood slices, pine cones, and leaves in a variety of colors. Invite little learners to explore the center.

It’s that simple!

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More Mud Kitchen Play

This setup can be taken outside and arranged on the ground or on a bench. Load all the supplies in the crate for easy transport.

A metal bowl “sink”, a pitcher of water, tea cups, whisks, potato mashers, and ladles would add interest and sensory opportunities to this center.

An active world tray positioned on the ground works well as a base instead of a sensory table. Or set up the supplies on a tarp.

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Related: Fall Sensory Play

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Lilac Flower Sensory Trays

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Two low-cost lilac flower sensory trays your early learners will love to explore. The DIY mud kitchen is a must-try!

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It is safe to say that our city is a late bloomer when it comes to plants popping up in spring. So when large, showy lilac blooms finally appear, I am more than ready to enjoy them. With these lilac flower sensory trays, their magnificent beauty and fragrant aroma are celebrated.

Before using natural materials with early learners, the first thing I do is check if the items I would like to introduce are poisonous or toxic. I was super excited to find that no lilac parts contain chemicals or toxins that are harmful to people or animals. This makes them safe for sensory tray play.

And when washed, lilac flowers are edible, with flavors that vary from grass-like, lilac, or no flavor at all.

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Lilac Flower Tuff Tray

As is often featured on this blog, this lilac flower sensory tray is easy-peasy to set up. You can use supplies commonly at your fingertips. Gather the following for the tray:

  • metal bowls
  • tablespoons
  • children’s scissors
  • containers with water
  • lilac foliage and sprigs in purple, lavender, and white
  • a bouquet of lilacs
Lilac flowers are the stars of this aromatic sensory play invitation.

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Set up stations in a tuff tray or sensory tub. For each station, include a metal bowl, lilac sprigs, a container with water, a pair of children’s scissors, and a large spoon. Place a bouquet of lilacs in the center for added visual appeal.

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Lilac flowers are the stars of this aromatic tuff tray play invitation.

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Invite little learners to explore. They will be thoroughly engrossed in cutting lilacs, pouring water, and making delicious “lilac soup.”

Oh-so-fun lilac flower sensory play in a tuff tray.

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Note: Lilacs come in a range of purple, pink, and white colors. The Spruce website features an array of gorgeous colors in a blog post titled “14 Beautiful Types Of Lilac.”

Lilac flowers are the stars of this aromatic sensory play invitation.

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Pop-Up Lilac Flower Mud Kitchen

How to set up a pop-up mud kitchen in minutes. A nature-based sensory activity your little learners will love.

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Another easy way to celebrate lilacs is to offer them in a pop-up mud kitchen:

Set a crate and small wire shelves in a sensory table or tray.

With a black felt pen, draw four stove burners on a section of cardboard.

Set the cardboard “stove top” on the crate.

Add metal pots, bowls, muffin tins, and spoons to the table/tray. Include a selection of smooth stones and tiny wood slices.

This DIY mud kitchen is a must-try. Aromatic lilac flowers accentuate the nature-based play invitation.

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Your little charges will love investigating this sensory invitation too!

Note: Both lilac flower sensory trays can be offered indoors or outdoors. And a current in-season flower can be used instead of lilacs.

Set up this "do it yourself" mud kitchen in minutes! Use it indoors or outdoors.

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Related: Flower Theme Activities

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