Fall in the mud kitchen!!!
The children have been loving the mud kitchen!!!
We decided to incorporate in some natural materials to let the children explore. Today we added mini pumpkins, acorns and brightly colored leaves.
We also added in some nature wands to let their creativity run wild!
Thank you to Learning and Exploring through Play for the inspiration.
There has been so much learning happening in here!
The benefits of a mud kitchen are amazing!
- It is great for mental health, freedom to be children, exploring the outdoors and PLAYING freely!
- It's good for physical health- recent studies have shown we absolutely NEED to have dirt in our systems in order to develop a healthy immune system. Indeed, the lack of interaction with mud is causing deficiencies and weaker immune systems in kids worldwide.
- It allows curiosity, exploration and experimentation in an open-ended way.
- Mathematical opportunities for measuring, filling and emptying and exploring capacity.
- Endless imaginative and role play possibilities starting with a blank play space structure which isn’t too prescribed in its usage and allows kids to create in any way that suits their play.
- Language development through descriptive words, scientific questioning and exploration, and storytelling through imaginative role play.
- Rich and genuine messy, sensory experiences through combination of natural materials.
- Scientific investigation as materials are combined, mixed, transferred and changed.
- Fine motor skills development through use of real tools in play situations.
Thank you to The Imagination Tree for this great list of learning outcomes for the mud kitchen.
Thank you to Steve and Patrice Davis & Stu and Julie Davis for their donation of this lovely mud kitchen for HDC! We appreciate it so much!
