It is easy to see why Practitioners have a reticence to embrace mud play. It does not appeal to our adult sensibilities and we are conditioned to believe it carries germs and is dirty. But mud is one of the most important things in life, without earth and water where would we be?

Thankfully over the years perceptions have shifted and Practitioners have battled against their preconceptions to see mud for the play value it presents. More and more settings are choosing to have dedicated mud areas; check out the mud slide and mud kitchen in these school and nursery playgrounds!

One of the best ways of using mud is within a Mud Kitchen. This combines the role playing opportunities of the domestic corner with the exciting and ever changing properties of mud, providing massive scope for imaginative play for toddlers through to children of 7 plus. Schools and nurseries can cost-effectively create their own Mud Kitchen in their outdoor play space, much of the equipment needed to create one can cheaply be sourced as unwanted items from the local community.