Mud kitchens are one of the richest play spaces a service can offer, because the same set-up supports very different learning depending on the child and the provocation. Below, each of the five learning outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF V2.0) is paired with mud kitchen activities and things to look and listen for.
The five outcomes at a glance
| Outcome | Mud kitchen activities | Look and listen for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Children have a strong sense of identity | Choosing their own recipe; running “their” café; bringing a family recipe into play | Pride in what they’ve made; trying something new; persisting when a pie collapses |
| 2. Children are connected with and contribute to their world | Collecting natural materials; caring for the kitchen and tools; sharing one tap fairly | Respect for plants and living things; turn-taking; noticing the effect of their actions on others and the environment |
| 3. Children have a strong sense of wellbeing | Scooping, pouring, carrying water; sensory exploration of textures | Coordination and strength; calm absorption; managing small risks like slippery ground |
| 4. Children are confident and involved learners | Experimenting with soil-to-water ratios; predicting what happens in the sun; sorting loose parts | Hypothesising (“if I add more water…”); testing and adjusting; transferring ideas to new situations |
| 5. Children are effective communicators | Café role play, menus and price lists; describing textures; following and inventing recipes | New vocabulary (thick, runny, heavier); storytelling; early symbols in menus and labels |
Sustainability
EYLF V2.0 gives more weight to sustainability than the first edition. Mud kitchens are a natural fit: children use found and recycled materials, conserve water (a bucket rather than a running hose), care for the garden they collect from, and return natural materials to it.
Intentional teaching ideas
- Ratios: offer a “recipe card” with pictures (two scoops of dirt, one jug of water) and talk about what happens when they change it.
- Measuring: add cups, scales and different-sized containers once children start comparing amounts.
- Literacy: a chalkboard menu, order pads and labels for potions.
- Culture: invite families to share foods and cooking from home, then recreate them in the mud kitchen.
- Science: leave pies in sun and shade and compare them after an hour.
Risk and safety
Mud kitchens involve small, manageable risks that are part of the learning. Pair your planning with a risk–benefit assessment and a clear hygiene routine. Our free planning kit includes a template for each, and is mud safe? covers the main hazards, including why to use garden soil rather than bagged potting mix.
Free planning kit
The EYLF planning kit puts this mapping on one printable page, with a risk–benefit template, a hygiene and cleaning schedule and a note to families you can adapt.
Questions people ask
Which EYLF outcome does mud play cover?
All five, depending on how it's set up. Sensory and physical play supports Outcome 3 (wellbeing); experimenting with mixtures supports Outcome 4 (confident and involved learners); role play and café games support Outcomes 1, 2 and 5.
How do I document mud kitchen play?
Photograph the process as well as the result, note the language children use, and record what they tried and changed. Link observations to the specific outcome and plan a next step, for example adding measuring tools after children start comparing amounts.