Mud Kitchen- Front Garden

Bumbles Day Care > My Dashboard > Risk Benefit Assessments > Mud Kitchen- Front Garden
Setting Group / Location Created by Date created
Jodi Pavis
05/05/2026

The outdoor mud kitchen in HQ’s front garden has recently been updated. In the garden, we can now find the mud kitchen and an extension of it underneath the shelter. While this new feature will provide numerous benefits, it is crucial to assess potential hazards and implement control measures to ensure safety. This risk benefit assessment outlines the identified hazards, their potential impact, existing control measures, and overall benefits of the mud kitchen.

  • Ingestion of Non-Food Items: Children may put mud, stones, sticks, or other small objects in their mouths. Use only large, non-chokeable items. Constant staff supervision is required throughout use of the mud kitchen. Staff should regularly check and clear the area of any small debris.
  • Equipment Safety: Staff will be required to complete a daily risk assessment to inspect the condition of equipment. Any broken or damaged equipment must be immediately removed and disposed of. Child-safe and durable equipment should be used.
  • Hygiene and Health: Children are at risk of exposure to harmful bacteria which may cause sickness. Staff should regularly replace any soil or other materials used. Kitchen utensils and surfaces should be regularly cleaned. Children’s hands should be washed once indoors.
  • Physical Hazards: The mud kitchen area may become slippery with children using soil or water. This will cause an increased risk to children falling. The mud kitchen will contain loose equipment such as; pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. This causes a risk of children tripping over loose objects if they’re not stored appropriately.
  • Overcrowding: Multiple children using the equipment simultaneously can increase the risk of accidents.
  • Falls and Injuries: Children may accidentally trap fingers between drawers or cupboard doors. Children may lose balance whilst standing or walking near mud kitchen, resulting in falling and potentially bumping head on equipment. Staff should be positioned to observe all children clearly throughout play.
  • Daily Risk Assessments: Staff should complete a daily risk assessment of the garden before children enter it. During this check, a visual inspection of the whole garden should be completed to ensure children’s safety.
  • Supervision: Staff should maintain appropriate ratios throughout play. All staff should be positioned to observe all children clearly.
  • First Aid: The first aid box is on a hook beside Bumbilos gate. At least one member of staff should have first aid training.

Our new mud kitchen area will provide children with opportunities to explore their imagination, creative play, physical development, understanding the world around us, mathematical skills and language development. The mud kitchen offers a connection to nature through the use of natural and open-ended resources within a natural environment.

  • Gross and Fine Motor Development: Walking and bending down to pick up items. Using kitchen utensils to practice pincer grip. Mixing, stirring, mashing, and pouring materials.
  • Confidence: Children build self-esteem as they learn to navigate the equipment at their own pace.
  • Creative Play: Children are encouraged to use their imagination, fostering their creativity through open-ended resources and play.
  • Social Skills: Taking turns and playing alongside peers helps develop patience and teamwork.
  • Understanding the World Around Us: Exploring natural and real-life based resources within a natural outdoors space.
  • Adaptability: The equipment can grow with the child, with different levels of challenge offered by various components.