Summer is the best time to be outdoors and what better way to get your kids outside than to build them a Mud Bar. Yes…I said Mud Bar. Kids + mud = FUN!!
Two of my girls have birthdays a couple weeks apart in late spring. So, we typically lump them together when it comes to gift giving. That way they get an even better gift when the money is dumped into one spot.
MUDDY FUN
With this project, though, there was very little money spent. (the best kind!)
We used the wonderful tutorial found at remake.life – awesome site full of repurposed projects.
I salvaged all the wood from our city-wide spring cleanup from old fence wood, shed wood, you name it!
Gotta share this funny story with you. During our four week long cleanup I was only perusing our local area, not really thinking about going all over the city. I was accumulating a hefty pile of wood hoping to build our garden (see this post) and knew we wanted to build the girls a mud bar.
Our super-nice mailman, also a gardener, asked if I saw the awesome pile of 10″ wide x 10′ long oak boards a couple of streets over. (my ears are now perked up…seriously….OAK!!) To which I replied that I hadn’t been on that street yet. He said I should go take a look because if I didn’t want it, he was going to grab it to make a clubhouse for his boys.
FREEEE!!
Needless to say, I jumped in my suburban and raced headed over there. I jumped out and started to grab it up. Then, what did I hear? The trash truck coming!!! EEEEK! I loaded the last board as the truck was a couple houses behind me. I even scored an 8’x6′ piece of untouched wainscoting!
You can imagine what the people were thinking watching me kick it into high gear trying to load that wood lickety-split. Ha!
We are so glad we were able to build this table because my kids, all 6 of them, love it. From mud pies, to tea for two (or ten!), and plenty of space for guests…what kid could ask for more?
Let them get themselves immersed in tactile play, then just grab the hose and clean it up. (warning: your kids may need the hose too)
We found all our items thrifting or at garage sales…heart-shaped pans, bundt cake pans, pots, spoons ladles, and the most fun…colanders. You know, dump the stuff (water or dirt) in and watch it slowing run out. Can’t beat it.
A couple of the pots are inset to create a sink and then they can pull them out, dump their mixture, and begin again.
So grab yourself some unloved wood and put together a super-fun play station for you kids. They’ll love you for it!!
UPDATE: You can see how we created our patio pergola and new play area here in this post with video tour.
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Also, more reclaimed fun like this mud bar:
Wow, Larissa! So creative!
I love it!
Thanks! And thanks to b.organic for the tutorial!!
I love b.organic,too.
Such a cool site.
What can I say , other than …. this is soooo cool!
Your newest follower, Francine
Glad you like it! Thanks for following. :o)
Oh, I so love this idea. I can picture your kids getting many hours of play with this wonderful idea.
Thanks for the inspiration,
Suzanne
Pieced Pastimes
PS-Would love to have you link this up to Saturday Sparks. Links are open till Friday.
Believe me Suzanne, they will love it! Thanks for stopping by and I’d love to link up! :o)
I think this is just adorable…and plan on sharing it with my daughter!
Fabulous! I hope she builds one. I’d love to see it too!
What a great idea. The kids must just this to play here. So much fun. I am your newest GFC follower.
Have a wonderful week,
Bev
@ Eclectic Red Barn
Thanks, Bev! The absolutely have a blast. I have to bite my lip sometimes when they come to me mud-caked hands and all with a gorgeous mud pie…..memories. (sigh)
Great idea – what kid doesn’t love mud! I want to build this for my nephew and I guarantee I would be getting my hands muddy too! 😉
You must give your mailman more that a card at Christmas for tips like that on the oak boards – what a find! ~ Kari
Right on…me too! Good idea about my mailman…he’s even my composted manure source! Ha. :o)
Great project! Love it, and love your name and all that it implies. First time visitor and new follower via home talk!
-Revi
Thank you, Revi! Completely wanting to give God the glory in all I do. Glad to have you following along. :o)
Just WOWWWWWW!!! I adore this so much! Sure beats sitting IN the mud like I did as a kid. LOL I’ve featured this fabulous project on this weekend’s upcoming Party Junk! Cya Friday! 🙂
Donna
tee hee hee….thank you, Donna! :o) I know that’s what inspires me to create for my kids, taking play to a new level.
What fun for your kids! That is a much better way to make mud pies than the way I did it when I was little, sitting on the curb or in a puddle. Love it!
So glad you like it! Yes, it is super fun…I guess I live through my kids. :o)
This is an amazing idea! Kids are going to get dirty outside anyway, might as well have them do it in style!
Exactly!! :o)
How adorable! I’d like to invite you to share your mud bar at my Twirl & Take a Bow Party at http://www.houseontheway.com. Hope you can stop by.
Leslie
Thank you Leslie! I’d love to stop by…thank you for the invitation. :o)
What a neat play area. Love this. Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home.
Sherry
Glad you stopped by Sherry!
I will feature today at Home Sweet Home!
Sherry
Wow! Thank you!! :o) Will link up.
Another feature! lol I’m including it in this week’s DIY highlights. Larissa – this is SO fun! I’d be baking mud pies everyday! lol! Love it!
Super!! Wouldn’t we all if we just had the time? I live vicariously through my kids. :O)
I was the mud pie queen as a kid, this would of been my favorite past time and to me this is the best toy EVER!
Stopping in to pin, because I know a couple kids who must have one of these.
Bliss
This is ingenious! I have to show this to my husband so we can make one for our grandkids! And I know the perfect spot to put it, too. What a fun spring (if it ever gets here) project, and I’ll be the boys would love to help grandpa build it, too. I had to come over from Bliss’s to pin and see your post after she posted about it today. Love it!!
Debbie 🙂
I just saw this at Bliss Ranch! I don’t know how I missed it the first time around. I must have been very busy last July! I am sharing on my FB page tomorrow, this is the CUTEST project!
Espaço maravilhoso para curtir com as crianças.
Si, muchas gracias. 😉