Mud table an easy IKEA hack

How are you guys doing? It’s been a week of being inside with a toddler and I am SO pleased we have a garden. It isn’t big but it has been so helpful keeping Kiki entertained, the lovely spell of weather helped big time too. The garden is a bit of a sun trap so even though the temperature is still low it is lovely sitting on the deck and plying games on the grass

Last year I build Kiki a sandpit play house, have a look for the tutorial here. As we will be spending a lot of time at home instead of the park, playgroups and friends houses I thought I might need a bit more entertainment. Which child doesn’t love playing with water and sand! (well according to my mum apparently me… ) So a mud table would make the perfect addition to my Keep Kiki Entertained plan.

The mud table isn’t completely my idea, two years ago my dad made this IKEA hack for my nephews and I thought the idea was brilliant. You just need an IKEA Trovast storage unit and a jigsaw. My dad made a mud table from the big Trovast unit but as I have a small garden I thought the smaller version, the one that is meant to go on the wall (99 x 30 cm) would be a better option. Make sure you use the pine version, the white particle board will not hold up well outdoors, unless you live in a very dry climate.

Have a look at the video how easy it is to make this mud table.

Kiki absolutely loves her mud table! And has been playing with it for hours on end the last couple of days. As it is very light it is really easy to move around the garden so she can be in the sun where it is warmer or come summer I can keep her in the shade.

I bought the furniture legs in a reclamation yard a few years back and they were on a side table I build for my Salvaged Wood book. I wasn’t using the table anymore and I thought the legs would look perfect on the mud table. They are not just reclaimed they are also reused :) Any legs between 12 and 18 cm will do for this build.

Make sure you use the pine Trovast unit and paint it with an outdoor varnish or a paint that is suitable for outdoor furniture. I used Rust-Oleum Universal All Surface paint in Rose. Make sure you let your paint dry for as long as it says on the tin.

• For the mud table you need:

  • IKEA pine Trovast storage unit (90 x30 cm)

  • Jigsaw

  • Sander

  • Pencil

  • Furniture legs (anything between 12-18 cm will do)

  • Screws and screwdriver

  • Paint and paint brush

Fill one of the top boxes with water and the other one with sand. The rest of the boxes will hold all the water and sand toys. You can use items from your kitchen too! An old whisk, spoons, cups and funnel are great fun to play with.

It didn’t take long for Kiki to request bubbles so she could give the pig a bubble bath. A little washing up liquid kept her happy for ages :D

Feel free to pin the image below for future reference, it is such a super easy build, you will have it done in no time!

Have you added toys to your garden to keep your little ones entertained? What is on your wish list to build? I’m thinking of doing a slide or a mini climbing frame, a swing is on the wish list too but am wondering if my garden might be too small for those :)