DIY Network

Outdoor Play Station

Crafter Michele Beschen, creator of the B Original series, explains how to make a fun outdoor play station.

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Make your kids an outdoor play station that's well stocked with all the proper tools to cook up a mean batch of mud pies, a killer green-leaf casserole and a steaming pot of grass soup.

Turning a potting bench into outdoor play station

By Michele Beschen

Every kid I know loves to play in the dirt. And when you add water to the mix, the fun just escalates. So why not give them an outdoor play station that's well stocked with all the proper tools to cook up a mean batch of mud pies, a killer green-leaf casserole and a steaming pot of grass soup?

There are a couple of different ways of going about setting up a mud bar in your yard or garden. For the basic bench structure, you can either convert an old potting bench by simply cutting down the legs, or if you're a true do-it-yourself enthusiast, you can construct one from scratch. It's a fairly simple project that can be completed in an afternoon. We constructed our play station out of cedar, using a simple workbench design with a back added on.

Materials:

two 70" cedar 2x4s
two 18" cedar 2x4s
3" decking screws
8' long cedar 4x4
four 6' long cedar 2x6s
1-5/8-inch screws
weather-resistant bowls with a lip around the edge
pencil
18" 2x4 braces
half-inch spade bit
drill
jigsaw blade
sandpaper
spar urethane
hooks and baskets
kitchen utensils and cutting boards

Steps:

1. Start your framework by laying out two (70-inch) cedar 2x4s and then placing two (18-inch) 2x4s on the inside of each end to complete the rectangle. Secure your boards with three-inch decking screws.

2. You're now ready to add legs to the corners. You'll need one 8-foot-long cedar 4-by-4 cut into four equal lengths, each 23-7/8 inches long.

3. Secure the legs to each corner of your frame from the sides with three-inch decking screws (be sure to check that it's level and square). Turn your base upright, and you're ready to add your boards to the top. For the bench top, we used four six-foot-long 2x6 cedar boards.

4. If you want a back on your bench, add some 2x4s to the backside of your frame that are high enough to accommodate three six-foot-long 2x6 cedar boards. You'll use these 2x4s to secure your boards to. Do this before securing your bench-top boards.

5. For the bench top, position your four 2x6s on your tabletop frame so that you end up having an inch of overhang all the way around. Tack them in place with 1-5/8-inch screws. (Because you'll be putting bowls in your tabletop, you'll add braces underneath the tabletop after a couple more steps.)

6. After you have your bench top in place, add the back. Your first board will sit directly on your bench top. Secure to the 2x4s you added to the back.

7. You now need to recess a few bowls to make for easy mixing. We used melamine bowls and a stainless-steel colander. Any bowl that has a lip around the edge and is a weather-resistant material will hold up fine. Place your bowls upside down on your bench. Trace around where you want to put them and then bring your circle in slightly to account for the lip. Before you cut out your circles, place a few 18-inch 2x4 braces underneath your bench top for added support. Screw in from the sides of your frame and then secure your bench top into the 2x4s.

8. You are now ready to cut out your circles. Use a half-inch spade bit to drill a starter hole inside your circle. Make your cut with a jigsaw blade, and cut out your opening. Check the fit of the bowls.

9. Sand your bench and seal with a couple coats of spar urethane.

10. Install hooks and baskets, and stock the bar with the tools of the trade. Shop dollar stores for inexpensive items such as kitchen utensils and cutting boards.

11. Personalize with some signage, place it outdoors (where there's easy access to a water supply) and let the muddy creations begin!

It's important to note that this play station is not just for kids. I'm often out there right there alongside my daughter cooking up some beautifully, messy concoctions. It's a great way for us to spend time together and celebrate nature in a fun, imaginative way. As I always say, creativity is messy, and some of the biggest messes reveal the most amazing discoveries. I wish you many, muddy messes this summer.

(Michele Beschen is creator of the B Original series for the DIY Network. Contact her at www.couragetocreate.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)

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