YOUNGSTERS at a pre school have been presented with a special mud kitchen designed by their high school counterparts.

Manningtree High School students presented the kitchen to Little Pumpkins Pre School, which is based at Bradfield Primary School.

The students were challenged to design and build the kitchen using wooden pallets.

Tracy Starling, who is the director of the pre-school, said: “We are a non-profit making organisation and currently the mud kitchens are fairly expensive to purchase from retailers so watching the pennies is important to us.

“But even more significant is the value of resources made by older children from the community for younger children of the community – it is simply priceless." 

She added: "The purpose of the outdoor mud kitchen is to extend children’s learning through play looking at new experiences and textures, inviting the children to whip up a pan of slop using nature’s own ingredients, sharing the experience with their peers and building relationships.

“We could not be more grateful to Manningtree High School and the students, Little Pumpkins children will have endless hours of fun with the new resource.”