MUDDY FACES LTD

What MUDDY FACES LTD does

Muddy Faces Ltd is a privately-held UK specialist retailer and manufacturer of outdoor learning and Forest School equipment, headquartered in Sheffield. Founded in 2007 by Liz Edwards, the company supplies primary schools, nurseries, early years practitioners, Forest School leaders, PTAs, and home educators with a broad product range including modular mud kitchens, loose parts kits, den building kits, UK-grown wood products, woodworking tools, fire and cooking equipment, outdoor clothing, gardening tools, nature observation equipment, and health and safety supplies. Pricing spans from accessories under £10 to large equipment bundles at £3,899.99, with free delivery on orders over £200 and purchase order capability for institutional buyers.

The company's core technology is hands-on workshop manufacturing of wood products from sustainably-managed UK woodlands, supplemented by curated third-party equipment. Its strategic platform is the free Outdoor Hub, a content library containing hundreds of activities, expert guides, research, and event listings, which underpins a content-led go-to-market model alongside the annual Muddy Faces Catalogue and the Outdoor Practitioner Magazine. Co-founded Outdoors Thinking (2022) with Professor Jan White and Janet Packer extends the business into training and resources, while the 2024 acquisition of The Den Kit Company broadened the den building category. The product line is purposefully designed to be pedagogically aligned with Forest School principles rather than commodity outdoor play goods.

Muddy Faces generates revenue primarily through direct e-commerce sales to consumers and institutions, supported by catalogue sales, digital gift vouchers, and B2B purchase orders from schools and PTAs. The company has no external institutional funding, is VAT-registered in England, and operates as a single-entity private limited company with 11-50 employees. It holds FSC and PEFC certifications for sustainable wood and paper sourcing, and has earned third-party recognition including The Independent's 2021 Best for Open-Ended Play award and Nursery World Awards 2023 Highly Commended for Trainer of the Year (via Outdoors Thinking).

Name

MUDDY FACES LTD

Legal name

Muddy Faces Ltd

Website

https://muddyfaces.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Muddy Faces Ltd is a UK-based specialist retailer and workshop manufacturer of outdoor learning and Forest School equipment, serving schools, early years practitioners, Forest School leaders and PTAs with sustainable wood products, mud kitchens, loose parts kits and free outdoor learning resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Learning Equipment

NAICS

Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers (444), Custom Architectural Woodwork and Millwork Manufacturing (337212)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing) (EDAEAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Instructional Equipment & Classroom Tools (Whiteboards, Lab Kits, Manipulatives) (EDAEAIAB)

Keywords

• Outdoor learning equipment
• Forest school supplies
• Mud kitchen equipment
• Loose parts play
• Sustainable wood products

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct e-commerce sales of outdoor learning equipment including mud kitchens, loose parts sets, woodworking tools, clothing, fire/cooking equipment, and storage solutions. One-time product purchases with prices ranging from under £10 to over £3,000 for large equipment sets.
2. Catalogue Sales: Annual physical catalogue distributed by post, with digital PDF versions available. 2026 catalogue features Nature Connection theme.
3. Gift Vouchers: Electronic gift vouchers sent by email in customizable denominations for gifting

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Muddy Faces Ltd designs, hand-manufactures, and retails specialist outdoor learning equipment for schools, nurseries, and forest school programs. Core products include modular mud kitchens, loose parts kits, den building kits, woodworking tools, fire and cooking equipment, outdoor clothing, nature observation kits, and storage solutions, most of which are made in-house from sustainably-sourced UK-grown wood. The business is complemented by the free Outdoor Hub resource platform, the Outdoor Practitioner Magazine, and an annual themed product catalogue.

Product overview

Muddy Faces Ltd is an outdoor learning equipment and resources company offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered around outdoor play, Forest School activities, and nature-based learning. The core offering consists of physical products (mud kitchens, loose parts, den building kits, woodworking tools, fire/cooking equipment, outdoor clothing, storage solutions, and nature observation tools) sold through an e-commerce platform alongside extensive free resources. The Outdoor Hub provides free activities, guides, and educational content. The company also publishes the Outdoor Practitioner Magazine and annual Muddy Faces Catalogue. In 2024, the company acquired The Den Kit Company and launched the Active Boundaries product range. All wood products are handmade in their UK workshop from sustainably-sourced materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Den Kit Company: Den building kits company that joined the Muddy Faces family in 2024.

Products and services

• Modular Mud Kitchens Modular, reconfigurable mud kitchen systems handmade from UK-grown sustainable wood, supporting open-ended play, sensory exploration, and role play in early years and school outdoor settings.
• Loose Parts Kits Curated open-ended loose parts sets for outdoor settings that encourage imagination, problem-solving, and teamwork. Available as standalone kits or paired with lockable outdoor storage sheds.
• Den Building Kits Comprehensive den building kits and supplies including poles, tarpaulins, bungees, ropes, and fixings for creating outdoor shelters and dens, combining Muddy Faces products with offerings from the acquired Den Kit Company.
• UK-Grown Wood Products Handmade wood products produced in the Muddy Faces workshop from materials sourced from sustainably-managed UK woodlands, including seats, planks, logs, construction materials, literacy and maths resources, and nature trails.
• Fire and Cooking Equipment Fire lighting and outdoor cooking equipment for campfire experiences, including fire steels, fire pits, cooking kits, pots, kettles, and survival equipment suitable for forest school and outdoor learning settings.
• Woodworking Tools for Schools Age-appropriate woodworking tools and equipment for early years and Forest School settings, including hammers, nails, saws, drills, clamps, workbenches, and safety equipment.
• Outdoor Clothing and Footwear Waterproof children's and adults' outdoor clothing and footwear with various waterproof ratings, including wellies, walking boots, and weather-appropriate layers for all-year outdoor learning.
• Nature Blocks Natural UK-grown wooden construction blocks for educational settings, supporting woodland awareness, construction play, and tactile learning in classrooms and outdoor areas.
• Active Boundaries Range Outdoor movement and active play equipment developed with Early Years specialist Jan White, including paths, edges, bridges, stiles, tunnels, and movement equipment designed to support physical activity in outdoor settings.
• Gardening Tools and Equipment Children's and adult-sized gardening tools including spades, forks, trowels, wheelbarrows, planters, and watering equipment for outdoor growing and learning activities.
• Nature and Observation Equipment Kits and tools for nature observation including binoculars, magnifying glasses, bug boxes, bird feeders, habitats, and identification guides to support outdoor science learning.
• Health and Safety Equipment Safety equipment for outdoor learning environments including hand washing stations, first aid kits, fire safety gear, high visibility items, and welfare equipment.
• Loving Loose Parts Booklet Printed booklet (priced at £3.99) providing guidance on establishing clear vision and core values for loose parts play outdoors, written by Jan White and Liz Edwards in collaboration with Outdoors Thinking.
• Gift Vouchers Digital gift vouchers delivered by email in customizable denominations with optional personalized messages, redeemable against any product on the Muddy Faces shop.

Quantifiable outcome

• Making a Mud Kitchen booklet has had over 20,000 downloads and was translated into a dozen different languages including Welsh, Portuguese, Hungarian, German, Spanish, Greek and Italian
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• Play England (Playday Campaign)strategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Muddy Faces are official supporters and Playday Champions. Playday is the national day for play, coordinated by Play England in partnership with Play Wales, Play Scotland and PlayBoard Northern Ireland. Partnership supports the campaign to highlight importance of play in children's lives.
• The Den Kit CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Founded in 2008, The Den Kit Company joined the Muddy Faces family in 2024. Specializes in den building kits and activity kits for outdoor play. Products integrated into Muddy Faces Block Play, Loose Parts & Den Building category.
• Outdoors ThinkingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Co-founded in 2022 by Liz Edwards, Prof Jan White and Janet Packer. Provides training and resources that help practitioners create high-quality outdoor provision. Collaboration includes Loose Parts Booklet co-published with Muddy Faces. Awarded Highly Commended for Trainer of the Year at Nursery World Awards 2023.
• World Forum FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFounders of Mud Day, featured Muddy Faces mud resources on their website and newsletter in 2025.
• Forest School AssociationstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term supporters and sponsor of Forest School Association national conference in 2024. Aligns with shared values around Forest School promotion.
• Jan White (Early Years Specialist)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration since 2011 on Mud Play Initiative. Co-created Making a Mud Kitchen booklet and Active Boundaries concept. Co-founder of Outdoors Thinking. Professor and Early Years specialist providing expert insight for catalogues.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Yellow Door: Yellow Door designs and supplies educational resources for early years and primary schools, including outdoor and nature-based play materials. Comparable to Muddy Faces on curriculum-aligned outdoor learning products for the same UK early years and primary customer base.
• Community Playthings: Community Playthings manufactures and supplies educational and outdoor play equipment for schools and nurseries, with a strong emphasis on durable, sustainable, and developmentally appropriate design. Closely comparable to Muddy Faces on outdoor learning equipment and early childhood pedagogy, though with a wider product range and broader geographic reach.
• The Den Kit Company: The Den Kit Company is a UK outdoor play brand specializing in den building kits and activity kits for children, founded in 2008. It is comparable to Muddy Faces as a specialist outdoor play retailer serving families and schools, and has been part of the Muddy Faces family since the 2024 acquisition.
• Early Years Resources: Early Years Resources supplies equipment, furniture, and learning materials to UK nurseries and primary schools, including an outdoor play category. It is a direct competitor on the same UK early years customer segment and purchasing channels, though with broader generalist product lines.

Broad incumbents

• TTS Group: TTS Group is one of the UK's largest educational supplies companies, selling curriculum resources, furniture, and outdoor/early years equipment to schools and nurseries. It overlaps with Muddy Faces on outdoor learning equipment and school procurement but operates as a broad-line supplier rather than a Forest School specialist.
• Hope Education: Hope Education supplies a broad catalog of school and early years resources, including outdoor learning and playground equipment, to UK primary schools and nurseries. Comparable to Muddy Faces as a UK B2B education supplier but without the Forest School niche specialization or UK-grown wood manufacturing.
• Learning Resources: Learning Resources is an established global educational product manufacturer selling hands-on learning toys and resources to schools, nurseries, and families. Comparable to Muddy Faces on pedagogical positioning and education-channel distribution but with a much broader, generalist catalog and international scale.
• Cosy Direct: Cosy Direct is a UK supplier of furniture, equipment, and resources for early years and primary schools, including outdoor and playground products. It overlaps with Muddy Faces on early years outdoor equipment sales via B2B purchase orders and catalogs but competes as a broad-line supplier.

Others

• Forest School Association: The Forest School Association is the UK professional body promoting Forest School education, supported and sponsored by Muddy Faces. It is ecosystem-adjacent rather than a commercial competitor, but shapes the buyer base and practitioner community that drives Muddy Faces' demand.

Emerging players

• Outdoor Wooden Direct: Outdoor Wooden Direct supplies outdoor wooden play equipment for schools, nurseries, and parks in the UK, including timber climbing frames, shelters, and mud kitchens. It is a partial overlap with Muddy Faces' UK-grown wooden outdoor play equipment range, particularly for schools and nurseries, with a focus on larger timber structures.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights3 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/muddy-faces-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MUDDY FACES LTD