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MudPie Kitchens &
Buddy Benches
CSR Team Building

Your team builds play kitchens & benches for local kids. They leave with paint on their hands & pride in their hearts.

  • 34 years in business
  • 92% Rebooking Rate
  • 1,100+ Org'n Served

Our top 3 repeat clients have hired us 225, 117 & 114 times

 Talk to a Human! Click here or call 604.649.4867

What do clients say about MudPie Kitchens & Buddy Benches?

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“Huge success — AWESOME team-building event — STAFF TALKED ABOUT IT FOR WEEKS AFTER. People who didn’t work together connected for the first time. INCREDIBLE BONDING EXPERIENCE… perfect for introverts!”

Janice Harrington, Toronto Stock Exchange Ventures

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“THE BEST DEVELOPMENT DAY I’VE HAD AT MICROSOFT! The keynote & Building MudPie Kitchens for Kids was SO SUCCESSful, my boss wants to do it for the top executives in Seattle! AMAZING!”

Henry Watson, Microsoft

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“The Mud Pie Kitchens event was a HUGE SUCCESS! One person said, ‘THIS IS THE BEST STAFF TEAM BUILDING EVENT THAT WE’VE EVER HAD — it really felt like we were doing something positive together & working together as a team.’”

Leanne Ross, Justice Institute of British Columbia

MudPie Kitchens & Buddy Benches — Impactful & Purposeful

mudpie-kitchen-team-building-corporate_better_together_bench
mudpie-kitchen-team-building-corporate_building_joy
mudpie-kitchen-team-building-corporate_community_sign
mudpie-kitchen-team-building-corporate_group_hands_up_benches
mudpie-kitchen-team-building-corporate_rainbow_bench_teamwork
mudpie-kitchen-team-building-corporate_team_laughing
mudpie-kitchen-team-building-corporate_you_are_amazing_kitchen
mudpie-kitchen-team-building-corporate_painting_figures
Let's Start Engaging! Click here or call 604.649.4867

Why 'MudPie Kitchens & Buddy Benches' Works So Well

  • Hands-on building naturally creates collaboration
  • Teams connect fast — even across departments or remote groups
  • Meaningful purpose + fun energy in the same experience
  • Conversations flow without awkwardness because everyone shares a task
  • Creates hero energy, laughter & real “we did this together” moments
  • Perfect for introverts & extroverts alike
  • Works for groups from 8 to 800 participants

HOW IT WORKS 

Step 1 — Kickoff & Team Build Setup

We arrive and set up the space (usually about an hour). We protect the venue with tarps and aprons, divide your group into build teams & give everyone clear roles and a fun introduction.

Step 2 — Build, Create & Collaborate

Teams construct MudPie Kitchens or Buddy Benches together — painting, assembling, decorating, laughing & bonding through hands-on teamwork.

Step 3 — Donation & Big Impact Moment

Your finished builds are donated to schools, daycares & communities in need — leaving your team with pride, joy & a lasting shared story. We arrange the handoff so your team experiences the full impact together.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT 

  • 1.5–2.5 hours of meaningful team-building fun
  • Fully facilitated hands-on build experience
  • Everything supplied (materials, tools, protection, cleanup)
  • Teams leave energized, connected & proud
  • Finished builds donated to children’s programs
  • Ideal for corporate off-sites, conferences, volunteer days & CSR events

Plain-language outcome: your team builds outdoor play spaces for kids while bonding deeply with colleagues

Watch kids react to their first time seeing and playing with a MudPie Kitchen.

Planning Details (Click to Expand) 

Timing

1.5–2.5 hours (setup + build + donation moment). We arrive ~1 hour early for venue prep.

What Engagement Unlimited Brings
  • All build materials (wood, paint, hardware, brushes, decorations)
  • Protective tarps, aprons & cleanup supplies
  • Professional facilitation & team coordination
  • Donation logistics & community handoff coordination
What You Provide
  • Indoor or covered outdoor venue with tables
  • Access for setup ~1 hour before event
  • A group ready to build, bond & give back

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: What are MudPie Kitchens & Buddy Benches?

A: MudPie Kitchens are kid-sized outdoor play kitchens, and Buddy Benches are friendship benches for school playgrounds. Your team builds them together from scratch — painting, assembling & decorating — then donates the finished builds to local schools, daycares & community programs. It’s hands-on CSR team building with real, lasting impact.

Q: How many people can participate?

A: This experience works for groups of 8 to 800 participants. We scale the number of build stations, facilitators & materials to match your group size. Large groups can run multiple stations simultaneously, so everyone is actively building and contributing — nobody sits out.

Q: How long does the event take?

A: Most events run 1.5 to 2.5 hours including setup, building & the donation moment. We arrive about an hour early to prepare the venue with tarps, materials & stations. The format is flexible and can be adjusted to fit your event schedule and agenda.

Q: What do we need to provide for the venue?

A: You provide an indoor or covered outdoor venue with tables and access for setup about an hour before the event. We bring everything else — all build materials, paint, tools, protective tarps, aprons & cleanup supplies. The venue stays clean and protected throughout.

Q: Where do the finished builds go after the event?

A: All finished MudPie Kitchens and Buddy Benches are donated to local schools, daycares & community programs. We coordinate the donation logistics so your team can experience the handoff moment together — it’s one of the most powerful parts of the event.

Q: Is this appropriate for all fitness levels and abilities?

A: Absolutely. The building activities are designed for all abilities — painting, decorating, light assembly & creative touches. There’s no heavy lifting or physical strain. Introverts and extroverts alike find their way in because everyone shares a hands-on task that naturally sparks conversation.

 Talk to a Human! Click here or call 604.649.4867

Want Deeper Engagement?

Layer it in :)

High-impact events work best when they’re designed as a system.

By combining the right elements upfront,

 

energy lasts longer,
participation runs deeper,
& the experience delivers exceptional ROI.

 

That might look like:

  • Pairing Engage the Room with Impact & Purpose to explode connection & meaning,
  • Layering Live Event Energy into a full-day Emcee experience to add surprise & joy, 
  • Thoughtfully weaving Everyone Plays into an evening event that people talk about long after.
  • Opening with one of Roger's keynotes to set the energy before everyone plays.

Ready to build something your team will be proud of — and kids will play with for years?

 Let's Start Engaging! Click here or call 604.649.4867

MudPie Kitchens & Buddy Benches FAQ

Everything you need to know about CSR team building and give-back programs with Engagement Unlimited.

What are MudPie Kitchens & Buddy Benches?

MudPie Kitchens are kid-sized outdoor play kitchens, and Buddy Benches are friendship benches for school playgrounds. Your team builds them together from scratch — painting, assembling and decorating — then donates the finished builds to local schools, daycares and community programs.

It's hands-on CSR team building with real, lasting impact — your people connect with each other while creating something a child will use for years.

“THE BEST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY I've had at Microsoft! Building MudPie Kitchens for Kids was SO SUCCESSFUL, my boss wants to do it for the top executives in Seattle!”— Henry Watson, Microsoft
“Thanks again for coming to Best Buy yesterday – the team had an AMAZING TIME building Buddy Benches!”— Jen Knight, Best Buy
What is CSR team building and why do companies choose it?

CSR team building is when your team builds something real — play kitchens for children, Buddy Benches for lonely kids on school playgrounds — and donates it to a community partner at the same event.

Roger Haskett calls what forms "hero energy": your people laugh and build for kids they'll never meet, and the bonds between them come out stronger. It moves the day from "we had a great time together" to "we did something good together — and had an even better time because of it."

“This was the BEST VOLUNTEER/GIVEBACK EVENT WE'VE EVER HAD!”— Yvonne Clarke, Amazon Web Services
“It's fun and giving back feels great. You are my absolute go-to for team building so I hope to send more your way.”— Tiffany Tibbetts, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
How many people can participate?

This experience works for groups of 8 to 800 participants. We scale the number of build stations, facilitators and materials to match your group size.

Large groups run multiple stations at once, so everyone is actively building and contributing — nobody sits out.

How long does the event take?

Most events run 1.5 to 2.5 hours including setup, building and the donation moment. We arrive about an hour early to prepare the venue with tarps, materials and stations.

The format is flexible and adjusts to fit your event schedule and agenda.

What does the team actually do during the event?

Your team works in small groups to paint, assemble and decorate the kitchens and benches from scratch. Engagement Unlimited facilitators keep the energy high, guide each station, and lead the donation moment at the end.

No experience is needed — the shared, hands-on task naturally sparks conversation and connection across the whole group.

“Excellent activity… they KEPT THE ENERGY HIGH, even when sharing about Buddy Benches and the impact the benches would have.”— Melanie Bianco, Senior Event Manager, ITA Group / Google
What do we need to provide for the venue?

You provide an indoor or covered outdoor venue with tables and access for setup about an hour before the event. We bring everything else — all build materials, paint, tools, protective tarps, aprons and cleanup supplies.

The venue stays clean and protected throughout.

Where do the finished builds go after the event?

All finished MudPie Kitchens and Buddy Benches are donated to local schools, daycares and community programs. We coordinate the donation logistics so your team can experience the handoff moment together — it's one of the most powerful parts of the event.

“The buddy benches will be used by over 225 children daily. The buddy benches are SO MUCH MORE THAN FURNITURE.”— Lisa Hubbard, Executive Director, North Shore Neighbourhood House
“Watching the benches come together and seeing photos of them at schools later was incredibly meaningful.”— BOSA Properties
Is this appropriate for all fitness levels and abilities?

Absolutely. The building activities are designed for all abilities — painting, decorating, light assembly and creative touches. There's no heavy lifting or physical strain.

Introverts and extroverts alike find their way in because everyone shares a hands-on task that naturally sparks conversation.

Does Engagement Unlimited run CSR team building in Whistler and across BC?

Yes. Engagement Unlimited runs MudPie Kitchens, Buddy Benches and other give-back programs in Metro Vancouver, Whistler, across BC, Alberta and throughout Canada.

Tell us your location and group size and we'll confirm availability and send a custom quote.

“It was A GREAT TEAM BUILDING — I can't think of any way to improve. EVERYONE LOVED IT!!!”— Liana Duff, Manager Conference Sales, Tourism Whistler