Play Kitchens--Educational and Entertaining!
There are lots of toys available which are designed to develop a child’s imagination. Children like to imitate their parents, and as you know, a play kitchen is just what the kids need to role-play and act out preparing and serving food. If your child is still too young to do actual food preparation in the kitchen, a play kitchen is a wonderful idea. And it can provide a way to interact with friends if they want to lend a hand in the “kitchen”!
You’ll see a wide variety of kitchen tools and utensils available in the various play kitchen sets. Some include a sink, a stove, a microwave, and more. Other play kitchen sets invest in the appearance and layout of the items in the kitchen. Besides the make-believe aspect, a play kitchen helps your child develop hand-eye coordination and teaches them organizational skills.
Types Play Kitchens
There are various types of play kitchens available:
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Smart play kitchen: This type is a tech kind of play kitchen. It is an interactive Bluetooth kitchen that allows your child to select which accessories to use. One example is the Fisher-Price Laugh & Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen Playset. It includes a built-in garden where kids can easily “plant” and select fruits or vegetables, as the case may be. It also includes interactive exercises to learn the alphabet, colors, shapes, and more.
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Wooden play kitchen: This kind of play kitchen is crafted to last for a considerable amount of time. Some of the accessories that can be found here include cabinets, a stovetop, a sink, and also an oven with doors.
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Outdoor play kitchen: This kind of play kitchen has an imitation gas grill so that your child can pretend to prepare a barbecue. Some of its features include a dual grill, side burners, clicking knobs, and a lid.
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Stylish play kitchen: This kind of play kitchen has a removable sink to enable your toddler or kid to clean up as well. It has most of the kitchen appliances such as an oven, freezer, and microwave doors. Some features you are going to see include a cordless phone for your kid to entertain her imaginary friend while cooking up dinner or a meal.
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Play kitchen for siblings: If you have twins or two children who are very close in age, try a play kitchen that allows two children to work and play together. An example is the Step2 Fun with Friends Kids Play Kitchen, which includes 45 different play accessories.
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Small play kitchen: This kind of kitchen is used in apartments where there isn't much space in it. This play kitchen has some of the necessary things to make your toddler feel they are really cooking up something.
What Reviewers Have to Say
The following are some opinions of what people feel regarding their play kitchen.
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Exciting: The good thing about this play kitchen is that the kids can focus on making an imaginary meal and learning a few skills along the way.
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Entertaining for children and parents: As parents. it is always gratifying to see your child occupied in a way that they enjoy. At the same time, a play kitchen lets your child mimic how you cook. They will also encounter some real everyday “problems”, like realizing that the refrigerator is “too full”, or that they “have to” wash dishes. Eventually, it can train them to engage in real kitchen activities together as they get older.
Important Features
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How long do you intend to keep it: When trying to purchase a play kitchen, you want something that your child will find interesting for years to come. Be sure to check the recommended ages on the kitchen set. Some can be engaging for toddlers and an 8- or 10-year old child alike.
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Develops “Out-of-the-Box” Thinking: One nice thing about a play kitchen is that your child can use additional toys in the house along with it. So, you should factor in that as well.
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Where are you going to put it: This is an important thing to consider. Some, like the deAO My Little Chef Kitchen Playset, have a faucet that actually is intended to have running water! So, you might want to place the play kitchen somewhere where it’s not critical if your child spills some water.
Top-Rated Brands
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Teamson Wooden Burlywood Play Kitchen is one of the top play kitchens for kids. It is made of real quality, is not too difficult to assemble, and is quite stable and firm.
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Little Tikes Tasty Bake ’n Share Kitchen: A good thing about this product is that it has lots of accessories that should excite most kids. Also, it is very durable and easy to assemble.
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Chad Valley Wooden Kitchen with Breakfast Bar: When you're looking for a compact play kitchen, then this product here ticks the box. It is very attractive to the eye and has plenty of features to go with it. It’s even gender-neutral.
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Asda Foldaway Kitchen: This play kitchen is easy to store away because it is so compact. You don’t need to assemble it, as it already comes assembled.
