Kids learn through their play, and love to gravitate toward the play kitchen with pretend foods, miniature pots and pans. Hours of fun for little children as they spend time in their own kitchen.
Imaginary play never gets old
Do you remember your favorite imaginary ways to play as a child? Did it include play food, utensils, and maybe even your own play stove, refrigerator, and sink? Our Church and Kindergarten always had these play spaces, and I made sure to have the same for my children.
There is something that fascinates children as they role play activities, and it is a way they work out the important job of growing up and handling everyday chores and responsibilities. Of course, for them it is just lots of fun, but important fun! Maybe there is really no other kind?
I couldn’t resist putting together a collection of the colorful and delightful play kitchens along with their many accoutrements. One thing that always bothered me about many child’s toy dishes and utensils were the ones that were so flimsy they didn’t last more than a short time. I grew to appreciate the better quality ones and I think a child has more fun with them, too.
Jonti Craft Toddler Contempo Toy Sink w Moving Faucet
I concentrated on finding the better choices to help put together the best in child’s play 🙂 because as parents we ought to take fun as seriously as our children do, don’t you think?
Jonti-Craft Toddler Contempo Stove
Jonti-Craft Kids Playschool Classroom Kindergarten Toddler Contempo Refrigerator
Plan To Make Your Own? – Plans for a custom made play kitchen
Jonti Craft Toddler Contempo Toy Cupboard
Source: blog.craftzine.com via Kate
Could you picture a space in your home for a project like this? It really doesn’t take much more space than a play bench, and yet stores the playthings and provides a great features for your child’s imagination and role play. If using the plans below for a crafted child play kitchen, you might well be creating an heirloom that even your grandchildren will be happily “cooking on” in years to come.
Are you handy with a saw and hammer? Maybe you can create your own custom made child’s kitchen play area.
Woodworking Project Paper Plan to Build Wood Cook Stove PlanToy Kitchens Make Great Playtimes – eBay For Child’s Play
Keep your child happily occupied using imagination and roleplay with a toy kitchen and accessories just the right size. Kids like to socialize around food and cooking just like grownups do!
Beautiful and Durable Play Kitchens – All-In-Ones Save Space, Separate “Appliances” Are Flexible
Colorful Essentials 4-in-1 Play Kitchen Color: BluePlay kitchens that are durable and sturdy are important investments in children’s furniture. They don’t have to have lots of bells and whistles and they don’t have to be expensive, but a toy that will withstand real play, and a little banging around is quite important.
Looking for smooth corners and the right height are a couple points to keep on your checklist.
Good, sturdy play kitchens come in both plastic and wood types, and it is more a personal preference than anything else that might weigh in the favor of one over the other. White play appliances and the more colorful ones are likely to be of plastic material.
My Little Chef Deluxe Faux Granite Play KitchenA dream kitchen for little girls is one made of a fashionable trompe l’oeil granite look. Moms often like large pieces of play furniture to match up with the general décor of the house. This might be just the style for your own child’s room or corner of the rec-room.
Toddler Contempo Wood Play 4 Piece Kitchen SetOne kitchen I like for its good design is the Contempo brand. It has engaging appeal, is made of wood and of the right size for toddlers. Fill up the doors with play food and few pots and pans and young children can play for hours just imagining their own meals and snacks that they can serve their dolls and teddy bears. Four separate pieces means the arrangement is customizable to the play space.
Colorful Essentials Four Piece Play Kitchen Color: YellowSunshine yellow is a fvorite color for a cheerful little play kitchen. Toddlers will discover how much fun it is as they mimic the important work of cooking and serving. Convincing a child to eat right is more fun when using the play in their own kitchen to talk about making good food choices, learning to keep food preparation clean and tidy. Much better than nagging or lectures. Living healthy and cooperatively is better “caught” than taught and when setting up a play space with their own little kitchen that is exactly what we are providing: ways for child to find the fun in living well. This beats television by a mile, and the many facts of play can be part of your child’s play day.
Kidkraft Pink Retro Kitchen and Refrigerator Play Set
Stores like Walmart or Target are convenient places to find your child’s play kitchen and they are bound to have lots of the accessories, too. If you want play dishes, fake food, and even a small tablecloth… this is a great place to shop to make your little kids happy! There is usually convenient pickup if you decide to have it delivered to the store.
I also find cute play kitchens and accessories at IKEA and Pottery Barn.
Play Dishes in Just The Right Size – Cups, Saucers, Plates and Utensils
I always had lots of play dishes for my kids, and then got completely new sets for the grandkids (we were pretty hard on the toys of this type in our household). I liked to use the play dinnerware of this size for little snacks of real food just for fun.
Bright, fun colors to make a festive play dinner for favorite friends. High quality and substantial playware.
Learning Resources Pretend and Play Dish SetIf you decide to buy a play kitchen for your child, why not round out the experience with a set of good quality pans. Those cheap plastic ones often break in no time, but those made of metal are easy to clean and stake lots of serious playtime.
Beautiful high quality stainless steel is durable and looks like Mommy’s real kitchenware!
Children’s Stainless Steel Cookware Set 5 Pc. Gift Set including Sauté Pan, Stock Pot and Sauce Pan *Perfect Gift Idea*Check These Two Things
- Make sure the “work surface” will be a good height for the child.
- The more solid the construction, the better
Source: tumblr.com via Haley
Little Tykes Tough – Kitchens That Can Take It
The rough and tumble of real kids having lots of fun, that is. When my children were little I got tired everything breaking, until I discovered brands that were made for real play and could take children playing with their toys on more than occasional Sundays. These toys are tough and can take daily play with your children and their friends.
Tough Little Tykes quality and room for two to share in the playtime.
Little Tikes: Side-By-Side KitchenTea Parties
Every child likes to play tea party- it has never been just for little girls. Although little girls are truly in their element with all the girly colors like those on this rug. With a rug and the play kitchen setup, with perhaps a child’s set of table and chairs, an area can be set aside in a family room, play room, or any place that has a five by five foot area for playing. The child play kitchen furniture usually has lots of storage and cubby holes for keeping the toys neat.
Kitchen Play Accessories – In Bright, Playful Colors
There are so many fine play sets of dishes, utensils, and play cookware available to go with your child’s new kitchen imagination center, that it may be hard to choose! In the important work of role playing adult activities and duties such as cooking foods, serving others, and engaging in the teamwork of taking care of daily chores, children take real joy in outfitting their play kitchens and serving special meals to their favorite bears and dolls…. as well as siblings and friends.
Repurpose and Make Your Own
Example of play sets that create loads of pretending and role playing fun
Whether a child has realistic or imaginary styles of play dishes and pots and pans does not seem to matter as much as the fact that they are of high enough quality to endure lots of handling and have durability.
Play food is always fun, remember the Beatrix Potter story of “The Two Bad Mice”? When a pair of mice come to enjoy the dollhouse, the artificial food looked so real that one determined mouse was frustrated in trying to carve a particularly delectable entree.
Sometimes children like to take their play dishes outside, whether you think that is a good idea will determine the strength and toughness of the play set. A play kitchen helps to keep the play utensils inside where they aren’t as likely to be lost or broken. But you can set up an outdoor kitchen, all the same. Be creative!
Source: trainupachildlearnaswego.blogspot.com via christina on Pinterest
The creativity of Moms and Dads in making wonderful play kitchens for their children is just amazing
On A Budget? Economical Choices – Wide Variety Of Style And Colors
When looking for lower costs, the materials are usually plastic. Colorful and fun for little cooks. These are all in one choices which will also save space.
DIY Child Play Kitchens
Re-purposing to build your own child’s play kitchens
Here are super cute ideas for repurposing or making your own d-i-y versions of play kitchens. There is no price tag on the amount of fun these play furnishings provide. Just a little scavenging around for materials, or even a small trip to the hardware, and even basic carpentry skill will give a great result.
There are lots of great tutorials online, but most of these ideas can be copied without too much experience. Even newbies can put together really cute play kitchens with just some paint and a few refurbishments.
Source: a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net
Source: dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.ca via Cassie
I think the simple beige play sink above is one of my favorites and looks easy enough for someone as UN-handy as me could finish it in a day or so. I bet my husband could get ‘er done in a couple hours, including paint drying time. The simple lines are elegant, too, with just those easy to hold handles and a little shelf for important play foods or dishes.
Source: flickr.com via Rachael
Or maybe you are planning to? Which will you choose, a DIY project or one of the nifty new ones you see on this page?
Source: thebooandtheboy.com via Julia
More For Your Creation Of A Kitchen Play Space
- How to Make a DIY Play Kitchen
Part 1: Selection and Prep of a Great Entertainment Center ~ Carissa’s Creativity Space - Old Cabinet to Kids Play Kitchen
For less than $100 you can transform a cabinet into a kids play kitchen - Play kitchen category
Ana White diy plans - Kid’s Play: DIY Kitchen
This DIY kit for making a child-sized kitchen is a budget-friendly cheap alternative to the expensive kitchen kits, and sure to spur your kid’s imagination.
Wonderful tin tea set for serving a high tea to V.I.P. dolls and teddy bears. A great kit to take to Grandmother’s house, too.
ALEX Toys Tin Tea Set
