The best way to keep your kids occupied while indoors is by ensuring they have the right toys to inspire imaginative play. A kitchen play cooking set is a great toy for any child to play with and start learning about food. Kitchen play cooking sets are educational and a fun way for kids to play pretend as chefs! There are various elements to consider when shopping for the perfect kitchen play cooking set, but with the help of this buying guide you’ll have the foundational knowledge to make an informed purchase.
Key Features to Consider
- Design
- Durability
- Dimensions
- Which kitchen play cooking set is best for you?
What is a kitchen play cooking set?
A kitchen play cooking set is exactly what it sounds like, a miniature kitchen designed for kids to learn and enjoy pretend cooking. Oftentimes, these kitchen play cooking sets will include play food, utensils, pots and pans, and a sturdy kitchen structure large enough for a child to feel like they’re in a real kitchen. However, some kitchen play cooking sets designs are smaller to accommodate small spaces. Smaller kitchen play cooking sets are typically half the size, so kids can play with them while they sit atop a table. Kitchen play cooking sets are for children of any age, but many toddlers will benefit to play with them as they are known to fine tune their motor skills.
Design choices to consider
When it comes to the design of kitchen play cooking sets, purchasers must consider the style of kitchen they want their children playing with, and the material structure of the kitchen set. Ideally, you will want to purchase a kitchen play cooking set that is as realistic as real modern-day kitchen, so that kids can easily connect play with real life. However, realism is not always necessary as some kids prefer to play with kitchen play cooking sets that have vibrant and fun colours.
It is important to examine small technical details such as whether the kitchen play cooking set has stickers that easily rub off or fall off. Another technical detail is whether the kitchen play cooking set has buttons that emit sounds for more engaging play.
The number of accessories that come with the kitchen cooking play set enhances a child’s experience and broadens their knowledge of real-life kitchen accessories.
All these design choices will impact the way your child will play and imagine their make-believe world. Design choices affect the way kids will interact with their kitchen play cooking set, and if design choices are not taken into consideration, you might be left with an unused kitchen play cooking set.
How durable is your kitchen play cooking set? Will it last?
As aforementioned, when shopping for a kitchen play cooking it is important to consider the material structure of the set you purchase. Kitchen play cooking sets made from real wood tend to last the longest but are not always the most fun for kids to interact with while playing. Material composition is about more than the longevity of your purchase, but it is also important to purchase a kitchen play cooking set that is not made from harmful chemicals that can potentially harm your child if they put a piece of the set in their mouth. Always make sure the purchase toys that are free from plastics made from polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Well-made kitchen play cooking sets will specifically state on the box or product description that they do not contain harmful materials or toxic plastics.
When assembling your child’s kitchen play cooking set look for elements of sturdy structure such as screws and bolts that ensure the play set can withstand lots of wear and tear from play. Kitchen cooking play sets made of wood fibres (MDF) are the most durable material as they do not bend and break as many other plastic-mix sets.
However, any kitchen play cooking set can last a long time if the proper maintenance steps are taken:
SOME MAINTENANCE TIPS
Some tips for caring for your kitchen play cooking set include but are not limited to:
- Periodically, use a dry cloth to wipe the surface to remove any dust or crumbs
- If set has visible stains, use a squirt of dish soap on a warm wet cloth to wipe down the stained areas (make sure to always follow the cleaning instructions on the box)
- Make sure after play, you and/or your child store all accessories in designated spots to ensure pieces don’t go missing or break
- Make sure you place your child’s kitchen play cooking set in a space where there is enough room for play, so that your child does not damage the set during play
Dimensions
Kitchen play cooking sets come in various sizes, so be mindful of the size you want to purchase and the space you want to place the set in. The overall dimensions of kitchen play cooking sets can vary from design to design as some accommodate one child and others can accommodate up to two to four children. Another size element to consider, is whether you want to purchase a vertically or horizontally long kitchen play cooking set.
Which kitchen play cooking set is best for you?
Now that you know about kitchen play cooking sets, and are ready to buy one, let’s look at a couple options:
Kitchen Doll House
A stylishly pink and white kitchen play cooking set that will have any child feeling like royalty while cooking. A multifunctional set that includes two pots, a table, two chairs, one sofa, one bathtub, one dressing table, one stool, one bed, one piano, one piano stool, one toilet, and one wardrobe. This kitchen play cooking set is also a doll house!
Consider: Qaba two-in-one Multifunctional Kids Kitchen Doll House with Accessories
Overall dimensions: 23.5″L x 19″W x 41.75″H cm. Suitable for kids ages 3+
Includes a 90-day warranty.
Chef Role-Play Cart
With this three-in-one kitchen play cooking set with wheels, your child can take their kitchen anywhere with them. It’s compact design allows for the whole set to fit right into its suitcase structure.
Consider: Qaba Pretend Play Kitchen Playset Chef Role Play Game Three-in-one design Suitcase Cart
Overall dimensions 23.5″L x 18.5″W x 16.75″H Suitable for kids 3 to 6 years old.
Includes a 90-day warranty.
The Ultimate Kitchen Play Set
This kitchen play cooking set has everything your child needs to feel like they’re running their own kitchen. This set is complete as it includes 14 accessories, including one knife, one fork, two spoons, one saucepan, one round pot, two seasoning bottle, one crab, one onion, one mushroom, one shrimp, one fish, & one broccoli.
Overall dimensions: 33.75″L x 25.25″W x 33.25″H. Suitable for kids ages 3+
Includes a 90-day warranty.