Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen

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First, testers unboxed the play kitchens and followed assembly instructions, if any. Next, we asked testers to make notes about setup, describing if the process was frustrating or simple (or somewhere in between), if testers needed any extra tools or hands, and asked them to ensure no pieces or parts could come off. Then, we asked parents and caregivers to introduce their children to the play kitchens and note their initial reactions and how they played with the setup. We wanted to know if children engaged in pretend play and role-playing, practiced sequencing, and how they manipulated the knobs, buttons, and accessories (if any). Overall, this children's play kitchen has a classic, beautiful design that fits in with any home decor. In addition, its small footprint is simply a bonus for those working with limited space.

Educational Toys | Montessori Toys | Mattel

Little Tikes Home Grown Kitchen: This play kitchen comes with many accessories and boasts a great price, but there aren’t many bells and whistles (only a button with bubble sound effects). Following a month of solid use, we asked testers to make notes of any wear and tear. We also had testers clean each play kitchen to determine if that was easy or difficult. Finally, we carefully considered all other attributes compared to the price of each step stool to assess overall value. There are 78 accessories included with this Step2 play kitchen, from pretend food and pots and pans to utensils and condiment bottles. For example, when you put a pot or pan on the stovetop, children hear a sizzling sound to replicate real cooking noises. There’s also a light in the refrigerator that automatically turns on when the door opens and a light in the oven for visibility. A big hit with our testers? The realistic blender and popcorn maker stovetop attachment—the latter has tiny white balls that pop on the inside to mimic the real thing. This is nicer than mommy’s kitchen,” said a 3-year-old tester when he encountered KidKraft’s impressive Farm to Table Play Kitchen (thanks, kid!). While the overall design of the play kitchen is sleek, the initial impression was anything but: It arrived in more than 30 pieces. However, the assembly process was simple. Thanks to its clear instructions, it took an hour and a half uninterrupted to assemble.

Pottery Barn My First Ultimate Smart Kitchen: We liked the clean, simple design of this play kitchen, but the assembly instructions left room for error, and the microwave light and sound stopped working after a month. Testers evaluated 22 play kitchens in the comfort of their homes, assessing each on setup, design, accessories, durability, and overall value. We also spoke with Tiorra Ross, MD, a practicing urgent care pediatrician in Houston, Texas, to determine what to look for in play kitchens and how to encourage pretend play in children.

Verywell Family The 10 Best Play Kitchens of 2023 - Verywell Family

KidKraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen: The design of this kitchen looks modern and is large enough for multiple children; however, it took four hours to assemble and only had one accessory. Materials: Most play kitchens on the market are plastic or wood, but depending on several factors, you should think twice about the material. Not all play kitchens are heavy, but those made of wood or for taller children may be heavier. If your play kitchen will likely stay in the same spot, wood might be the best choice.However, if you want something easier to clean and move, a plastic play kitchen, like the Step2 Fun with Friends Kitchen, would be your best bet. You can simply wipe down the set or accessories for fast clean-up, whereas a wooden play kitchen may have special cleaning instructions. Assembly: Many large children’s toys, like play kitchens, require adult assembly before kiddos can play with them. Overall, you want to ensure you set aside the time needed to assemble the kitchen and read over instructions carefully. We assembled all 22 play kitchens we tested to determine how complicated or easy the setup would be. For example, the Hape Gourmet Kitchen was an easy build that took about 30 to 45 minutes, while the Step2 Elegant Edge Kitchen arrived in three separate boxes, which resulted in a four-and-a-half-hour setup time.Fat Brain Toys Cook, Bake, and Brew Modern Deluxe Kitchen: Although we loved this play kitchen's sleek and modern design, we didn’t love the difficult assembly and easily breakable texture of the accessories.