Looking back on it now, it’s kind of hilarious that Elle got her play kitchen when she was 13 months old. When I look at photos, she had to stand on her very tippy toes just to be able to reach the counter. Even so, she loved banging the pots and pans, and our little kitchen has withstood the test of time. We have added many things to her kitchen over the years, and I’m excited to compile all of our favorites (and then some) into one post.
Kitchens: When it comes to choosing “the right” play kitchen, I think the decision depends on many factors. Do you want a corner kitchen? A multiple parts kitchen? A one piece kitchen? Then there is the question of color… pink, white, gray? Do you want a kitchen that’s put together, or do you have someone handy enough to do the work? Ours took a few hours to assemble! Do you have a specific price point? There are some nice kitchens in the $150 range, and others in the $500 range. So below I have included the kitchens that are most popular among moms I have talked to, and of course, the one we have and love.
Tables: You can’t have a kitchen, without a little table. I’m serious. Elle loves “cooking” her food and then having us sit down at her table where she serves us on the many plates and cups. Our table is also the perfect size for doing crafts, having tea parties, and for this mama taking photos of her clothes for resale, hah!
Gadgets: This is probably my favorite category of all. If we had the space, I would buy ALL the accessories. The one Elle plays with the most are the hand held blender, the larger mixer, and the espresso machine. She does think it’s fun to make the wooden toast fly across the room too.
Dinnerware: So our dog has chewed on some of Elle’s dinnerware in the past (he really likes those plastic knives), so I have bought several sets. We also have some real porcelain dinnerware that Elle adores playing with. It’s been a year, and nothing has broken yet! With that said, I would definitely wait until your child is at least 3 before buying anything that can easily break.
Food: My second favorite category. I have way too much fun organizing her food into little baskets by category, which of course is a futile effort, because it’s all destroyed within minutes. Elle’s favorite “food” to play with is the little pretend paper boxes, because she loves opening them up and baking with the imaginary ingredients. She also loves the food that has the Velcro down the middle that can be cut in half.
Accessories: Every chef needs an apron and a hat, and all that jazz. I actually love the play apron though, because we use it when we do some actual baking. It’s the perfect size, and keep her clothes (relatively) clean.
Happy shopping & cooking!
xo, Anastasia
