The Best Kitchen Play Set For Kids

Buying Guide

Kids love to imitate the everyday activities they see adults doing — and that includes cooking and cleaning. While you can’t let your toddler make dinner, there are kitchen play sets that will allow the next best thing: play cooking.

A kitchen play set doesn’t just entertain children. It can also serve as an educational tool. Kids learn skills like teamwork, organization and how to complete chores. Some play sets even take it a step further by helping kids develop skills like counting.

If you haven’t shopped for a kitchen play set in a while, you might not realize how far they’ve come since you were a child. You can find play sets with burners that light up, for instance, or sinks that make sounds when you turn the knob. This adds another layer of fun to playtime.

But it’s also important to keep an eye on safety when you’re shopping for kids’ toys. Since some kitchen play sets have small pieces, you’ll want to note the recommended age ranges. Often, these sets will be recommended for ages 3 and up. Sturdier play sets made of wood will provide a level of quality you won’t find with plastic, but make sure the kitchen doesn’t have sharp edges that could pose a hazard to rambunctious children.

• As great as it is to have play sets that light up and make sounds, there is a big benefit to those that don’t: You won’t need to keep supplying them with batteries.
• Wooden play sets can often provide a higher quality and durability level than plastic sets.
• Assembly can be very involved with play sets. Check to ensure your set will come with instructions and assembly hardware. You may also want to have the right tools on hand. Some play sets can take an hour or more to put together.
• Extra features, like play recipe books or ice-makers that produce fake ice, can really make a difference.
• Some kitchen play sets don’t come with fake food. Make sure you can find plastic food that fits your little one’s dishes and pans if you choose a play set that doesn’t come with it.
• If your play set includes appliances like an oven, refrigerator or cabinets, make sure the doors open and close. For younger children, you may want a play set that doesn’t have those features for safety reasons.
• Measure the space where you’ll be storing the play set before you purchase. The dimensions of the play set should be listed in the product description.