- We accept purchase orders! Call, email or chat for more details.
Most kids love to engage in dramatic and pretend play. From fighting dragons and flying to the moon, it’s a huge part of how kids develop their social, motor, and other key skills they need as they grow. One of the more popular pretend items to have around the house or at school is a kitchen playset. It’s familiar and a great way for them to learn and develop these skills.
But what items should you include in a kitchen playset and why? Here’s what you should know.
A kitchen playset is the perfect place to do some dramatic and pretend play, allowing kids to flex their imaginations while moving around. But it does so much more.
Using a kitchen playset helps kids develop their language skills. Even if it’s just them in the kitchen, they may talk through the recipe they’re making, recite a grocery list, or talk to the pretend people they’re serving and eating with.
When children play as a group, they’re developing their social skills, especially when they’re engaged in pretend play in a kitchen.
They may have to take turns cooking and using particular items. They’ll have to talk to each other to decide who does what, or they may decide to split the tasks (you wash, I’ll dry). Kids also have to learn how to share, which may also mean they work on their compromise and conflict resolution skills!
As many adults know, planning and organizing dinner every night is no easy task, and it’s something children can start learning with a kitchen playset.
For starters, they have to figure out what they’re going to make and how they’ll prepare it. Hopefully, they make healthy food choices, but even if it’s all cake and ice cream, they’re still learning how to plan ahead.
While they make their meals, they have to find what they’re looking for and put it back in the same place when they’re done. This helps them develop their recall skills as well as organization skills. Fruit goes in one drawer, vegetables in the other, but which is in the left drawer and which is in the right drawer?
Using a kitchen playset is a fantastic way for kids to develop their fine motor skills. Turning dials on a stove, mixing up pretend batter, “cutting” food up, and even “washing” the dishes gives kids a chance to use their hands and build the muscles they’ll need for mastering basic skills like writing and cutting with scissors.
From dollhouses to an entire town, Kindermark Kids has everything you need to make playtime fun.
No matter how large or small a space you have, here are the top items you should include in your kitchen playset.
The heart of any kitchen playset (and kitchen!) is the appliances. Many sets include the basics: a refrigerator, stove, and sink, though some include a microwave. If possible, consider adding a breakfast bar and washer/dryer combo to give the kids more ways to pretend and explore their world.
Ideally, the kitchen playset you use fits comfortably in your space, has enough room for the props you include (like food and cookware), and has enough room for everyone. But also look for a set that has a removable sink for easy cleaning and turnable knobs to help develop those fine motor skills.
No kitchen playset would be complete without the tools to make a tasty meal. Look for kid-sized pots, pans, and utensils to add to your kitchen. If those aren’t available, look for lightweight camping gear that’s often small enough for kids to use.
Also consider adding smaller appliances, like coffeemakers, toasters, and blenders. There are kid-sized and kid-safe options that also make noises and operate like the real thing.
And what kitchen would be complete without food? While you can use “soft” food items, like those made from felt, consider using plastic food props. They’re often easier to clean and sanitize than soft ones. Also consider adding empty cartons of real food products, like empty egg containers or pantry items. This adds a bit of realism to the kitchen area while giving kids the chance to work on their letter recognition and reading skills.
If there’s room, also add a kid-sized table and chairs. It’s a great way for them to practice setting and clearing a table, serving food to others, and good table manners. Even if they never sit and eat, it can act as a bonus workspace, so more children can play in the kitchen.
Also consider adding a doll-sized high chair. Dolls are often a huge part of pretend play, and adding high chairs gives kids the opportunity to feed and care for them.
Even though the food isn’t real, including clean-up items, like a broom, mop, and vacuum, gives kids a chance to clean up the “crumbs” and learn how to tidy up a kitchen. Consider adding an ironing board with an iron, too, so they can work on their fine motor skills.
Just like a real kitchen, a play kitchen needs ample storage for everything. While many play kitchens have storage space in the refrigerator and oven, look for those that also have undersink storage or shelves to ensure kids have enough places to stack and store everything neatly.
Costumes are a big part of pretend play. Chef hats, aprons, or even fast food hats are often a huge hit and make the pretend play more immersive. While you could store the items in the kitchen or on a table, consider a costume storage area to keep things neat and clean.
If you want to take your kitchen playset to the next level, add a farmer’s market stand. It gives a chance to practice meal planning and shopping as well as develop fine motor skills while they select items and carry their basket. As a bonus, you could include pretend money to give kids the chance to practice their math skills.
One bonus tip: consider choosing a wooden kitchen playset over a plastic one. Wood tends to be more durable than plastic and will likely last a long time, not to mention they tend to be more eco-friendly than plastic options.
Whether your kitchen playset is in a school or at home (or both!), it’s a great way to encourage creativity and imaginative thinking, while also enhancing practical skills, like sharing and communicating. Kindermarks Kids has a wide selection of wooden kitchen playsets and accessories that are perfect for home, school, or just about anywhere kids play. Contact us today to learn how we can support your plans or shop our full line of art and pretend toys.
