Play Kitchens: More than Just a Cooking Class

Educational toys are all the rage these days. Toys that subtly help a child learn don’t have to be directly related to school, like number games or books. In fact, educational toys can help prepare children for responsibilities that come later in life. It seems like a lot of children just can’t wait to be a grown-up, and a play kitchen will serve as a stepping stone to utilize their maturity while still playing like the fun kids they are.

The Wooden Deluxe Kitchen is a solid fixture in any home, with shelf space for your child. The kitchen clock can be set for mealtime, and the timer will go off when the pretend food is ready. Kids can practice tidiness and hygiene with towels and aprons to hang on the rack and hook when finished.

Another great option is the Uptown Kitchen with Breakfast Bar and Two Stools. The play kitchen feels very natural with places to sit for your guests eager to “scarf down” the food your child pretended to cook. The play kitchen has a sleek look with desired dark wood and faux granite countertops. It’s as close to the real thing as you can get!

The best play kitchen for your child (and you!) is one that fits right in to the rest of your home décor. The very sturdy and wooden As Cozy As Home Play Kitchen comes with two pretend burners, turning knobs and cloth curtains above the sink. It comes with all the accessories you need, from food to dishes, silverware, blender, toaster and the works! Just like the others, pretend microwave and oven are included. Your child will feel like a professional chef in the greatest play kitchen with all the fixings.

Buying a Play Kitchen May Help Your Child's Development

If your child comes home with an imaginary friend or wants to pretend he's in a fantasy world, it's probably not a good idea to discourage it. Children have had pretend friends and played kitchen for a long time and this may help their growth. According to numerous studies, imaginative and pretend play aid in the cognitive development of children. These children are more adept at functioning in a social setting and conceptualizing complex ideas. There are multiple reasons for this.

Pretend play allows children to play with one another and act out in a role. This encourages children to engage in social interaction and learn how to act with others. It creates empathy within the children because these children who are playing pretend are acting like someone else. They are putting themselves in someone else's shoes, which may help them accept differences in others. One WSJ article chronicling a few studies on early childhood development stated how those with autism don't usually pretend play and were less able to function in a social setting. Researchers are figuring whether there is a connection here.

Moreover, educational toys like a play kitchen help your children make sense of reality. It's hard for children to understand how things work. A play kitchen allows the child to become an active participant. He or she can run wild with his or her imagination and pretend it's a real life kitchen with ingredients and cooking pans. Once the child uses his pretend kitchen enough, he will be able to apply what he experienced to what he sees in a real kitchen. Toys that support pretend play and imagination are beneficial tools to foster this growth.