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There's no better way to encourage your little chef than with a kitchen set of their own. These can range from setups that conveniently fit in even the smallest of corners to more elaborate ones with tons of accessories. Either way, they're perfect to encourage the love the cooking and learning more about food.
Below are some of the best kitchen sets for kids.
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Kids will love this award-winning kitchen set, which is well-built, easy to assemble, and large enough for several children. It features a variety of realistic appliances, including a microwave, refrigerator, oven, stove, and sink. There’s also a phone and working chalkboard where kids can write the day’s menu or notes for the chef. This play kitchen has a realistic design without any crazy colors or cheap plastic pieces (it's made of wood composite).
"Aside from letting our two toddlers—20 months and 3 years—serve us imaginary dishes they prepared, we also used the realistic aspects of the play kitchen to teach skills. The buttons on the microwave allow them to work on numbers; various play foods mean they can compare colors and sizes; and different kitchen tools have them picking up new vocabulary words."—Katie Begley, Product Tester
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For a sturdy little kitchen set with a lot of options for cooking up fun, there’s this Cozy Kitchen from Step2. It’s compact (11 x 20 x 38-inches), so it’s great for small spaces, but it provides everything they need to cook up feasts aplenty, including a refrigerator and sink. It also comes with a 21-piece accessory set that includes plates, pots and pans, salt and pepper shakers, and a coffee pot.
Designed for kids ages 2 and up, it’s made of plastic, so it’s sturdy and easy to clean.
"The lightweight but durable plastic survived not only the banging of a 5 year old preparing his imaginary dinner but a 2 year old who repeatedly tipped the set over."—Linnea Covington, Product Tester
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If you've been searching for the perfect play kitchen for your children, look no further than the KidKraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen with Lights & Sounds. The set features a refrigerator, freezer, oven, microwave, and washer. All the doors open and close, and lights and sounds help bring all their culinary adventures to life. The counters have a granite-like look for a sleek, modern feel, and there’s plenty of counter space to prepare meals.
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For little chefs, this kitchen set from Little Tikes is just right. It’s interactive and features fun, realistic sound effects, like the sound of chopping food, eggs sizzling, or water running to keep them engaged. There’s also an app that allows them to play interactive learning games as they cook, using a Bluetooth-enabled device. It also comes with 46 accessories, including food, utensils, and cookware for a complete culinary package.
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The Step2 LifeStyle Custom Kitchen is also a great option for your toddler, and it's a bit more affordable, which parents are sure to love. This set is ideal for ages 2 to 6, and it has a host of cool features like faux appliances and sound effects. Your toddlers will love playing house with the realistic oven, microwave, and refrigerator. When they put the special frying pan or boiling pot on the stove, they'll hear the sound of food cooking! This play kitchen even includes a recycle bin and pull-out drawer where kids can store play food.
This kitchen set has a vintage style and isn’t just one piece, but two. The main compartment contains the sink, stove and oven with knobs that click, and a washing machine. Then there’s the fridge that can be placed next to the sink or elsewhere in a playroom. All of the doors are operational and provide tons of storage for any accessories.
For an option that works ideally in smaller spaces, the Cute Stone kitchen playset contains everything a little one can need. It sits on the floor or a tabletop. Though it’s compact, it features a kitchen sink and two stove burners. The stove as lights and sounds and the sink even runs water. There are also accessories like colorful fruit, veggies, and utensils.
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Most kitchen sets come with all the appliances kids need to get cooking, but the extras they need to serve up the grub are sold separately. That’s not the case with this kitchen set from Step2, as it comes with 25 accessories, including plates, cutlery, condiments, and even a recycling bin to start promoting those eco-friendly habits from a young age. Recommended for ages 2-5, it’s the perfect size for toddlers (11 x 34 x 38-inches), and its plastic parts are toddler tough too.
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This set features three appliances, including a stove, sink, and refrigerator. The details are meticulous, and the sink (farmhouse style, of course) is even equipped to hold water, so kids can scrub their pots and pans for real.
It’s made of solid wood and fiberboard, with brass-colored fixtures. It comes in either grey or white, and it measures 36 x 12 x 33-inches. It’s great for getting a lot of active play opportunities into a relatively small space.
Kids just might be encouraged to eat their veggies thanks to this toy. The kitchen has window boxes that can be filled with the carrots and red onions, which kids can then “cut” into pieces. Of course they’r not really dicing and chopping, but the pre-cut veggie pieces can be separated with the knife. The stove and sink make sounds and there are even three cubes in the ice maker.
For the classic look of wood, parents love this kitchen set from Melissa & Doug. It features a sink, refrigerator, stove and cooktop, all in bright primary colors. Realistic touches include a working timer, a cutting board, knobs that click, and a swiveling faucet. The removable sink makes for easy washing.
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This backyard barbecue set from Little Tikes lets little ones get their grilling on, no matter the weather. It features a two-tiered gas grill, complete with a starter button and knobs that click. There are burners on the side for cooking up the extras and storage underneath. It also comes with all the BBQ necessities, including a hamburger, hot dog, ketchup, and grilling accessories.
Made of plastic, this set is sturdy enough to keep indoors or outside, and it’s light enough (just under 10 pounds) to move it between the two.
There’s a lot going on with this kitchen set, which should mean kids won’t get bored anytime soon. There are more than 30 accessories, including ice cream for a rotating dessert shelf. The sink is operational, while the stove makes a few sounds and even sprays water to simulate steam. Parents will love that assembly is easy and has quite a bit of storage so the pieces can be put away when not in use.
The realistic features are abundant with this kitchen set. It features a faux marble backsplash and kids can draw on the chalkboard exterior of the fridge. The stove lights up and the ice machine even makes realistic noise. The pans and utensils look like miniature versions of the real deal.
Size Play kitchens for children come in all sizes, just like real-world kitchens. If you have plenty of space available in a playroom or basement, you may opt for a larger multi-piece kids kitchen set. But if you’re short on space, a small play kitchen will offer plenty of culinary fun in a compact size. Also, think of how many children will be using the playset at once—smaller sets may work for one or two children playing together, but a more expansive kitchen will fit more junior chefs (and diners) with ease.
Accessories Order up! Some kids play kitchens include realistic-looking yet durable pretend food items and kitchen equipment. Other sets will require kids to use their imagination more—or for you to buy accessories separately to complete the culinary experience.
Interaction To really make the experience life-like, some play kitchens include sounds and real (safe) functions that will keep your kids entertained for hours. Oven timers, sizzling sounds, and even real ice cubes are just some of the interactive features that bring kids kitchen sets to life.
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