Anyone that has watched young kids play knows that they really like to play with a toy kitchen, but not just any kitchen will do. Children and preschoolers are amazingly fussy when referring to which toys capture their imagination. Small kids wish to act like adults and copy the actions of their parents and other caretakers, so domestic toys must have the correct features, or else they won't be well placed to hold their attention. Especially, a kitchen for preschoolers must have a lot of appliances, dozens of buttons and knobs, and lots of pretend food. Let's take a look at required features of a wooden toy kitchen one at a time.
First, the kitchen needs to have a few appliances, for example a stove, cooker, microwave, and refrigerator. Some models have phones, too. And you cannot forget the kitchen sink.
Next, a toy kitchen should have variety of buttons and knobs that are the right size for chubby fingers. The dials for pretend stove burners, moving handles to open the refrigerator and oven, and buttons on the microwave can all provide many hours of entertainment, especially if they make beeping or clicking sounds.
Eventually, aspiring cooks have to have plenty of materials to work with, so make sure to stock the kitchen with toy foods. Most stores carry plastic foods, but fabric and wood toys tend to be longer lasting and more creative. If cash is tight parents can simply provide empty bottles, boxes, and cans from their own kitchen for hours of imaginative play. Pre-schoolers also like playing with pictures of food cut out from paper circulars, such as pizza or produce adverts.
When buying a new kitchen for your little one, follow these guiding principles and make sure you select one with varied appliances, many interactive buttons and knobs, and pretend food. Before your know it, your kid will be cooking for you!
First, the kitchen needs to have a few appliances, for example a stove, cooker, microwave, and refrigerator. Some models have phones, too. And you cannot forget the kitchen sink.
Next, a toy kitchen should have variety of buttons and knobs that are the right size for chubby fingers. The dials for pretend stove burners, moving handles to open the refrigerator and oven, and buttons on the microwave can all provide many hours of entertainment, especially if they make beeping or clicking sounds.
Eventually, aspiring cooks have to have plenty of materials to work with, so make sure to stock the kitchen with toy foods. Most stores carry plastic foods, but fabric and wood toys tend to be longer lasting and more creative. If cash is tight parents can simply provide empty bottles, boxes, and cans from their own kitchen for hours of imaginative play. Pre-schoolers also like playing with pictures of food cut out from paper circulars, such as pizza or produce adverts.
When buying a new kitchen for your little one, follow these guiding principles and make sure you select one with varied appliances, many interactive buttons and knobs, and pretend food. Before your know it, your kid will be cooking for you!
About the Author:
Ramona Walley is a stay-at-home mummy of 3 who writes about play kitchens for children for multiple parenting and child-raising websites and mags. In her free time, she enjoys baking with her kids in their toy kitchen.
