One of the first pretend play toys toddlers get interested in, is a play kitchen set. Most times toddlers don’t even need a kids play kitchen, just regular home kitchen utensils and tools will do. But for the convenience of the adults around them and ease of use for the toddler, sometimes adding a play kitchen toy to the kid’s playroom makes a difference. Today I will talk about one of the most asked about pieces in our play area at home. The Hape Play Kitchen!
You may think,
WHY BUY A KIDS PLAY KITCHEN?
- In order to provide a designated safe and creative space for the child to play in.
- The play kitchen and accessories are all suited to the child’s age and size.
- When the child plays with age-appropriate toys it builds confidence and independence.
- A sense of ownership and responsibility.
- Mimicking adult cooking skills teaches them about the world they live in and builds social skills.
- Your child is interested in cooking sets and wants pots and pans to play with all the time! (This was why we bought a kitchen set for our son.)
HAPE PLAY KITCHEN REVIEW
We own the Hape city café play kitchen.
Features
- The kitchen set is made of wood and child-safe colors in a matte finish.
- Comes with stainless steel pots and pans, wooden knife set and plastic plates.
- Small in size, perfect for smaller homes with a space crunch.
- Easy to assemble.
The kitchen consists of a top rack to hold the spoons and knives and a cabinet at the bottom to store the utensils.
WHAT WE LOVED ABOUT THE HAPE KITCHEN
First the build quality and material used is sturdy enough to last many years.
The paint and finish of the toy is excellent quality. No chemical smells and doesn’t chip off easily.
The handles and the knobs are made of plastic and easy to turn, open and close. A great tool to encourage fine motor skills.
Easy to assemble and lightweight.
Initially, when we unboxed the kitchen, we found the size to be smaller than what we expected. But for an 18-month-old or a 2-year-old, the size is perfect. Also, for smaller houses, this type of compact kitchen is a better option.
The kitchen set has rounded edges and corners making it a safe and scratch proof design.
I loved the fact that it comes with kitchen utensils. Perfect for kids to start playing immediately and no need to buy extra accessories. This makes it a complete gift in my opinion.
Aesthetically too, this kitchen stands out in the playroom and makes a beautiful addition to the area.
A toy like that provides imaginative play opportunities. My son uses his kitchen and its accessories in different ways.
Through role play, we even managed to teach him basic cooking recipes. He will make pretend tea and knows that tea is made using water, tea leaves, and sugar.
A play kitchen set also encourages more independent play, a big bonus for mommy!
I recommend buying a fruit and vegetable set to go along with it so that the kids can experience chopping vegetables and adding to pots and pans while stirring.
If you are considering investing in a play kitchen I would recommend the Hape Play Kitchen Set. A simple toy that provides hours of free play.
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