Kidkraft Wooden Kitchen

This item is currently available, and weighs 18.1 Kg.  The oven and microwave doors open and close, sports a clock with moving hands, has common kitchen utensils such as spoons, spatulas, and salt and pepper shakers.  There is a wonderfully placed set of shelves below the kitchen sink, and this model is large enough that a few children could play at once with the product.  Polished off with this kitchen’s bright primary colors and sturdy wood construction, this product will outshine any comparable plastic model.

Pink Wooden Kitchen

The same model as the one mentioned above, this one is featured in pink.  Sure to delight the girls in any group, I especially like the vibrant color of the utensils as they will be easier to locate should one of the salt or pepper shakers get lost in the home or school.  The kids respond so well to these colors, this product is one they are sure to enjoy.

Prairie Kitchen

This model will be available in 2010, and weighs in at 17.7 Kg.  The heart shaped cutouts and beautiful gold trimming are a lovely design on the well build wood structure.  This model also features a slightly different set of shelves than some of the others and like the Primary models; all of the appliances open and close and this model also has a paper towel holder for added realism.  This Kitchen is well enough designed mom might even want hers redone!

Red Retro Kitchen

Also available in 2010, the retro kitchen weighs in at a substantial 22.6 Kg and is a great bright red color.  This model is one of the only two sporting a fridge, and the knobs actually turn.  It even comes with a stainless steel pot and pan and removable sink!

Kidkraft Pink Retro Kitchen

The other model which sports a fridge, this is the heaviest model at 29.4 Kg and will also be available in 2010.  The fridge is a separate unit and this model is a little differently styled than the Red Retro Kitchen.  It also comes with turn able knobs and a removable sink.

Cupcake Stand with Cupcakes

No kitchen baking set is complete without treats, and these fill the bill perfectly.  This pastel cupcakes set feature mix and match tops, is predominantly pink (which is sure to please the young ladies) and is quick and easy to assemble (which is sure to please the dads).

The Primary Baking Set

This is just adorable, and the miniature “Kitchen Aid” like device is a big hit with the kids who want to have grown up like appliances.  This one is hard to beat; even to bowl is moveable in the mixer!   The set also boasts cookies, a cookie sheet, and a real rolling pin that also moves.  The product is made of wood and requires absolutely no assembly whatsoever.

The Pastel Baking Set

More or less the same product as mentioned above, but this one is in more subdued tones.  Again more geared towards the female crowd, they can be just like mom in their very own little kitchen, and when the little girl of your life brings you her “homemade cookies”, chocolate chips won’t be the only thing melting in the kitchen.

The Pastel Toaster Set

This product is really impressive, there is no assembly required, two pieces of toast, all wooden construction, pastel coloring to match the other color schemes offered by KidKraft, and many movable parts make this a load of fun for wild little imaginations.  The level of detail in this product really surprised me, the stick of butter actually has butter slices which Velcro together and then come apart for placement on the toast.  The toaster lever goes down, and pops back up when the toast is ready.

The Primary Toaster Set

A lot of focus is put into little girls in the kitchen, but some of the world’s greatest chefs happen to be men.  The bold blue construction of this toaster is sure to cater to the young men starting off their budding culinary careers.  This is a product that will last for years, even as hard as young boys are on their toys.

KidKraft

This is my favorite, and the products this company makes are just beautifully made.  All wood, extremely detailed, and very well made, these products will last for years.  Over a hundred of their products are capable of being personalized with a name (useful if ownership of an item will potentially be an issue) and the products are made overseas.

Step Two

These kitchen sets are part of the Life Styles brand and can be purchased at Target, Wal-Mart, Khols, and K-Mart.  They are largely plastic, though made in the US of imported parts.  I am not as big a fan of these, they are plastic, require batteries, will take dad a month of Sundays to put together, and are not as sturdy as the wood constructed ones.   I also don’t like to over complicated busy surfaces and styling, they aren’t as aesthetically pleasing and many models lack the bright colors that the kids love.

Fischer Price

They offer the Grow with Me Kitchen play set, but this one is also kind of busy, looks poorly constructed, and is I think overly expensive for what it is.  Their site is complicated, and it is difficult to find exactly what you are looking for quickly.  But on the other hand they do allow you to order directly from their website and I believe it is probably one of the safer sites to order from security wise.

Kid-Kitchen

This company makes a really wide range of great products, and I have heard that the quality of the merchandise is also very good.  They are a division of WC Enterprises of Michigan and are really great about their returns policy; they have a no questions asked procedure.  They also seem to ship pretty fast, and sport an entire line of educational products for teachers.

KidKraft Benefits for Kids at Home

Just getting those kids to do anything other than come in and plop down on the couch in front of “Sponge Bob Square Pants” can be just like pulling your teeth out.  But at the same time, all toddlers go through a stage where all they want to do is emulate their parents.  These play centers encourage children to get up and actually play, and is one less video game or mindless television show that they are sitting in front of. With childhood obesity on the rise, encouraging active play of any kind is going to be critical to setting healthy living habits early in a child’s life.  Anything you can do to foster the imagination also key to developing a child’s willingness to learn new things, and will set them up for an easier first few years.   Before long your kids will be by your side cooking in a real kitchen and eating up the benefits.

KidKraft Benefits for Kids at School or Daycare

If you are a primary school or daycare, you probably already know the benefits associated with these kinds of shared play centers.  They are almost a requirement, as they promote sharing and taking turns, and the units are large enough several children can play with them at once.   Parents will be impressed when their children come home and want to help in their own kitchens, and cooking in the home is becoming a lost art form.  Imagination also seems to be going the way of the dodo, and these kinds of imaginative play centers are a really great way to foster that type of development.  KidKraft definately makes the best product out there; the plastic ones made by other companies will eventually not fit together as nicely and begin to fall apart in a professional setting.  Children also are well known for climbing on things they are not supposed to climb on, and having a well made sturdy product will be a must in any play center you own.

Ages Two to Five

This age (preschool and kindergarten) should probably stay away from sharp things and the stove, so I like recipes like no bake cookies and Jello, or even some type of instant pudding.  They love the opportunity to make a mess, they love to eat (and wear…) the stuff and it is super easy to clean up after.  If they are really good, try your hand at cupcakes, and let them decorate the tops with different frostings and candies.

Ages Five to Eight

These guys are a little more capable, and if they are good you can trust them with the stove a little more.  Homemade pizza is a favorite in this age group; you can buy everything at the store to put it together at home, including the readymade crust.  Another good pick is cookies.  Good luck keeping them out of the dough, but as long as you are manning the cookie sheets, they should otherwise be just fine.  I like the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe, and my mother liked to make her special oatmeal cookies with us.

Ages Eight to Fifteen

This is the age group that will eventually be problematic, and cooking with mom just isn’t cool anymore.  You just have to stick that out, and if they are still interested in cooking at all, find the things they love to make.  If you have done your job early, they should be fearless and ready to try everything, and if you are just starting, this can be a tough age group to catch.  But they all seem to have something they enjoy, and even moody teens can be tempted with a favorite treat and so long as they’re friends aren’t looking.

Ages Fifteen and Up

If you are lucky, you have been cooking with your children their whole lives.  You can even make this a daily chore, asking that they help make dinner every day.  This helps prevent young men like my husband, who can burn a pot of boiling water and who would starve to death if I was in a tragic bus accident.  Take classes and learn some of their favorite things too, even if you have to try out sushi.