Kids Kitchens

Chicken noodle soup? A pizza? Perhaps a steak with a side of broccoli? It will all be on the menu once you unveil your new kid’s kitchen! Expect your little chef to start cooking up a storm, an activity that brings with it countless developmental benefits.

To start, playing in the kitchen helps boost kids’ language and communication skills. They will learn plenty of new vocabulary and this offers an excellent opportunity to teach them about food groups and healthy eating. They’ll also learn new verbs (stir, reheat, mix, etc.) and opposites (hot vs cold). 

Play kitchens can help kids learn math and number skills, as they have to count the number of plates and silverware they need, weigh their food, and figure out how many minutes it needs to be in the oven.

It can teach them organizational skills as they will have to put their food away in the cupboards, figure out what goes in the refrigerator, and organize their plates and cutlery. And if your child is cooking alongside a friend or sibling, he or she will learn about cooperation and teamwork, not to mention improve his or her social skills.

Play kitchens teach our kids about problem solving. What happens when they’re missing an ingredient for a recipe or a dinner guest cancels? This will give them the opportunity to learn to think on their feet and find answers to problems that arise.

It’s also a very valuable tool for role play as it offers an opportunity to learn about cooking, cleaning and setting the table. They can bake cakes, wash dishes and set the table, just like the adults do. And, of course, they can learn what it means to be a chef.