November 7, 2009 11:57:56 PM
TOYDIRECTORY® | TDmonthly® Magazine | Join
our 27,800 subscribers | PlayZak®
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November 7, 2009 11:57:56 PM
TOYDIRECTORY® | TDmonthly® Magazine | Join
our 27,800 subscribers | PlayZak®
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Today’s play kitchens are equipped with as many or more gadgets than their authentic counterparts. With all the amenities, including an icemaker, a dishwasher and a microwave, Step 2's Lifestyle Dream Kitchen ($139.99, age 2 and up) is the child-size equivalent of a modern-day kitchen, with granite-like counter tops and a framed window with a working light. Kid Kraft’s Complete Kitchen Center ($199-$349) is a kitchen island with five major appliances and sturdy, kid-friendly counter tops. Besides pint-sized modern convenience kitchens, there's also a trend toward traditional wooden kitchens. These beautifully crafted pieces blend the realistic features that kids love with the old-fashioned simplicity of genuine wood.
Island Treasure Toys has fashioned a line of wooden play kitchens that are reminiscent of Grandma’s house. Victoria’s Kitchen ($270) has a display hutch, a stove, sink and built-in dishwasher, and is of heirloom quality. Guidecraft’s Sunflower Kitchen is a painted piece made from solid wood construction that is silk-screened with cheerful sunflowers and also contains a removable sink ($149.95). This kitchen can be completed with the matching table and chairs ($149.95). Melissa & Doug’s Fold & Go Kitchen ($29.95, ages 3 and up), is the perfect kitchen for limited space or for take-along fun, with its bright colors and turn-able dials.
No play kitchen is complete without the proper gourmet gear. Small World Toy’s Cafe Play is “cookware toys for gourmet kids.” Boutique Bakery ($39.99, 5 and up) is a 16-piece bakeware set that comes with its own recipe booklet and the Little Entrees ($34.99) and Brunch Du Jour (29.99) sets containing tools (stainless steel bowls, pans, egg beaters, etc) that resemble those used by a genuine chef.
Learning Resources offers a functional Pretend & Play 70-Piece Kitchen Set ($39.95, ages 3-9) that comprises everything a well-stocked kitchen needs. Authentic-looking appliances, such as the Kid Kraft Blender Set ($39.95, 3 and up), complete with fruit, a wooden spoon and smoothie cups, and the Kid Kraft Little Baker Mixer Set (39.95, 3 and up), with its pretend chocolate chip cookies, baking sheet, and rolling pin, let kids imitate grown-ups in the kitchen. Schylling invites favorites like Barbie, Madeline, Raggedy Ann and Anne of Green Gables to the tea party with a series of tea sets, including Tea Set Baskets ($29.99) that are perfect for home or a picnic. When it comes to pretend food, Haba Wooden Toys (ToyShow) has fruits, veggies and eggs that are durable yet affordable ($3.90 for sets of 2 bundles, $8.50 for a half dozen eggs). Easy Bake Ovens from Hasbro, with their ability to cook up edible treats, have been a favorite of children for decades. The newest in this line of products, the Easy Bake Master Chefs Oven ($29.99, ages 8-10), promises to be the most advanced yet.
The Little Housekeeper For the little housekeeper that insists on a vacuum that really picks up dirt, Creative Designs, Int’l. has produced the Hoover Upright Vacuum ($19.99, ages 3-6). Island Treasure Toys has designed classic wooden toys for the child who enjoys doing pretend laundry, such as a Washing Machine ($175, ages 3 and up) that allows children to spin the clothes around, as well as a fold-up Drying Rack ($21.95), Mini Clothespins ($1.50 a dozen), a Wicker Laundry Basket ($10.95) and an Ironing Board with Iron ($49.95). The Mr. Clean 14-Piece Cleaning Set by Creative Designs ($14.99, ages 3-6) allows young children to pretend they are cleaning with the same products and supplies grown-ups use.
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