Playing House In Style: Toys
Martha Stewart Would Die For
By Amelia Brown
November 2003
Dream Kitchen
Complete Kitchen Center
Kitchens that Will Make Moms Jealous
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.
Victoria’s Kitchen
Sunflower Kitchen
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.
Boutique Bakery
Gourmet Play
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.
70-Piece Kitchen Set Raggedy Ann Tea Set
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.
Hoover Upright Vacuum Mr. Clean 14-Piece Cleaning Set
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.
