Should you buy your toddler a play kitchen? I wondered this very thing when my granddaughter was about to turn two. I had always been enamored with the pint size ovens, play food, and tiny sinks, but I didn’t want to spend the money on something she would tire of in a week (been there, done that). Not to mention I’d seen the Instagram reels of weary parents moaning about having to tidy up TWO kitchens after buying a mini version of their real one. In the end, my love of miniature things and desire to finally own one when I’d always wanted one as a kid, won out and I bought one to keep at my house for her.
Now I’ll share what I learned in researching if I should buy a play kitchen for a toddler, and also what I experienced. It’s not all tea parties and pretend cupcakes, yet I have seen that a play kitchen is a miniature world where imagination, independence, and developmental skills come to life. Whether your toddler is pretending to bake cookies for teddy bears or “cooking” soup for you after a long day, there’s a whole lot more going on than just pretend play.
Imaginative Play Builds Real-World Skills
Toddlers are little observers. They watch you stir something bubbling on the stove, wipe counters, and pop things into the oven. A play kitchen gives them a chance to mimic those everyday activities in a safe, creative space. I saw this over and over with my toddler granddaughter. Her favorite thing to do when she came over was to make soup in her very own little kitchen, insisting I blow on my bowl of plastic cabbage and a fake pizza slice before I took a sip. She beamed when I pronounced it delicious.
Pretend play isn’t just adorable—it’s essential. When toddlers engage in make-believe scenarios like cooking, grocery shopping, or hosting a tea party, they’re practicing real-world thinking:
- Sequencing (first I chop, then I cook)
- Problem-solving (what do I stir the soup with?)
- Narrative thinking (I’m making soup for Nana!)
Child development specialists say these storytelling moments are the building blocks of early literacy, emotional development, and critical thinking.
A Play Kitchen for Toddlers Encourage Independence and Confidence
When your toddler has a space that’s all their own (especially one that mirrors adult life), it naturally fosters independence. Play kitchens let them explore on their terms: opening cabinets, organizing pretend food, “washing” dishes, or setting up a pretend restaurant.
Giving toddlers the reins in a safe, open-ended play environment builds:
- Decision making skills
- Confidence in their decisions
- A sense of ownership and pride
Even cleaning up after play becomes a teachable moment. Although, truth be told, for my granddaughter it is still the least favorite part of playing with our play kitchen! Maybe nana needs to get a little more creative with some clean-up games.
Toy Kitchens Support Fine Motor Development
All that stirring, grasping, opening, and sorting is excellent for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Turning knobs, stacking plates, or placing toy veggies in a pot helps strengthen fingers and improve dexterity – skills they’ll need for things like holding crayons, buttoning shirts, and using utensils.
I witnessed my 2-year-old granddaughter go from struggling with tea cups on toy hooks to deftly removing them and laying them out for a tea party, likety split. This alone elicited an affirmative answer to my earlier question “should you buy a play kitchen for a toddler?” I saw her motor skills improving every time she used it. And let’s be honest—what toddler doesn’t love a good twisty knob or clacky toy faucet?
Play Kitchens Promote Social and Language Development in Toddlers
Whether your toddler is cooking solo or playing with a sibling, friend, or you, a play kitchen is a great opportunity for language growth. They’ll start labeling foods, narrating actions, or making up mini-conversations with stuffed animals.
Play kitchens also create natural opportunities to learn:
- Taking turns
- Sharing tools and ingredients
- Listening and responding
- Expressing preferences or feelings (I made soup because my bunny is cold)
This was evident when my only-child granddaughter had her two young cousins come for a visit. They all converged on her little kitchen like ants on a cupcake. Each seemed to know what the other needed, handing one other play food, stirring each other’s pots, and removing their creations from the oven. It was like watching a toddler cooking show and it was wonderful until one of them went all Martha Stewart and started bossing the others. I guess two many cooks in the kitchen is a thing, even when the kitchen is plastic.
Play Kitchens Grow with your Child
One of the best things about a play kitchen is how long it stays relevant. While the way they use it changes, the core play appeal lasts through preschool and early elementary years.
- At age 18 months to 2 years, toddlers mostly open doors and stir
- By age 3-4 , their running drive-thru restaurants and hosting birthday parties for their stuffies
- At age 5-6, you might find them organizing food groups, writing menus, or creating elaborate Play-Doh™ baking competitions
With just a few accessory swaps and a sprinkle of imagination, a play kitchen evolves right alongside them. My granddaughter is 3 now and that little kitchen I questioned buying over a year ago is still the most played with toy in my home. Should you buy a play kitchen for your toddler? Another affirmative from this nana!
An Open-Ended Toy with Endless Possibilities
Unlike toys with a single button or built-in storyline, play kitchens are beautifully open-ended. There’s no “right” way to play, which means kids get to be the storytellers. Today, it’s a kitchen, tomorrow it’s a diner, next week it’s a magic potion lab. These ever-changing scenarios aren’t just cute – they’re powerful.
Open-ended toys like play kitchens hold a child’s attention far longer because the play evolves with them. They invite creativity, role-playing, and independence, encouraging kids to come back again and again. In a world full of one-and-done gadgets, that kind of lasting magic makes a play kitchen well worth the investment.
Should you Buy a Play Kitchen for Your Toddler – What are the Downsides?
In case you haven’t noticed, I am thrilled with my choice to buy a play kitchen for my toddler granddaughter. She still plays with it after over a year of use and I still get all nostalgic when we use it to play pretend tea party together, just like my grandmother played with me.
That said, I mentioned earlier that owning a play kitchen is not all cupcakes and tea parties. As much as we love ours, there are a few things to consider before bringing one home. Here are a few potential cons—just so you’re fully prepared.
🏡 Play Kitchens Take Up Space
Even the more compact models need some dedicated floor space, plus a little extra room to play around it. If you’re in a smaller home or apartment, finding the right spot can be tricky. Some kitchens are bulky or oddly shaped, and while adorable, they don’t always tuck neatly into corners.
TIP: Look for space-saving or foldable designs if room is tight—or consider a tabletop toddler toy kitchen for a smaller footprint.
💸 Play Kitchens can Be Pricey
In shopping for a play kitchen for my toddler granddaughter, I was disheartened by the high price tags. And if you go with a high-quality wooden play kitchens (especially the extra charming ones!), they are a bit of an investment. Add in play food, pots and pans, and accessories, and it adds up quickly.
TIP: Shop secondhand, watch for holiday sales, or ask family members to contribute towards it as a group gift.
Full disclosure – I did end up getting my toddler play kitchen second-hand from Offer Up. It was in fantastic shape and the seller threw in a bag full of play food and dishes too, so score! Can I just tell you how much fun I had cleaning it up and putting everything away? I was smitten with it from the start!
🧹 Play Kitchens Have Lots of Little Pieces
Play kitchens often come with small accessories—play food, utensils, dishes, etc.—and those tiny bits can scatter like breadcrumbs across your floor. Keeping things organized takes a little effort (and a basket or two). I admit that at first, my granddaughter loved dumping out the little bin of play food in the middle of the living room. I was forever fishing out plastic veggies and cake slices from under the couch. But she stopped doing that as she got a bit older, and now carefully looks through the bin for particular ingredients for her “recipes”.
On the note of small bits – make sure and check that the size of the accessory pieces are not small enough to be choking hazards. 2 and even 3 year-olds still put things in their mouths.
TIP: Choose a set with built-in storage or keep a cute bin (or a play shopping cart) nearby for quick cleanups.
🪵 Play Kitchens Have a Bit of Assembly Time
Some kitchens require full assembly, especially wooden ones. That means time, tools, and a lot of patience—so it’s something to factor in before gifting or setting it up on a busy weekend. A perk of buying one used is it’s already assembled.
TIP: Read reviews beforehand to see what other caregivers say about the setup process. If it’s arduous, cranky parents won’t hold back from saying so!
🧠 Not Every Toddler is Into Pretend Play Right Away
While many toddlers fall in love with their play kitchen instantly, others may take time to warm up to it, or simply prefer different kinds of play (blocks, vehicles, sensory toys, etc.). If your little one isn’t into pretend scenarios yet, the kitchen might not get much use initially.
TIP: Try modeling simple play, like “making” tea or setting up a picnic, to spark their interest. You may even want to try a small tabletop play stove or pizza oven and see how your toddler takes to that before investing in a whole kitchen setup.
Should you Buy Your Toddler a Play Kitchen? Weigh the Joys Against the Challenges
Every toy has its trade-offs, and play kitchens are no exception. But for many families, the joy, imagination, and developmental benefits far outweigh the cost and occasional cleanup.
As for me…well I guess you’ve figured out that I’m thrilled with my play kitchen purchase – and so is my toddler granddaughter. I’m looking forward to at least a few more years of imaginary culinary delights, pretend drive-thru burger and taco joints, and sweet bakery concoctions. And our next play kitchen accessory purchase? Matching aprons, of course!
Ready to shop for the right play kitchen for your toddler? Check our complete guide on how to choose the best play kitchen. It covers everything from wood vs. plastic, what size to get, safety tips and more.
The links below take you to Amazon and as an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases – at no extra cost to you.
So Which Play Kitchen did I Buy for my Toddler?
Curious which play kitchen I purchased for my toddler granddaughter? It is a Step2 Top Cooks Play Kitchen. Since I bought it used over a year ago, Step2 has come out with more updated versions and I only see my version available used on Amazon. It is a perfect size for a toddler, but the only thing I didn’t like about it was there’s no shelf in the fridge. Where’s a girl supposed to put her leftover pot of soup??
An updated version of the one I bought is the Step2 Timeless Trends Play Kitchen. It is almost exactly the same size (33.5″ wide), and has additional hooks for hanging utensils, more shelves, and a shelf in the fridge! The counter height is not in the description at all (argh! I hate when they don’t show the full measurements!), but the counter on mine is only about 20 inches high, so I’m guessing this one is between 20″-22″ high. If your toddler is short to average height, this will be fine. If they are taller, look for a KidKraft brand – they tend to make taller counters.
So what’s my next potential purchase for my granddaughter? I’m thinking of an outdoor playhouse….