Stocking a Kids Kitchen Playset

This is one of those really fun things to do as a mom or grandma, or as the owner of a family daycare centre or pre-school... stocking your kids kitchen playset wih all the little utensils, plastic play food and pretend appliances! Children love toy pots and pans, tea sets, etc.

Here's a list things to consider when you set out to stock a kids play kitchen:

• A kids sized table and chairs, of course
• Plastic pots and pans with lids (Toddlers love lids. Metal ones are okay, too, but noisy when toddlers start using them for drums!)
• Play dishes: Plastic plates, bowls and tumblers
• Plastic or light-weight aluminum trays
• Plastic draining board/rack for the sink
• Tiny placemats (If you sew, you can make these.)
• Toaster and toy bread slices
• Tea kettle
• Plastic teapot, cream jug, sugar bowl, tea cups and saucers
• Plastic knives, forks and spoons
• Wooden spoons
• Kitchen utensils (You can buy tiny whisks and other small utensils in kitchen supply stores. These will be much sturdier than kids toy ones.)
• A nested set of plastic bowls for mixing
• Toy blender for pretend smoothies
• Coffe maker and coffee cups
• Microwave, if it doesn't come with your kids kitchen playset
• Dishwasher, if it doesn't come with your kids kitchen playset
• Rolling pin
• Toy "electric" mixer
• Baking pans and cookie sheets
• Plastic casserole dishes with lids
• Plastic food: fruit, vegetables, pizza, eggs (in the shell for pretend baking, as well as fried), meat, buns, cheese, butter, cookies, cupcakes, cake, ice cream cones, etc.
• Little empty boxes/cans/containers of food, baking supplies and cleaning products (Save small cereal boxes, milk cartons, yogurt containers, cans, condiment containers, packages and any other suitable containers. Make sure any containers you save are properly emptied and cleaned, with no sharp edges on cans. You can also buy play sets of pretend plastic, cardboard or wooden food boxes.)
• Inexpensive plastic storage containers with lids (Can double as casserole dishes, mixing bowls, etc.)
• Storage baskets to store plastic food, utensils, etc. for easy clean-up (Make sure they fit in the kids kitchen playset cupboards or at least on the counter tops. The dollar store is a great place to get these.)
• Small wicker baskets for bread, fruit, etc. (The dollar store is a great place to get these.)
• If you sew, you can easily make these:
• • Potholders, oven mitts
  • Tea towels, dishcloths, dusters
  • Aprons: chef/dad/BBQ-style and mom/waitress-style
  • Expandable/adjustable chef's hats
• Dressup clothes
• Timer (A real one is fine.)
• Picnic basket and utensils
• Pretend phone
• Pad of paper and crayons for shopping lists
• Cleaning supplies: broom, mop, dustpan, rags, empty spray bottles
• Jewish families or daycares might consider pretend Passover, Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah kitchen playsets
• Fun thing to do: make cardboard cutout play food.

For playing store, add the following:

• Toy cash register
• Grocery basket and/or grocery cart

If you add a laundry centre (washer, dryer) to your kids kitchen playset, consider the following:

• Ironing board and iron (Wooden ones are sturdier and will last forever.)
• Wicker or plastic laundry hamper (The dollar store is a great place to get these.)
• Small detergent containers or boxes (You can get little boxes at the laundromat. Empty them well first!)

Visit my favourite kids kitchen playsets merchant for a large variety of toy food, dishes, utensils... and kids kitchen playsets of course!