XP: If you got your kids a play kitchen

Mama-Bear

Are you happy with that purchase? Do you regret it? Do they still play with it? Is there just food laying all over? Do you wish you'd have bought a bigger/small version?

neverblushed

I managed to pick up a used one with all the dishes and food from a family whose daughter had outgrown it.  We kept it from the time DD was 2 until about 9 (when DS was 5) and then passed it along.

Sigh.  My kids went through phases with it. They would play with it a ton for a few days, then it would sit around and collect dust for weeks.  For some reason, both my kids really enjoyed playing with OTHER kids' play kitchens more than their own. 

Also, I've found that my kids never cared about the size and/or complexity of the play kitchen.  One family we know has a tiny, simple play kitchen.  My kids always enjoyed playing there as much as they enjoyed visiting the family who had the deluxe version.  When you're pretending, sometimes less is more.

scrappingcat

Ours is hit and miss as well.  DS is almost 5 and every time I think about getting rid of it he starts to play with it again.  I think he plays with the accessories far more than he plays with the kitchen at this point!  Ours is a small wooden one.

jlw2505

My ILs got my kids a way to big kitchen maybe 4 years ago.  Girls are now 5 1/2 and 7 1/2 and I am so ready for the thing to go.  It is in the basement in the playroom and they rarely play with it.  When down their, they mainly play with their barbies and doll house these days but when I mentioned getting rid of it, they told me no.  We have a big basket for all the food stuff so its never a mess - just takes up space.  We are selling our house (hopefully) so once we move, the thing will be gone - I'm not moving it!!!  We had it upstairs in the living room for the 1st year or so when we got it as DD#2 was too young to play in the basement without me at that time and they used it a ton.  I would say the 1st few years it was used a lot.