Play kitchens have become all the buzz lately, and there certainly isn’t a lack of options available. The choices are endless, from large play kitchens (including some that look nicer than the kitchens in our own homes!) to adorable antique styles to bright and colorful options. To help you narrow things down, we’re sharing our picks for some of the best play kitchens for toddlers.
Finding the Best Play Kitchen for Your Toddler
Before choosing your play kitchen, note that they are not all equal. Some come with smaller parts that are not age-appropriate for younger toddlers, such as kids under 3 years old. Parents should consider their child’s age when selecting the best play kitchens for their toddlers. Some are better suited for younger children, while others may be more appropriate for older toddlers.
Consider Adding Play Utensils and Other Accessories
Another thing to note is that many play kitchens don’t come with accessories, so you may need to purchase them separately. Think about what your kiddo will enjoy playing with the most, as there are many options! From play pots and pans to utensils and even add-on refrigerators or mixers and blenders, you can get as fancy or basic as you desire. This may come down to how much space the play kitchen has for accessory storage. You can also get a chef coat and hat for your little one; some play kitchen clothing sets even come with utensils.
18 of the Best Play Kitchens for Toddlers
Here’s a list of some of the best play kitchens for toddlers:
1. Hearth & Hand With Magnolia Wooden Toy Kitchen
This wooden play kitchen from Hearth & Hand has a sleek, modern look. The upper part features a deep sink, a microwave, a stovetop with burners, and a window, and the lower area includes an oven and storage space for pots and pans. To decorate it, you could put toy food, fake plants, and other accessories on the top. There’s also a toy refrigerator from this brand that you can purchase separately for even more storage!
2. Best Choice Products Farmhouse Play Kitchen Toy
Available in both a pink and white option, this farmhouse-style play kitchen is made with wood and metal, making it a durable choice for children. It has a pretend sink, a stove with detailed knobs, an oven, and open storage shelves. It also comes with a handy chalkboard where kids can draw pictures, write grocery lists, and do anything else that comes to mind! You also get several cooking accessories: a pot, a pan, and three utensils.
3. KidKraft Vintage Wooden Play Kitchen
KidKraft has a terrific selection of play kitchens, including this retro wooden set, which comes in white, blue, pink, and red. It has a fridge, a freezer, a removable sink, a stove, an oven, and lots of spots for storage. There’s also a pretend ice maker to keep their drinks “cold” and a cordless phone with a hands-free clip. Your kiddo will have fun talking on the phone and cooking for hours!
4. Teamson Kids Little Chef Charlotte Modern Wooden Play Kitchen
This interactive kitchen from Teamson Kids includes ample storage space and a small counter for chopping vegetables or drying dishes. It has realistic features, such as oven knobs that kids can turn, sink faucet handles that move, an ice-maker with three play ice cubes, and a refrigerator with a smart display. This play kitchen has several color options, such as gray with gold accents, white with rose gold accents, and mint with gold accents.
5. Tiny Land Play Kitchen for Kids
Adorable, isn’t it?! This Tiny Land play kitchen has cute features like a coffee maker, a weather table, a clock with movable hands, an ice dispenser (with ice cubes), and gold curtains for a cozy look. It also has hooks, cupboards, a realistic microwave, a large countertop, an electric-style stove, and a sink. This one is more expensive than the previous play kitchens, but it’s so worth it, and it has space for up to three kids to play at a time!
6. Kidkraft Farmhouse Play Kitchen
Here’s another play kitchen that comes with a chalkboard! We also love that the sink and stovetop have lights and sounds, creating more of an immersive kitchen experience for children. This set features fun accessories, including choppable onions and carrots, a cutting board, and a pretend knife. Besides the standard sink, stove, and oven, there’s a pot rack, window boxes, wooden storage crates, and a refrigerator with an ice machine.
7. Best Choice Products Pretend Play Kitchen
This play kitchen is equipped with a dishwasher, a light-up stove, a sink, an oven (with knobs that make a click sound!), a microwave, a freezer, and a fridge. You’ll also get utensils, pots, a towel rack, and a chalkboard. There are multiple color options — pink, blue, teal, espresso, and white — with different backsplash options, so you can find one that matches your child’s playroom, bedroom, or wherever else they will be whipping up their tasty treats!
8. Pottery Barn Kids Penny Play Kitchen
Look no further if you want a play kitchen with a vintage, rustic charm! This antique-style play kitchen from Pottery Barn has an elegant French White finish, brass-finished details, and beautiful scalloped edges along the bottom. It comes with a sink, a cabinet for storage, a convenient towel bar, a stovetop with burners and knobs, and an oven with two racks. It’s definitely on the pricier side, but for good reason!
9. B. toys Wooden Play Kitchen – Mini Chef Kitchenette
Here’s a fun, colorful option from Target that’s just under $100. This wooden play kitchen has mint, yellow, and reddish-orange accents to brighten your kid’s space. It comes with accessories like dishes, cutlery, cooking utensils, and cookware. It also has a dish rack with slots for drying dishes and a towel rack beside the sink. Kids will love using the oven, stove, and microwave to prepare a delicious feast!
10. FAO Schwarz Ultimate Play Kitchen
This one practically looks like a real kitchen! It has a pull-down sink faucet, a coffee maker station, a microwave, and a magnetic fridge with an ice maker. You also get two fabric baskets, cabinets, shelves, and hooks, giving kids lots of room to store their kitchen materials. Plus, it comes with 20 play accessories, such as pretend food cans, coffee beans, salt and pepper shakers, cups, memo paper, and magnets.
11. Step2 Fun With Friends Kids Kitchen
Would your kids prefer to take their culinary innovation outside? If so, check out this kitchen from Step2! It’s terrific for indoor or outdoor play and has a single-serve coffee maker with coffee pods, a sink, a dish rack, an oven, a stove, a fridge, and a microwave. Another unique feature? There’s a pretend food and water bowl for plush pets! It also comes with accessories (dishes, cups, utensils, etc.) and is available in pink, gray, tan, and brown/blue.
12. ROBUD Wooden Play Kitchen Set
The ROBUD Wooden Play Kitchen Set features a sink, a stovetop, an oven, a microwave, a clock, and abundant shelf space. Kids can even turn the stove knobs, which make a clicking sound to feel more realistic. This play kitchen comes with matching accessories, like a rice cooker (so cute, right?!), pans, dishes, shakers, and cooking utensils. There’s also a drying rack, a towel bar, and pegs for kids to hang their wooden knife and spatulas.
13. KidKraft Wooden Farm-to-Table Play Kitchen
This one is similar to the Kidkraft Farmhouse Play Kitchen, but it’s a little more expensive, likely because it’s made of real wood. Another difference is its darker color scheme and brick-pattern backsplash. This wooden play kitchen comes with a chalkboard, planters (with chalkboard labels for kids to write on), and cuttable vegetables made of wood. Like the farmhouse version, it lights up and makes water and cooking sounds — so fun!
14. KidKraft Ultimate Corner Wooden Play Kitchen
Whether you choose the white or espresso color, this corner play kitchen will look adorable in your child’s room and fit neatly across two walls. It has a removable sink, hanging pegs (for accessories and utensils), zigzag curtains, and a cordless phone. The ice dispenser and the stovetop burners light up and make sounds, too! This play kitchen also has a washer/dryer so kids can “do laundry” while waiting for the oven to finish cooking.
15. Melissa & Doug Wooden Chef’s Pretend Play Kitchen
The Melissa & Doug brand is known for its wonderful kids’ toys, from puzzles to larger gift options, like this wooden chef’s pretend play kitchen. This is one of the best play kitchens for toddlers because it’s well-made and has multiple features. It includes an ice dispenser, refrigerator, microwave, towel rack, sink, oven, stove, and grocery checklist. You can purchase the play kitchen by itself or choose one with some accessories, like pots, pans, and utensils.
16. Pottery Barn Chelsea All-In-One Toddler Play Kitchen
This Chelsea play kitchen from Pottery Barn is more of an investment, but it has several gorgeous features, including a lovely farm sink and refrigerator attached. This play kitchen has various color options: black, gray, white, sage, and light pink. It’s also GREENGUARD Gold Certified, meaning it meets specific third-party chemical emissions standards, which is always reassuring when selecting products your kiddos will use!1
17. Ikea Duktig Mini-Kitchen
The IKEA play kitchen has received much attention on Instagram, primarily because it’s a fairly basic kitchen that allows for tons of creativity if you want to spruce it up. Some paint it, while others decorate it to look like a “real kitchen” with dish towels and utensils. The best part is that it’s equally adorable without any alterations. And it’s one of the more budget-friendly options — win, win!
18. Hape Gourmet Wooden Play Kitchen
This Hape kitchen is an excellent option if you want something smaller and more minimalistic. It includes a sink, a stove, a baking oven, a cabinet, turntable knobs, and a spice shelf that can store additional play utensils. It’s made from wood, a terrific plastic alternative if you want a more sustainably made play kitchen. This basic play kitchen option also works great for smaller spaces.
Play kitchens are sure to bring hours of entertainment for years to come for toddlers. They inspire imaginative play and even help support fine and gross motor skills with all the pretend mixing and cooking they will be doing.2 Play cooking can also make for great bonding time, as you can “cook” pretend meals together or “taste” your kiddo’s solo creations. Bon appétit!
