13 BEST Play Kitchen Accessories (that will actually keep your toddler busy!)
A play kitchen is hands down one of my favorite toys for toddlers…and even older kids! All 3 of my kids (ages 1, 3, and 6) spend hours playing with our pretend kitchen. It’s a great way for kids to practice cooking and get familiar with new foods.
However, to make the play kitchen a really great experience, you have to have the best toy kitchen accessories. We have more kitchen accessories than I can keep track of so today I wanted to share my absolute favorite sets!
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Our Favorite Play Kitchen Accessories
Our kitchen toys that are made of wood are my favorites! We have plenty of plastic stuff as well, but I love the quality of wooden toys. Specifically, the wooden toys last so much longer than the cardboard boxes and cheap plastic.
1. Melissa & Doug Wooden Coffee Maker
We have and love this wooden coffee maker from Melissa & Doug. Many mornings, when my husband and I are getting our coffee ready, our kids make coffee for us with this toy.
This is my kid’s most played-with kitchen set (it could be in part due to their parent’s love of coffee!)
Since all the pieces are made of wood, they’ve held up really well (for about 4-5 years!)
2. Hape Pop Up Toaster
My kids love to make toast with this adorable Hape wooden toaster. I find that putting the toast in the toaster slots is the perfect activity for my 1-year-old’s fine motor skills.
Again, everything in this set is made of wood and has held up great for the past 4-5 years.
3. Melissa & Doug Pizza Party
My daughter got this pretend pizza set for Christmas last year, and I can’t tell you how much it gets played with. However, I do keep it away from my one year old since I don’t want him to stuff the small pizza toppings in his mouth.
Side note: It’s perfectly paired with the birthday cake set below.
4. Wooden Birthday Cake Set
We also have and love this Birthday cake set. My kids love to play pretend party and serve their stuffies and dolls a piece of cake.
Plus, it’s even a great set to help teach older kids fractions.
Again, I do keep the small peices away from my 1 year old.
4. PairPear Wooden Mixer
This wooden mixer set is on my 3-year-old’s Christmas list. She loves to help me make sourdough and I love that this set comes with a pretend scale.
I love that all the parts are wooden as some sets include paper/plastic food accessories and I find they wear out much quicker.
5. Wooden Kitchen Food Set
This wooden food set includes fruits and veggies as well as knives and vegetable peelers.
I would definitely choose this set over a plastic fruit and veggie set personally.
6. Hape Wooden Egg Set
A wooden egg set provides plenty of entertainment, from using eggs to bake to frying them on the skillet for your breakfast.
I love that this set includes both hard-boiled and fried eggs for more variety.
7. Melissa & Dough Wooden Fridge Food
Normally, I like the food that comes in realistic boxes and containers.
However, this wooden fridge food set is super realistic despite being made of wood and would be perfect for a teething toddler or baby who would destroy flimsier boxes made out of paper or cardboard! None of our cardboard food sets are still around 3 babies later.
8. Melissa & Doug Blender
We’ve had this blender for years and it doesn’t grow old. Even my 6-year-old still frequently mixes up smoothies.
My only complaint is the milk carton was made of cardboard and broke after a couple of years (and babies chewing on it.)
9. Melissa & Doug Pots & Pans
The Melissa & Doug Pots and Pans Set is very realistic-looking and high-quality, making it one of my favorite items for a toy kitchen.
10. Melissa & Doug Cooking Utensils
You can’t cook without cooking utensils! Definitely put these on your must-purchase list for your toddler’s kitchen set.
Best Play Food for Kids and Toddlers
Obviously, you need play food for your kitchen. Some accessory sets like this toaster will come with the toast etc., but it’s essential to have some play food as well so your kids can actually pretend to cook.
11. Melissa & Doug Combine & Dine Dinners
I chose this play food set for my kids because it includes healthy dinner foods.
My hope is that increasing exposure to foods like shrimp, broccoli, and peas will encourage my kids to try these more often at home.
I love to expose them to some great dinner options in a fun way.
12. Melissa & Doug Pasta Set
This pasta set includes a variety of different kinds of pasta and sauces as well as a plate and even a pot.
13. Melissa & Doug Taco/Mexican Set
The Melissa & Doug Taco set includes a variety of things to make tacos. This would be such a fun set for an older toddler, but even a 1-year-old could do basic pretend play with this set.
Looking for more Toddler Gift Ideas?
I love to give my kids gifts that foster real-life skills (like cooking), and while a play kitchen along with play accessories and toy food is definitely a toy, it does encourage them to think about food and food preparation. Not to mention, it allows your child to have beneficial pretend play, and I would even venture to say it’s a functional toy since it can get years of use.
If you are looking for more toddler gift ideas that are practical or minimal in nature, here are my favorite thoughts:
21 FAVORITE Practical Toddler Gifts
How to Buy the Best Learning Tower for Your Toddler
FREE Toddler Snack Printable & Grocery List
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