Today’s Works for Me Wednesday is a themed edition: Toys that are actually worth buying.  At first I was going to write something about how kids don’t really need toys to be happy, or how I made Audrey a doll out of a cornhusk, but then I decided to take the topic a bit more seriously.  So what do I think is worth buying?  A toy kitchen. 

At first I resisted buying a play kitchen for my daughter.  I didn’t want to clutter up house with plastic, and wooden ones are expensive.  I even considered making her one, but that project floundered in the idea stage.   I never had a toy kitchen, can’t she live without one?

This all changed when I ran across this Alex Wooden Cook Top Playstove in a consignment shop for just $12.00.  I snapped it up, took it home, and Audrey gathered up the pots, pans, and food she had received as gifts in the past.   If you bought all this stuff new, it would cost just $56.00, which is a still a bargain for a play kitchen.  While none of these products is advertised as eco-friendly, I like knowing that everything is made from wood, metal, or cloth–no plastic.

Here are the contents of Audrey’s kitchen:

Alex Wooden Cook Top Playstove $29.  It’s small and portable.  I love that it doesn’t take up valuable square footage in our main living space.  We can easily move it around the house so she can cook wherever the mood strikes her.  If we set it on her toy chest or on the coffee table, it’s the perfect height if she wants to stand while whipping up her favorite dishes.

    Melissa and Doug Food Groups Set $17.  Audrey got this set of wooden food for Christmas last year.  It’s colorfully painted and comes in wooden crates for easy storage.

  • Ikea cookware set $10.  The sieve that came with this set fell apart right away, but the rest of the pieces are sturdy.  They look like real pans . . . in fact, I’m sure they could be used as real pans, as they’re just plain stainless steel.

  • Apron and potholder made from a dishtowel by my creative friend.  Audrey loves wearing the apron and handling her “hot” pots and pans with the potholder.

Audrey cooks elaborate meals on her  toy kitchen almost every day and doesn’t seem to miss some of the features you’ll find on a more expensive contraption.  The fact that her kitchen set provides her with hours of independent play time makes everything well worth the investment.

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