For both girls and boys, toy kitchens can provide hours of pretend playtime. Most of these kitchen centers are fairly compact so they won't take up too much space in your child's bedroom or playroom. Here are some of my favorite play kitchens.
1. Lifestyle Dream Kitchen
This cooking center by Step 2 comes with a microwave, plate rack, storage areas, a framed window, a granite-look countertop and a make-believe sink with a faucet and pull-out sprayer. This play kitchen also features a special frying pan and boiling pot that make electronic frying and boiling water sounds when placed on the stove's front burner. Includes a 27-piece accessory set. Batteries are required.
2. Sweet Magic Kitchen
By Fisher-Price, this play kitchen comes with a refrigerator, overhead pantry and storage area for ingredients. It also includes a stovetop, an oven and a sink . The magic oven pretends to bake sweets that come with the kitchen by changing their color. Includes 32 mix-and-match accessories. Requires 3 C batteries.3. Wooden Play Kitchen
From KidKraft Kids, this nicely constructed wooden kitchen features a freezer, microwave, sink, storage shelf, cabinet, and oven with cooktop. This kitchen is brightly painted and measures 42 inches wide, 16 inches deep and 41 1/2 inches high. This kitchen should provide years of fun for your children.4. Little Helper's Complete Kitchen
This compact play kitchen for toddlers features a pretend microwave, dishwasher, sink, stove, refrigerator with ice dispenser and cordless phone. Does not include pots and pans.5. Cook 'N Grill Kitchen
From Little Tikes, this fun kitchen center can be used inside or outside on the patio. This play kitchen has two sides, one side with an indoor kitchen and the other side with a barbecue grill. This kitchen comes with accessories and requires batteries.6. Dora the Explorer Kitchen
For your Dora the Explorer fans, this play kitchen comes with cooking accessories, five "talking" recipe cards and a life-sized Dora figure.7. Playskool Magic Talking Kitchen
This is a very compact kitchen from Playskool. This kitchen has over 50 electronic phrases, sounds and animation and includes a spatula, salt and pepper shakers, frying pan, cookie sheet and more. Requires batteries.8. Cookin' Fun Interactive Kitchen
This play kitchen from Little Tikes makes 40 different sounds and comes with a pretend coffee maker, dishwasher, refrigerator, oven, sink and 13 accessories.9. Designer Kitchen
This Lifestyle Designer Kitchen from Step2 features granite-look countertops, a stovetop, light and phone with electronic sounds and a 15-piece accessory set. This play kitchen is compact, measuring just 41 inches high and 24 inches wide.10. Intelli-Tikes MagiCook Kitchen
From Little Tikes, this fun interactive play kitchen has over 50 electronic food and cooking phrases.