Little Tikes Prep’n Serve Kitchen Review

*****

Melissa and Doug Food Group Crates not included.

This toy comes with a spatula, knife, fork, spoon, butter knife, plate, skillet, cup, phone, hamburger and bun, a stool, ear of corn, a cutting board that fits over the sink and two pieces of fruit.

The doors don’t always close perfectly, but my daughter doesn’t seem to mind. There are lots of places to store play food items so that is great!

There are two slots in the top which look like they could be for plates, however the plate that came with it doesn’t fit. Thankfully the two slices of bread that came with her Melissa and Doug Food Groups fit in them perfectly and she pretends it is her toaster.

When you place the pans on the “stove top” it makes a quiet sizzling sound. I love that because it is not loud enough to drive you crazy, and you know how much kids love noise makers, so it is a win; win for all!

It comes with a 1 year limited warranty. If I ever have to use it I will let you know how that goes.

The kitchen looks great once it’s put together. I should be so lucky as to have such a good looking kitchen! 

Assembly Time: It took my husband about an hour and half to complete this project. The directions were fairly clear and the pieces fit together pretty easily. The stickers are a little fiddly however my hubby managed to get them on without ruining any.

Comes with these items and an ear of corn and two pieces of fruit.

Value for Money: This item runs between $80 and $100 bucks. It seems like all the little girls from about 2.5 years find it irresistible. It is 3 days after Christmas and she has not left it alone when we are in the house. I was super happy with the price I paid as I got it at Toys R Us on Black Friday for $59.

Age Appropriateness: The box says age 3 and up. I think this is very accurate. It is narrow and little ones might easily pull it over, however it is very light and wouldn’t hurt anyone as long as you don’t have things stacked on top. It has a small plastic butter knife that is perfectly fine for my almost 3 but a year ago I would certainly of not allowed her to have it. The knife is wide and rounded and does not pose much of a threat. I am very happy with it and satisfied that it is safe for her to play with.

Durability: It is a plastic construction and seems pretty durable. I don’t have any concerns about it not  lasting. 

Educational Value: The stickers have numbers and words on the “buttons” and we have been working on showing her what they say and mean. With the addition of the Melissa and Doug Food Groups baskets she can work on sorting and identifying food groups. We have also been working on knife safety rules using the plastic knives.

This is the orange that came with it.

It is like these Melissa and Doug Crates were made for it!

Again, the Melissa and Doug Crates fit great!