Play kitchen for tough and tumble boys?

[lalasmama]

Posted in the lounge for traffic.

DH and I are of opposing views on this... Now I'm curious to see what others think!

Rough and tumble toddler/preschool aged boys (let's say 2-4 years old). Is a play kitchen a good choice for indoor play, or a bad choice?

(DH thought/thinks play kitchen is only for quiet children, and mainly girls. My mom did daycare in our home, and I never noticed a gender bias in regards to the kitchen--boys, girls, quiet, loud, shy, take-charge, etc., they all seemed to love the play kitchen. But DH is a bit afraid this birthday present is going to bomb. I just remember how all those kids loved the kitchen, and the boys are so completely in the pretend play phase right now.)

[ahisma]

It's in heavy use by the rough and tumble boys in DS2's preschool!

[petesgirl]

My DS would love it! There is a consignment store I frequent with a play area set up as a little kitchen that he really enjoys. I wish we had gotten him a kitchen for Christmas instead of more cars actually.
Oh, and he is very 'rough and tumble'

[Reyadawnbringer]

Ds loved our play kitchen and he is very rough and tumble. At ds daycare the play kitchen got so much love from all the kids that they added a second one!

[basil]

My rough and tumble 2.5 year old loves his play kitchen, and the one at his daycare. We have the Ikea one at home and it's nicely made. He alternates pretending to cook and pretending that the pots and pans are drums and cymbals, so hardly quiet!

[elliput]

We just moved and don't have a designated play room in our new house, so I was considering getting rid of the play kitchen. DS (5.5yo) saw it in the entry way and asked specifically for it to go in his room. He's definitely rough and tumble. I know he enjoys playing in the kitchen center at school also.

[123LuckyMom]

Play kitchens are BIG hits here with boys, sometimes even more so than with girls. I'm sure your son will love it!

[schrocat]

My rough and tumble boys love play kitchens.

[light-castle]

My boys love their kitchen. It isn't always a kitchen, sometimes it's an army base!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Most kids like to switch things up. Just bc they are usually on the go doesn't mean they wouldn't have fun with a play kitchen. Our Step 2 kitchen has been played w for 11 years now between my 2 boys. I've tried to get rid of it since ds2 was 5 but he won't let me. It doesn't get played w much but I sure like when he "cooks" for me. And, btw, I love that ds2 really cooks for me! Nothing wrong w encouraging that!

[azzeps]

We have the ikea kitchen and it's pretty durable. I bought a fridge to go with it by Educo and the doors fell off. Trying to figure out how to bolt them back on...

[BunnyBee]

My boy loved the play kitchen. How will the parents react? If they sneer at it, the kids may as well. My DH would get on the floor and play with the kids in the kitchen just as much as he would balls or anything else. As far as rough and tumble boys not being interested in cooking, show DH some Gordon Ramsay! Maybe he needs some extra kitchen time at home too? ;)

[twotimesblue]

My boy loved the play kitchen. How will the parents react? If they sneer at it, the kids may as well. My DH would get on the floor and play with the kids in the kitchen just as much as he would balls or anything else. As far as rough and tumble boys not being interested in cooking, show DH some Gordon Ramsay! Maybe he needs some extra kitchen time at home too? ;)

:yeahthat: most of the world's top chefs are men!

The play kitchen is the single best purchase we made for DS1, when he was around 18 months old. He is now 4, and he still plays with it daily. He has appointed DS2 his 'assistant chef' (a role which mainly consists of opening and closing doors and tipping food on the floor!) DS has created menus for his 'restaurant', set up a cash register, arranged a 'home delivery service' and I get breakfast in bed quite often. I love the imaginative play that it inspires. All the boys that come over for play dates love the kitchen, too... It makes me sad that some parents consider it a 'girls' toy' as it should be totally gender neutral

[niccig]

Ds loved our play kitchen and he is very rough and tumble. At ds daycare the play kitchen got so much love from all the kids that they added a second one!

:yeahthat: DS also loved his toy stroller and baby doll to put in it.

[ssand23]

My son is definitely rough and tumble and he loves his play kitchen. He is very much NOT a quiet child. He uses it every day for the past 2 years that we've had it. We have a big Step 2 play kitchen that has held up wonderfully to heavy use. I like that we went with the big one since it's large enough for more than 1 child to use it at the same time and not be on top of each other (aka less arguing).

We have this one http://www.step2.com/p/LifeStyle-Deluxe-Kitchen I found it on Craigslist and paid less than $50 for it.

For play food, we've stuck with the Green Toys line of food, utensils and pots and pans, Haba food and accessories, IKEA food and pots and pans and Melissa & Doug felt food only (the M&D felt food is great but their wooden food splinters and falls apart fast, my son got hurt with it and almost every M&D wooden item we bought broke with in 6 months max, the M&D wooden food is definitely not safe for rough and tumble kids or really any children).