Wherever we go, whichever nursery, playgroup or toddler centre it is, Max always sniffs out the toy kitchen and happily whiles away his time opening and shutting cupboard doors, clattering saucepans and stirring with spoons. All kids seem to have a love for toy kitchens, and I especially love the wooden ones – well made, built to last and don’t look too offensive in your living room – I have a real fear of too much plastic tat taking over my home!
Step up the Plum Products Cookie interactive kitchen.
Isn’t it just the prettiest kitchen you ever did see? It’s nicer than my kitchen! I love the neutral colours, all the extra details such as the water dispenser painted on the fridge door and the the twisty dials for the cooker that make a clicking sound when turned. It’s all very realistic, and screams out for some imaginative play.
It does take a while to build, so if you are planning to buy this for a Christmas present, allow a good couple of hours to build it on Christmas Eve. The instructions are well laid out and fairly easy to follow, but it does really take 2 people and a couple of coffess to tackle it. We built it one evening after the children were in bed and left it in the living room for them to discover the next morning. Max was first up, and as predicted he was straight in there, opening all the doors, looking inside and cooking with the pots and pans. In fact, he cried real tears when I pried him away and took him to nursery, so I think it’s safe to say he loves it.
He’s not the only one who loves it. Gemma and Jacob have been playing with it pretty much daily since we got it too. Jacob loves to role play cooking and washing up, while Gemma uses it as a base for her ‘cafe’ and will come and take your order with her pen and paper before assisting Jacob with cooking it up.
It didn’t take Max long to discover that the dials for the cooker made a noise either. I didn’t show him, but left him to work it out, and it wasn’t long before he was putting something in the oven (usually a slipper – tasty) and turning the dials just like Mummy does when making the dinner – amazing how much they pick up from watching you. I don’t cook slippers though – just in case you were wondering!
The taps and sink are also one of Max’s favourite features. The tap moves around so you can angle it over the sink or tuck it out of the way for more worktop space. The tap handles turn round, and are red and blue to signify hot and cold – again, a great learning tool for real life. Washing the pans, the spoons and his hands has become one of Max’s favourite things to do.
So we have established that the Cookie kitchen is gorgeous to look at, well made and full of lovely features. But what makes this kitchen a little bit different? This does….
You may have noticed in the previous photos that the top cupboard just has a cardboard picture of a microwave in it. This is fine for everyday use, and to be honest the kids didn’t even notice that there were brackets for something else. If you replace that cardboard picture with your iPad which has the free to download Plum kitchen app on it, then you get a whole new interactive experience!
It’s not a feature I would use every day, purely because the iPad is MINE lol, but for a fun new way to play it’s really great. I was worried that the app would be a bit gimmicky, and detract from the imaginative play, but it doesn’t. It’s so simple, and fits seamlessly into the way the children use the kitchen naturally. It’s a new idea that I haven’t seen on any other product of this type before, and one that most children these days will be able to use with ease. Max can’t manage it yet of course, although he does tap at the screen, but Gemma and Jacob can use it to the full potential, and it works well with Gemma’s cafe game.
The Plum Cookie kitchen is priced at £149.99, which I think is really great value for an item of this quality. It will last for years and years, be enjoyed by any child, and has so much scope for play possibilities. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone, and we will definitely be looking to get some more products from the Plum range.
Oh my this looks amazing
Karen recently posted…Nib Nibs Review and Giveaway
Oh that kitchen looks great! I love all the learning features and the red is awesome x
Donna recently posted…Pumpkin Carving
Plum toys are so well made! Love this kitchen! Though I’m not too sure how many slippers I’d be able to stomach for dinner 😉
Vikki Sanderson recently posted…Family
Thats such a lovely interactive toy.Your child is having so much fun playing with it.
Nayna Kanabar (@SIMPLYF00D) recently posted…Bread and Butter Pudding
wow! my niece would love this!
I’d be playing with the microwave myself!!
Simply amazing!
I love this I too don’t want plastic tat taking over my house and love wooden kitchens I think I will have get my daughter so etching like this next Christmas once we have moved to a bigger house and she’s a bit older x
Lindsay recently posted…Sassy Bloom Subscription Box
That’s such a gorgeous play kitchen! Much nicer than the plastic ones.
Katherine GG recently posted…New Philadelphia Duo Cremoso Range
This toy ktchen looks more sophisticated than my own kitchen! It combines the old and the new, and I would definitely get something like that for my littles ones. They love their toy kitchen, but it is not as good as this one!
Mel recently posted…Happy Sausage Week with debbie&andrew’s (and a Giveaway)!
This looks better than my kitchen! I love that you can use the iPad with it that is so good and it’s the best play kitchen I’ve seen for a long time too definitely worth the price tag I think #TriedTested
This looks fab! We bought daniel and emma a kitchen for christmas but its not as good as this one!
#triedtested
Saran @ let them be small recently posted…Freedom Marshmallows Review & Giveaway
This kitchen is gorgeous! My girls have a fab wooden one from Ikea which we got over three years ago and is still in perfect condition. It’s so worth spending the extra on these things 🙂
Mummy Tries recently posted…Book update: did I make my deadline?
This kitchen is so cute, you can see the quality and detail that has gone into making it. I really like the ipad option to make it interactive xx
Jeni Wood recently posted…I cut Ben`s hair!!!
What an awesome kitchen. I particularly love the iPad feature should the kids need it! Great review!
Jo Laybourn recently posted…Sunshine Kite Flying!
You can’t beat a toy kitchen! This one looks fab and I love the ipad facility! x #TriedTested
You Baby Me Mummy recently posted…A Blogger’s Guide to Linkys
What a fabulous kitchen! I want one for me! LOL. Love that you can add your ipad too, looks like lots of fun and it wouldn’t look out of place in our living room. #Triedtested
Samantha Rickelton recently posted…Today is our 8th wedding anniversary
This is gorgeous! If we had more room I’d definitely be getting one for H, he loves all things cooking xx
Potty Mouthed Mummy recently posted…Lapland Mailroom | Letters from Santa
this kitchen looks awesome! I love the blog too! come and check out mine, it is only lily days and just starting really but the main focus is kiddiewink’s vision. Both my 8 month old and 4 year old wear glasses and I am hoping to raise awareness of getting the under fives eyes tested
It looks great. I love the fact it’s interactive as well.
spicers1976 recently posted…Tips For Entertaining Your Toddler At The Eye Hospital
That is the cutest kitchen I have ever seen! #TriedTested
Natasha Mairs (Serenity You) recently posted…Daddy, I’m a Zombie 2 : Dixie Saves the Day DVD + Giveaway
Wow this looks brilliant! I agree I want to get a wooden kitchen when the time comes, plastic is not pretty haha. So clever how it interacts with the iPad too xx