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jdostalik
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Well, it's been a long time since we purchased a play kitchen--10+ years to be exact! 
Time to retire the old Fisher Price; it's seen better days...
For Christmas, I would like to give the younger kids a wooden play kitchen--but it would need to be sturdy. I prefer natural wood (no paint) and as much storage for food, dishes, as possible..
I don't want to break the bank, either, but in my limited searching, it looks like about a $200 investment!   Do any of you moms have any recommendations on where to buy, manufacturer, style etc.?
With our baby due so close to Christmas, I really want to get most of my shopping done in the next six weeks or so...
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Jennifer in TX
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JennGM
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I'm going to be a fly on the wall for this answer. I want to get something like this for my son, but I don't want to spend much. I don't like the plastic, but your $$ assessment is the same I've had. I've tried the local Freecycle and Craigslist, but it seems every parent has the same idea.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JennGM
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Jennifer,
I did want to offer a suggestion to you. If you have a Costco, they were offering a wooden play kitchen right now. I would totally be interested except it's pink. 
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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jdostalik
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JennGM wrote:
Jennifer,
I did want to offer a suggestion to you. If you have a Costco, they were offering a wooden play kitchen right now. I would totally be interested except it's pink. |
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That's why I would prefer a natural wood look or at the very least, primary colors...I have a four year old girl, just turned 2 year old girl BUT the bambino yet to be born is a boy--I would like a gender neutral kitchen!
Plus, my 6.5 yr old boy would probably be more interested in "teaching" his younger sisters how to cook if the kitchen doesn't look too girly...
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Jennifer in TX
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organiclilac
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They have some nice ones at Target - they are painted, but not in girly colors.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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JodieLyn
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Stove/Sink Combo $90
The same place has a fridge for $70.. together you can get them for $153.. didn't check on shipping.. but at least you could choose to buy one piece now and one later or something.
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JennGM
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Well, if money was no object,
did you check out these Wooden Toy Kitchens? Beautiful!
Pottery Barn Kids used to have some lovely ones, but they have now gone to either red or pink. And of course, all their prices are $$$$.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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5athome
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http://www.elvesandangels.com/about_us.phtml
If money were no object, I would definitely order from this site -- does anyone have oneof their kitchens??
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stefoodie
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sigh and drool.... this is one of the things that's been on my wishlist forever... my dd, now 15, went to a preschool that had kitchens from this catalog
now if i had a workshop and some high-powered tools....
my dds have had plastic though from garage sales:(
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BrendaPeter
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We got this one last year for Christmas. It's not natural but it was a good price from Ebay. It's been very sturdy.
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jdostalik
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Looks like there are some economical kitchens out there--the Kidcraft that Brenda mentioned is at Kids R Us--glad to know it is sturdy. That's my main concern. I don't want to have to worry about the kids breaking off the oven door during normal play... I couldn't tell if the Target one that Tracy mentioned was wooden or metal...but it looked cool! If I want natural wood, it's going to be steep (but I can dream!)...
Thanks, everyone! 
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Jennifer in TX
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Philothea
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You could get the Costco one and paint it. I saw someone who did that and it looked fine. Acrylic paint and polyurethane are all you need.
I compromised and just got a plastic one for my little guy. It's the new side-by-side kitchen from Little Tikes, it was only $69. I'm still a little regretful that I caved, but it was so inexpensive and had a lot of nice features that he enjoys. He really loves it, and for a plastic kitchen, it's nice-looking. It actually looks a lot like our real kitchen, and I think he likes that aspect most of all.
For extra storage I'm going to buy a small wooden cabinet at Michaels and paint it to match. It will be his "pantry" and he can keep his plates and utensils and other things in there.
ETA I debated getting the Target wooden one but it was always broken when I saw it in the store. It just didn't seem durable; as soon as they fixed it it would break again. I've also read it's tippy (as in it falls over a lot). There should be reviews on the Target site to help you decide.
More ETA: I'm talking about the one by Battat. That's the one that is always broken. I don't know anything about the Playwonder one.
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stefoodie
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Battat doesn't seem to make durable toys. Correct me if I'm wrong. I've observed the same thing at different stores. Last Tuesday I ran to Tuesday Morning early to get an easel for my 7-yo -- it was selling for $20 and the last time we got a $25 maple one was at a 75% off sale at a Dick Blick's -- we got lucky, but haven't found one that cheap since. But then I saw it was Battat and put it back. Been burned once too many times with their stuff.
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organiclilac
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Yes, after reading the reviews of the Target kitchens, the Battat one looks pretty bad! And it is metal. The Play Wonder one (which I think is wooden) has much better reviews, and that is the one I actually saw in the store and thought was cute.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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ShawnaB
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Jennifer, if you click on the link on the bottom of the page that Brenda posted (it says "More play kitchens and refridgerators her...") you'll see some nice looking, natural kitchens for similar price as the pastel KidCraft.
I am in the market too, as I purchase the Target kitchen 2 years ago, and while it is very cute and has been well-played with, it has absolutely fallen apart. I would not recommend it.
PS: My now 3 year old Dd was born on New Year's Eve. That year, I did 100% of my Christmas shopping online!
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krygerzoo
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I'm going to a home improvement store to get a shorter cupboard -- will get board to go on top, cut a hole for a bowl "sink" and am painting burners next to it... or maybe attach some round ones. Will probably use inexpensive wooden cupboard knobs for sink faucet handles and stove knobs. Haven't decided the faucet yet. The taller cupboard will be the fridge. May connect them with (peg?) board in the back and let it be the 'wall' behing sink to cut for 'window' and will make some curtains.... Plus some hooks for gadgets? On the side I'll mount a towel bar.
I do like some of the "gadgets" from target.
Oh, I can't wait to get started!
Peace, Katherine
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Elizabeth
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We've had this one for as long as I can remember. My children really prefer to play with the one in this post. But the wooden is in the kitchen, too and its cabinets hold my dish towels...
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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jdostalik
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Thanks, everyone for more tips. I think I've found a winner. I was just going to post this Little Colorado kitchen. The price is right--$136.89!
Elizabeth, it is the same wooden one you have had...so that makes me feel better about the quality...it does look sturdy! Oh, and it's cheaper at my link than Elizabeth's (for those of you who may be in the market as well!).
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Jennifer in TX
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Tina P.
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Chiming in late on this topic (what else is new, right?  ) but I wanted to say that we have a plastic play kitchen. I don't remember the brand, but the *reason* it's plastic is because for the past 10 years that we've had it, we moved too many times to want to remember. It has held together. Also, we have it outside on our covered back porch where the elements can't get to it, but our kids can pretend to have picnics using the kitchen and then taking the food over to the little picnic table to "eat."
Though I've looked at the wooden sliceable food with desire, I'm reminded of the way my kids enjoy their kitchen.
Just a thought ...
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Mary G
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jdostalik wrote:
Thanks, everyone for more tips. I think I've found a winner. I was just going to post this Little Colorado kitchen. The price is right--$136.89!
Elizabeth, it is the same wooden one you have had...so that makes me feel better about the quality...it does look sturdy! Oh, and it's cheaper at my link than Elizabeth's (for those of you who may be in the market as well!).
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Hmmmmmm....I wonder if they have an outlet store. Anyone know?
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Topic: wooden toy kitchens
