It’s the big thing for little girls now, to have their very own play kitchen set. And oh how they love to imitate us cooking and eating! A friend gave me one for my little girl when she was 2, and she has loved it ever since. But I have found that the play food and extra things can be quite expensive to buy!
Well, one thing I like to do is give my daughter empty containers from my own kitchen to play with in hers.
I’m talking about empty containers of baking needs, spice jars, smaller sized condiments, things like that. Smaller sized jars are best.
I especially love to give my daughter empty spice jars, and flavored coffee tins because the scent still lingers inside. This is a great way to introduce your child to different aromas, and familiarize them with the smells of different spices. One childhood memory that will never leave me is when my great grandmother used to come and visit us in her little RV. She’d park it in front of our house, and my sister and I used to love to sit inside at her little eating nook and play with her empty spice jars and containers. I loved to open each jar and smell the different aromas.
Here are a few I like to use:
Here are some safety suggestions:
- Wash the container thoroughly.
- Never use a container that held meat.
- Never give your child a glass container to play with.
- Make sure that if it has a small lid on it, that you either remove it or super-glue it on. It poses a choking hazard.
- Never use a container that held a toxic substance, or chemicals.
- Never give your child an aluminum can to play with, as it may have sharp edges around the rim.
So, the next time you empty a reusable container, think about washing it out and letting your little girl (or boy!) put it to good use! Don’t waste so much money buying expensive pretend food anymore! (I’ve been so guilty of this too!)
Niki says:
Another great tip, Kendra!
This is a great idea. I have spent my fair share of play food, only to have them chewed up by our silly puppy!
Not to mention, many of the play food things you find that are cheap are also really small and a choking hazard.
April 11th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Sashwhy says:
Great idea! It cracks me up because the toy companies are trying to make make their toys look EXACTLY like the real thing (with the same logos, design, everything), and here we could just be using the real thing instead of going out and buying those things! Good tips.
I’ve been thinking lately of toy ideas for when we get (Lord willing) to the mission field since we’ll most likely be in a more “out-of-the-way” place - so this is a perfect idea!
April 11th, 2008 at 6:49 am
Jennie C says:
Hello,
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog and all your great tips and hints. Something my mom and dad did for me when I was little and I have already started for our soon to be adopted kiddos is to laminate (or using packing tape) pictures of food from magazines. I ‘made’ all kinds of fun foods when I was a little girl.
April 11th, 2008 at 11:15 am
BarbaraLee Malikowski says:
I would do this all the time especially w/the daycare kids.
April 11th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Tiffany says:
Wow what a great tip, my daughter will love it. Recycling is such a great idea as well. Thanks for always leaving such encouraging posts, I love reading them daily. We will be praying for your family with your husbands broken leg. God will provide, He always does!
Thanks again!
April 11th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Queen of Carrots says:
Some people have a safety can opener that doesn’t leave any sharp edges; if you do or have a kind friend who does, you could add cans to the mix. Opening from the bottom leaves the top looking intact for a more authentic look on the shelf.
We have a big stash of these sorts of things in the basement for “shopping.” And for all the charm of play kitchens, I find my kids will turn any flat surface into a stovetop.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
The Simple Mom says:
We do this, too, and it makes so much sense! My daughter loves using ketchup and dressing bottles, syrup, and baking powder.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Kristy says:
I love this idea, Kendra! My two little girls just love to cook too, and I think they would enjoy something like this! Thanks for sharing!
~Kristy @ Homemaker’s Cottage
April 11th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Kelly says:
You could make play fruit and vegetables out of play clay, paper clay or scuplty. What a fun project or gift that would be for a child. I used to draw and cut out pictures of food for my son and cover them with clear contact paper ” fried eggs, a hamburger, chips, fries and other items that could be flat. He seemed to enjoy our homemade food . Have fun.
April 12th, 2008 at 6:41 am