15 Wooden Play Kitchens That We Absolutely Love
This feature is part of Cubby's Gift Edit, our editor-curated collection of gift ideas. Need more inspiration? Check out all our guides here.
When I was little, I spent hours repurposing random objects into play food. Light Brite pieces became pasta, heaped onto coasters and served with a side of dominoes. Food has always been my passion, and when I started writing about it, it also became my profession. When I had my daughter, I was so hopeful that she would be interested in playing in a pretend kitchen, if only so I could play too. Thankfully, she’s always bustling in her kitchen, making me smoothies with tomato and lime, and cooking casseroles with some equally questionable ingredients.
It was important to me to choose a kitchen that I didn’t want to hide away, or count the moments until she’d outgrown it so I could get it out of my house. I wanted it to be the centerpiece of her play space. Beyond style, I also wanted it to be durable and sturdy, something solid that I could keep around for future generations.
If you’re searching for your forever kitchen, our picks below offer a range of price points and styles. Hopefully you’ll find something that suits your fancy as well as inspires your little chef.
Whatever your little one decides to put in your soup … bon appétit!
Our Top Pick
The rubberwood kitchen range from Tender Leaf Toys is hard to top. In fact, it’s the one I ended up choosing for my daughter and Cubby’s executive editor, Cambria, bought it for her daughter as well. At $299 this kitchen is priced right in the middle of what you’ll find for wooden play kitchens — not as inexpensive as some but not nearly as pricey as others. And we think you get a lot for the money, since Tender Leaf Toy’s kitchen comes with many thoughtful accessories like a small dinner, dishes, a gingham potholder, a kitchen towel, wooden jars, cooking utensils, and even some herbs! It’s an absolute charmer.