Play Kitchens

Play Kitchens

Play kitchens are a hugely popular and versatile piece of children’s play time equipment.  Children bake, create, conjure and cook all manner of different recipes and creations in their kitchens. A child’s imagination and creative limits know no bounds when they are busy cooking up a mud pie because their imaginations can fly!

The Science and the maths:

Cooking in a play kitchen opens a young child’s mind to countless recipe ideas. And those ideas have their foundations in science because of the measures and weights involved. They learn the difference between a liquid and a solid by mixing water with twigs or leaves. Consequently, they can imagine a stew thickening on the stove and engage gravity as they allow items to fall into their pot.

Maths can be a tricky subject and as a result not all children engage with the subject. But counting out their leaves or stones is fun which means they are learning maths skills without knowing it.

Play kitchen benefits:

• promote imaginative and creative play
• allow children to play and learn together
• support pretend play and role play
• help children develop their motor and fine motor skills

Sensory play and development

Likewise, as they put their hands in to kneed their mixture they alert their senses to touch, sight and smell. Mopping up spillages and gathering their ingredients develops fine motor skills through the handling of the utensils and other kitchen equipment.

Group Activities

Whilst children immerse themselves in the joys of their kitchen they share delight and encouragement with each other. Play Kitchens are instrumental in building personal, social and emotional development in young children. The delightful sensory experiences children derive from playing with mud, sticks, pebbles and water provides emotional wellbeing to all children.