[LisaDR]

We went to a party last weekend and Chase seemed to like playing with the kitchen set. My mom was looking for something to get him for Christmas so I mentioned that. She looked at me like aI had 6 heads.
I don't have a problem with him cooking and I don't think she does but she just didn't seem thrilled with it. I know it's not the amount of money. It was something about the kitchen.

He is 3 how long do they play with it.

[Guatemom]

Funny you should ask...
I have 2 boys, 4 and 19 mts, and they have a kitchen set they LOVE!!!
It started b/c my 4 yo is big on pretending (starting at about 2 1/2); he used to like to 'help' me cook, etc. and it went from there. Then I saw a little kitchen set on sale, and asked DH. He flipped I mean FLIPPED. So, I definitely understand where you're coming from. I guess its due to those preconceived notions on gender and what a child "should" or "should not" play with (on the flip-side, my SIL-DH's sister-equally flipped last Christmas when I asked if I could get her daughter, my niece, a fisher price little people's airplane set. Why? b/c my son had one and she loved it so much. SIL was furious, so I honored her wishes and left it at that. But I share to show you it is a common notion in DH's family) Anyway, long story short, I did end up getting the kitchen set. And BOTH my boys have loved it. They still love their cars and dinos and such, but boy they love that kitchen, and even my 4 y/o still likes to 'cook' me dinner sometimes!
I say go for it...encourage his dreams and imagination...who knows, he may be a famous chef someday!!!

[dac_cincy]

You would probably get the same amount of time with that a girl would have with it another 2-3 years.

I have seen a few advertised this season under $40. Nothing fancy, just a nice little kitchen. I am considering getting Bug one becuase he loves the ones at Sunday school and at his daycare provider's house.

If your family might bulk at the kitchen- you might suggest a play grill- I have seen those and Bug has one at daycare. He loves the sounds and he "cooks" all his other toys.

Love to you,
Deb

[Jayci]

Santa brought Noah a kitchen last year. He loved playing and pretending he was cooking. We got the Little tykes that is for both boys and girls (not pink). He was four and he does play with it. It's fine for him to have a kitchen, he's just a little boy playing in the kitchen...Maybe he will be a famous chef! Wouldn't that be awesome! or a great husband who will help in the kitchen when he is older!! hehe

[jeck]

We are thinking about getting DS one for christmas and there are so many cool ones that are more geared for boys or gender neutral... There are some that are more like a grill even!

[adoptnky]

Alex has had one for awhile and he loves it. The truth is, that my DH does all the cooking, so Alex is just copying what daddy does. If fact, he gets very confused when mommy is in the kitchen.

By the way - my son is breaking ALL of the gender notions of toys. Yes, he has tractors, barns and a train set, but he LOVES princesses, Barbie and anything pink. Luckily my family (including my DH) are very accepting of it.

Kim

[KKR213]

Hi Lisa!

John got a kitchen last year from Santa and loves it. He likes to "make dinner" and wash dishes. It is good for his imagination. He puts his cars in it too.

Here are some pics of John cooking this week!

Chase is such a boy and the kitchen could double as a hockey goal!

Kathy

[SKL]

Don't worry, it's just the generation gap. There are lots of play kitchens today that are totally gender neutral. I think it's one of the best gifts any child of that age could receive.

[kirbystarcat]

DS loves to play with DD's set. It is a simple, blue and red wooden set from Target. In fact we moved it into his room for the holidays because it usually sits where we put our tree. I don't think it is a big deal at all.

[adcollins]

We have some friends who have two kids (one boy and one girl) who are 5 and 6 and they just upgraded to a bigger, more elaborate play kitchen because both their kids spent so much time playing with it.

Not to get off on too much of a tangent, but actually this whole notion of "gender specific" toys is kind of driving me crazy right now. My daughter loves her kitchen and she loves trains and cars too. Now that we're into heavy duty catalogue season, I'm noticing how awful it is that they only show girls playing with the kitchens and only show boys playing with the work benches, train sets, etc. It's not that I think that kids are all alike, and I'm willing to accept that there are inherent differences between them, but we do reinforce too many stereotypes whether we mean to or not.

Sorry-- off my soapbox now. Thank goodness my husband likes the kitchen more than I do and does most of the cooking. We're all better off for it!

Anne

[quiver8]

My boys all played with the kitchen set. They made meals for their stuffed animals. They help me in the kitchen now and love it. If she thinks it's more of a girl thing, these boys will need to cook for themselves and it's good to give them the fun when they are young. My boys played with it up until they were around 8. Then the girls took it over

[CEB]

We actually just bought Curtis an inexpensive kitchen set at ToysRUs' black Friday sale (Little Tykes). Like another poster here, DH is the sole cook in our household and Curtis and is always wanting to "help" him cook. So far, the play kitchen seems to be working great - we put it in our kitchen and they go cook together. I do think there are some generational issues - when told about the purchase my FIL asked sarcastically "so, are you going to buy him a dollhouse next", but I dont let these things affect my analysis - the toy encourages Curtis' imagination and gets him out of DH's hair so DH can finish making my dinner - a win-win!

[mommytoEli]

my son is almost 6....he will still play with a kitchen set if we pass one. both he and eli LOVE the kitchen...real or fake. i have kind of become this sexist mom i guess and i don't mind my sons being in the kitchen, but i feel this obsessive need to boy it out abit (maybe bc one of the posters above me is right....all the adds for kitchen have girls, and all the toolbench sest have boys....anyway....)....lol...so when they both asked to have aprons for when they really cook with me...i got them ones with a skull and crossbones on it, and then they wear their red bandana and they are pirate cooks. don't flame me....i know i have issues...and with FOUR boys, i'll get there.

Kids’ Skeleton Apron | Williams-Sonoma

lol. honestly, if i could afford it, i would in a FLASH get the kitchen set from pottery barn kids...whenever we go the boys want to make fake food for an hour...and i kind of want to play in it, too. lol. pottery barn kids | Gourmet Kitchen Collection

(look...there's a girl and her mom in the picture...of course, right?)

i don't think you have 6 heads...maybe your mom won't either when she sees how much fun he has.....and maybe if he has an awesome boy apron. lol.

[WJarman]

We have a super-girlie pink and lavender wooden kitchen set I picked up at a consignment store for the little girls our nanny watches at our house. My boys love it just as much as the girls and they all love to play together and make meals for each other. It's a wonderful imagination-based toy.

[AngelsMama]

On the flip side (because my kiddos are getting a kitchen to share this christmas) my DD LOVES dinosaurs. Seriously loves dinos. My Mom, who is very good about these things, keeps teasing that we need to get her interested in girl things. DD just wants to be like her brother...the funny thing is that her brother just wants to be like Mommy...do makeup and get his nails done. I don't play into gender roles, but then again I had years of teaching preschool where the kids weren't mine and I didn't mind what they played with to learn it's all part of learning.