Step2

On each play kitchen’s page, you may have noticed we have listed the height, width, and length dimensions to better assist you during your decision on which play kitchen to purchase. However, we have received questions surrounding the height of the counters on our play kitchens. Therefore, we decided to create a scale to reference and compare the highest point, width, length, and height of the counters of each play kitchen to help you decide which kitchen is perfect for your child!

There is no better way to bring in the holidays than getting the kids excited by creating arts and crafts themed around the 4th of July. Better yet, it is even more fun to include them in baking some yummy treats in order to make them feel they helped plan the celebration.

July 4^th Arts & Crafts

Arts and crafts projects can be messy. So when deciding a project, make sure you focus on a project that does not require a lot of materials and is not tedious. Either take the project outside or designate an area inside, such as an art desk, to complete the project. The faster it is to create the craft, the better because the children will not become bored. The same goes for making delicious food.

Here at Step2, we discovered an arts and crafts project from FamilyFun Magazine, which will be a ton of fun for the kids. The Patri-botic Centerpiece will be the perfect centerpiece at your July 4^th party. You could even place it at the kids’ table. It is a cute idea because the kids can create the face they want on their robot and take pride in making a helpful centerpiece for their party guests.

Additional holiday arts & crafts:

Patriotic Pinwheel  (Kaboose.com)
Firework Favors (Spoonful.com)
Fourth of July Windsock (Bhg.com)

Holiday Recipes

Baking with the kids is always a fun activity (but keep kitchen safety in mind when including the little ones), especially when it is a sweet treat they can enjoy. Everyone loves ice cream during the hot summer days. We found a fun recipe for Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes on Grandparents.com. These cupcakes are served in an ice cream cone, but it is actually a cupcake!

Have your little one assist in stirring the batter or adding the sprinkles. If your little one is too young to assist you in the kitchen, bring their play kitchen into your kitchen so they can “pretend” bake alongside you.

Additional holiday treats:

Berry Bliss Rocket Pops (Familyfreshcooking.com)
Flag Cake (Recipe.com)
Crispy Cheese Stars (Familyfun.go.com)

Have a great 4^th of July! If you decide to do a project or baking activity with your children or grandchildren, send some pictures to thestep2team@gmail.com and we will share them on Facebook!

Check out more craft ideas and recipes on the Step2 “Creative Crafts” Pinterest board.

Play kitchens are a wonderful way for children – both boys and girls – to be creative and have fun. Traditionally, play kitchens have been presented as gifts for little girls. However, studies show that boys also benefit from pretend play, such as cooking, playing doctor, or pretending to do the grocery shopping.

Here are a few reasons why both boys and girls can benefit from a play kitchen:

• A toy kitchen set usually comes with many elements, including play food, a play microwave, a stove, play pots, kitchen utensils, storage for the play sets, ovens and oven timers. Using these various tools and accessories can spur children to think about what they want to make for dinner, which child is going to do the grocery shopping, who going to set the table for dinner, and what side dishes are going with the main entrée. They may want to decide what to serve for dessert and how long it needs to be in the oven to bake.
• Kitchen sets for kids are also a great way to entertain kids while adults are preparing a meal. Because kids often want to mimic what their father, mother, or grandmother is doing, a children’s play kitchen is the perfect diversion.
• Pretend play that involves an element of work is also advantageous. Because a ready meal does not magically appear on the table, play kitchens help children thinking about what goes into the preparation of food. After all, someone has to make a grocery list, go out and buy the ingredients, fix the meal, and clean up afterwards. If more than one child is using the play kitchen, they must work together and decide who is doing which tasks. They can also ‘pretend entertain’ and have guests over for dinner. This can potentially teach them the importance of hospitality and how to treat guests when they come over.
• Gone are the days when a woman’s place was in the kitchen. Today, men and women often share the responsibility of cooking and food preparation. Or perhaps the man might be more inclined to cook and experiment with ingredients, while the woman enjoys the more scientific process of baking. Interest in food, flavors and seasonality is not limited to women; some of the world’s best chefs are male. Play kitchens are wonderful gifts for boys and girls.