Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Play kitchen pots and pans

In the comments below, Milehighmama reminds us that camping cook sets make durable child-size pots and pans. For now, we're using a hand-me-down sugar and creamer set, which is just the right scale but not at all valuable. Any good ideas for plates and cups?

8 comments:

Carrie J said...

I used to pick up Meleamac (or however you spell it) saucers and coffee cups at the thrift store for play dishes. We have used the plastic lids to coffee cans as well.

Anonymous said...

I have some Tupperware, I got it at a church tag sale, it is Millionare line. It is a whole picnic set, 4 cups (with handles) plates, (both large and small) bowls, and there is a sugar bowl, creamer, and pitcher. These are soft colors.
I also look for things at tag sales that can be used..bowls, wood spoons, plastic cookie cutters.

Queen of Carrots said...

My kids will turn anything portable into play dishes and food, and anything non-portable into ovens and tables. Their favorite make-do plates, though, are wooden coasters. They regularly serve up "cake" (wooden alphabet blocks) on those.

Anonymous said...

I too bought Mellmac dishes from a thrift store. They are pretty durable and come in a variety of pretty colors.

Amy said...

We bought a little set of plastic dishes from Target that look like the Melmac dishes, but are child sizes. I love them! They are durable and can take a royal beating without looking bad!

Mimi said...

Play dishes and play tea sets are so durable that I'm sure you can pick up some at a yard sale.

Anonymous said...

Meredith:

What a charming photo and topic! I am reminded of 2 things:

in Alcott's 'Little Men', the little sister Daisy is given a full working kitchen just her size. Fun to read.

the Rinkers discussion of child-sized REAL silver tea sets from turn of 20th century: given to girls for the purpose of training in proper usage and care. They weren't toys back then.

I collected all manner of small-scale 'real' dishes for my daughter and her dolls, but she never really enjoyed playing with the dishes.

A's love was making the FOOD to go in the dishes (mostly from scrap paper--she would spend hours coloring EACH AND EVERY NOODLE! EACH AND EVERY PEA!), and hand-printing menus, arranging the family table, making service aprons, bossing everyone where to sit, and what was good on the menu tonight.

The only dishes that really saw play was a mis-matched collection of Buffalo China espresso cups. (you know, diner dishes) Afternoon real tea.

All that to say, I never had the joy of finding a fun mini-kitchen because I knew she wouldn't use it.

We DID have a play chimney, though, because that was my son's fondest wish at age 4. But that's another story ; )

GOOD FOR YOU on the felted veg! So cute, hope we can see a picture. Felting projects are a blast. GO ANDREW!

deb meyers

Anonymous said...

I was going to say melmac too!