my dd will be 15 months at Christmas - my mum wants to buy her a wooden kitchen

[leftmydignityatthedoor]

Would it be a waste of money? I know she's too little just now really but she won't then get any more presents until she's 2 iyswim.

What would you do?

If you'd get one - which one? Was thinking asda or ikea one - love the elc one but its v expensive - mum would buy it in a heartbeat but I am trying to STOP her spending ridiculous amounts at xmas!

If you have room for it, then yes she will probably play with it for quite a while, things like this are best bought when the child is a bit young for them, as you get as much use as possible form it.

My Mum was redirected from a big ELC kitchen to the smaller one which packs away into itself. It's a cooker/oven which has light up rings/griddle, with food, crocks, pots and pans etc. Great self contained toy, goes away with you on visits etc and has given my DD hours and hours of play. Now she's 5 we are really finding she has too many toys. So glad she doesn't have a mini kitchen. The small one was about £26 and is about 30x20x20cm.

my 20 mo loves kitchens, and agree if you have room a wooden one is much nicer to have around - i think there was a thread somewhere on here about which ones were the best

Thanks all. Definitely want a wooden one, we had a plastic one for ds and it just kept falling apart.

I'd go for it - your DD may not be completely ready for the pretend play aspect just yet but it won't be long. It also means that for her 2nd birthday she could be given chopping food, apron etc. to stock up the kitchen.

We bought our wonderful wooden kitchen when DD1 was nearly 2 (about 5 years ago). It was 2nd hand and comprises three separate units; sink, cooker and washing machine. I think it came from Jojo Maman Bebe or Blooming Marvellous originally. It's the most fantastic toy ever; DD1 still enjoys playing with it and DD2 (aged 2) can while away hours cooking, doing the laundry or generally bashing about in 'her' kitchen.

If we didn't have the one we've got I'd go for the Ikea one as it's slimline and neat. Having said that, the three separate units have been useful as they can be safely hoiked about the place by small people who decide that it's necessary to rearrange things.

I noticed the Asda one when I went the other day for only £40 on offer.
I think it would be worth the money.

DD1 had one for xmas when she was 16months and she started playing with it straight away and still does.

I'd say go for it.

We got a wooden one from ELC when DD1 was turning 2 (she has x-mas and Jan birthday). It is relatively small with opening doors on 2 sides, compared to some that got along the length of a wall. She still plays with it at nearly 6, DD2 at 4 plays with it and DS who is 21 months loves it at the moment. So in this house it was well worth the money and has had loads of use.

Also ELC do a lot of 20% off offers in the run up to X-mas so worth registering for their emails and keeping an eye on the deals.

I think they are brilliant. I don't know any particular brands I'd recommend, but just make sure it's easy to open doors etc and that it's not too small & light or they fall over/fall apart too easily.

There have been some good threads on them over the years. Some MNers have made lovely ones out of IKEA components.

Oh and yes - there is no need to get one which is almost as big as your own kitchen uncle bob are you listening??