Creative Play Kitchens

  I have been DYING to do something with the double stroller box we have just hanging around! I thought of making plenty of things (a movie ticket counter, a "tunnel", a train, and a play kitchen). I found so many cute ideas for play kitchens that I confess, I REALLY wanted to make it. I asked my foodie sister: Is it weird to make a play kitchen for a boy? She responds, "No! What are most professional chefs?" To which I easily respond, "Men." (we both LOVE Alton Brown). Interestingly enough, this is what you get a boy who loves trains, has a mom who makes him a play kitchen!

 And the features of our play kitchen (plus some ideas for making your own) are: 

1. A stove top. We just traced circles, colored them in red (yes, they are all "on"), and drew a swirly in the middle. I've also seen people use plates, or construction paper. I would've liked real turning knobs, but I settled for some purple circles on the left.

 2. A Kitchen Sink. We cut a circle out of the box and pushed a metal bowl down in it. It works best if the bowl has a small lip on it.Yes, this one is full of "dirty" dishes - a regular occurrence since we welcomed Baby Boy #2. Up in the left hand corner is the "soap dish" - which is the sticky plastic opening part from travel wipes containers. I knew I was saving these for something crafty! I still want to add the faucet, which for us will be the top of a soap dispenser, but could also be made out of a thick straw I decided, or construction paper.

 3. A kitchen towel rack. We used ribbon and slid it into the sides of the box. Cuter kitchens use cute rope or string, and actually cut a small hole in the box side. I was tired of cutting when I added this feature. (I loathe cutting cardboard.) Simply drape a kitchen towel on it and viola!

  
4. An oven.  Cut a hole in the "front" of the box kitchen and carefully fold down for a crease. The slits go on the top, left, and right. I decided to put a cooling rack inside so it was more oven-looking. A similar idea for opening the oven as the kitchen towel rack. Instead making an actual hand (with two points the ribbon is stuck into), I just made a pull tab.


5. Kitchen Cabinets. We just cut a capital I - shape in the box for two cabinets you can open. We use it to store food and dishes, with baskets inside, and another cooling rack. I got lazy enough here I didn't even make handles, as the doors seemed to stay somewhat open anyway.

6. Play Food/Dishes. You can't have a kitchen without something to play with in it. I just took some dishes I don't use very often and some empty food containers I had washed out. We also used the circle we cut out of the box for the sink to make a homemade pizza! You could use scrap cardboard to make any food really. I've seen lots of tutorials for making some easy felt food as well. 

   Some other ways to "doll" up your kitchen I've seen is painting it (which I'm sure would greatly improve the look), and add contact paper for a cleaner/easy to wipe down finish. 

  Within the hour it was created, our new "play kitchen" had already been used for a house (yes, my son climbed in it), train track, and an obstacle course for all his toys. Great fun! The creative side of me says - "Keep going and make it look great" - the practical mom side says "You'll throw it away in a week either way." HAPPY CRAFTING!!

Inspired by (among many): 

Family Fun: Kitchen in a Box 

Make Homemade Gifts

Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle