One of the bigger toys we gave to Liam is his play kitchen. It’s a cute model from Ikea; very Scandinavian and simple. He loves to make us food and especially loves to make me coffee in the morning. French vanilla, with milk and ice (although sometimes he surprises me with a dash of protein powder and corn).
The setup is very simple and I love that the stove lights up when you turn the burners on. But it’s a little too simple. There are some tricked-out play kitchens out there. We were not about to hook up running water to it, however, we wanted to spruce it up. The easiest thing you can do to any play kitchen is to install a backsplash…and some hand towels.
DIY Play Kitchen Makeover
I made the backsplash out of foam board and marble-looking contact paper. What I like about the foam board is the smooth surface. I first tried this with a piece of cardboard and it picked up all the of ridges on the cardboard. It looked odd, but it would have been fine for Liam’s kitchen. However, my type-A personality would have been frustrated every time I looked at it. The foam board provides a smooth surface.
I measured the back of the kitchen from the counter to an inch higher than the opening. Then cut the foam board to fit. I used duct tape to hold it in place and that’s it!
Materials:
Other goodies
Since we got the kitchen, we’ve been filling it up with appliances, food, and gadgets. Here are some of our favorites:
- Ice cream scoops
- Coffee maker
- Smoothies – blender and fruit
- Soft farmstand vegetable basket
- Canned food
- Pots and pans
- Glasses
- Kitchen utensils
- Don’t have, but want: cake and cookies…and they have a Christmas cookie one!
And sometimes you use things around the house to inspire imagination…
