DiscoverSounds Kitchen This Version is Better than the Updated Model!
Written: Sep 21 '05 (Updated Aug 08 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: ● Extremely durable
● Gender neutral
● Company stands behind their toys!
Cons: ● Shape sorter should be redesigned
The Bottom Line: The Little Tikes DiscoverSounds Kitchen makes a super baby toy that's indestructible!
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| marybatson's Full Review: DiscoverSounds Kitchen |
Several years ago, I was in search of an activity toy that would entertain my toddler. Little did I know that the DiscoverSounds Kitchen would be a gem of a toy, and indestructible as well.
The DiscoverSounds Kitchen is a developmental toy for babies, and seconds as a pretend toy for toddlers. It’s brightly colored in red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and orange. Despite the fact that this is a toy kitchen, it’s a gender-neutral plaything. There are 9-separate activities, although I’ve found that children have a way a building upon the foundation. There are 7-accessories: a pot, a skillet, a telephone, 3-blocks, and a spatula/spoon combination that’s attached to a ring.
The miniature kitchen, and all the accessories are made of very study plastic. The backside of the kitchen includes molded features that any child might associate with a kitchen: a large pot, a tea set, plates, and food one might see in a refrigerator: milk, eggs, bread, cheese, and vegetables. The toy is an all-inclusive unit, and it measures 22” wide x 16½” high x 8½” deep ~ think of a small suitcase. It’s too big for babies to carry, although older toddlers are able to lift and lug it around the house because it only weighs 5-pounds.
● The telephone is a portable unit that slides into a cradle, which is mounted to the kitchen wall. There is no cord, or interactive features. It’s just a molded telephone.
● The refrigerator includes an ice machine shape sorter, and a shelf to store playfood, or other accessories. The shape sorter stores 3-blocks that are shaped like a circle, a square, and a triangle. Press the button on the front of the refrigerator, and the blocks fall from the ice machine. The green pot can be placed in the ice machine to collect the blocks, or they can fall freely.
● The battery-operated features are located on the stovetop. There are two grooves on the burner, which correspond to the cookware, and activate the sounds. When the skillet is placed on the burner, it makes a frying sound. When the pot is placed on the burner, it makes a boiling sound. When you flip the stovetop switch, it ticks, and then rings like an egg timer. There is no volume control, but the sounds are not loud, nor are they annoying like many toys with sounds.
● The sink features a faucet, and a molded basin. The basin stores playfood, or blocks, and the faucet moves from right to left.
● The oven features a drop-down door with a molded handle, and stores the skillet, or playfood.
● The microwave includes a door similar to the over, and stores playfood, or the spatula/spoon combination.
● A wall hook will hold either the skillet, or the spatula/spoon combination.
Little assembly is required for the DiscoverSounds Kitchen, although a Phillips screwdriver is necessary for the job. There are 4-basic steps: mount the telephone cradle, install the stovetop element with batteries, connect the faucet, and affix the 5-decals. It took me 15 minutes altogether. The plaything requires two AA batteries for the sound effects, which are not included. The battery compartment is located underneath the stovetop element, which is mounted to the kitchen with a screw. In two-years time, I have yet to replace the batteries.
Our Experience:
If you’ve read my review of the DiscoverSounds Stackin’ Pans than you know that I didn’t "discover" this kitchen until my son was 17-months old. William was thrilled with this gift, and I was surprised it amused him for 45-minutes to an hour every play session. At first, I placed the kitchen on the floor, but quickly realized that it played better when it was placed on top of my son’s toy box, which sat up next to the wall. This little kitchen lived in our living room for months at a time. He absolutely adored it. It’s difficult for me to discuss the kitchen without the Stackin’ Pans accessories as I purchased them together, and they certainly enhanced my son's play. In addition, he received playfood for Christmas, so his domestic facilities were certainly tested before his second birthday.
William was captivated by the ice machine. He’d let the blocks fall into the pot, and he’d laugh, and laugh. He didn’t sort the blocks properly, because this shape sorter doesn’t require it. I think the company could modify this aspect, because I believe toys with progressive learning have a longer shelf life. If the only objective of this activity is to develop fine hand-eye coordination then why offer dissimilar shaped blocks. Why not let them all be circular, or square. If the intent is to introduce reasoning, and problem solving, then the shape sorter should be redesigned.
The recommended age by Little Tikes is 9-months to 3-years, so we certainly could have enjoyed the DiscoverSounds Kitchen well before I brought it home. Our 8-month old neighbors came for a visit and he was quite intrigued with this little kitchen. He became frustrated when trying to open the refrigerator door, but once his mother showed him there was a notch on the side of the door for his hand, he was entertained for 30-minutes or more.
In 2-years time we haven’t had any safety concerns; however, the microwave door broke off soon after my son received the toy. William used the kitchen as a step stool, and apparently the microwave door was open when he stepped on it. Little Tikes sent a replacement door 2-weeks later without hassles. The DiscoverSounds Kitchen was easy to maintain, and still looks new. All I did was wash it down with warm water, and a soft cloth. This toy was certainly worth the money. My only regret was that I didn’t pick it up a year earlier.
Little Tikes has recently updated this play kitchen, and they hold the same name. After playing with the new DiscoverSounds Kitchen, I've concluded that the older version is better. The newer kitchen is a bit deeper than the original, which will probably add stability. Plus, they've added a spin dial which plays music, and flashes lights. However, the doors are tiny, and there's little storage space for the accessories, or additional playfood. The newer version isn't as wide either, by almost 4", so there's less counter space, so to speak. The older version is still available at on-line stores, and in some brick and mortar stores. Good luck!
The Little Tikes Company
PO Box 2277, 2180 Barlow Road, Hudson, Ohio 44236-0877
1-800-987-0183
www.littletikes.com
Additional Kitchen-Type Toy Reviews:
Cook ‘N Clean Kitchen by Little Tikes
DiscoverSounds Stackin' Pans by Little Tikes
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $24.99
Type of Toy: Baby Toy
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
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marybatson
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Member: Mary
Location: Phoenix
Reviews written: 169
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