Polly put the kettle on, we’ll all have some tea.
My mother picked up this toy kitchen at some second-hand markets. It cost about $5 and we’ve had a billion hours of use from it so far – I’m not sure how many children it entertained before it came to us but it is now on to the second of our children.
The tin teaset was a birthday present for Cormac from his sister when he turned two recently. He loves it.
So yeah, I recommend teasets and toy kitchens for toddlers as gifts, so successful.
I just want to point out one little thing. Not only does Cormac drink his tea holding cup and saucer properly but he also ever so slightly extends his little pinkie finger. Oh my god, and I was just saying the other day how this family fails at the Montessori goal of grace and courtsey. Turns out at least one little republican here is ready to meet the Queen.
I have NOT been able to find tin tea sets out here (Chicago). The only options I’ve seen are plastic (trying to cut down on plastic consumption!) and ceramic (oh please, let me hand my toddler something that explodes into tiny sharp shards when thrown!) new, and nothing used. So we just let him play with our drinking cups, and he walks around fake drinking out of them and giving sips to his toys. DAW.
What a little cutie! I never had a teaset as a kid, but I’ve got one now and I love it to pieces – tea parties are just as fun as a grown-up!
We have a lovely wooden teaset (my choice) and a hideous plastic one (someone elses choice), but turns out the plastic pieces are handy as bath toys for the toddler.
Great find with the el cheapo kitchen! We’ve just passed on bunch of baby stuff so maybe there’ll be room for a kitchen now…
Just a hesitant question, aren’t fake kitchens contrary to montessori principles?
Yes, you’re right Tamara. Smaller versions of real, not toy versions of real is the Montessori vision.. and they’d possibly bring themselves to approve of a nicely-made wooden toy version of the kitchen because the child could at least practice opening drawers and closing latches and handling doors and such with proper weight and texture and all that sort of stuff but, like I said – $5 for ours!
I went to Montessori playgroup with Cormac this morning and I got myself all over-excited again about how we could be living the Montessori dream at home, if only I could make us all better people in a better house.
Also, forgot to say, Cormac does a few Montessori activities with the plastic kitchen – pouring, transferring objects from one pot to another with a spoon, matching lids with containers – so for others keen on doing Montessori with their toddlers I think toy kitchens rock.
Excellent, I am looking for one now. My 4 year old has discovered making spice mixes. Montessori would be pleaed as she is using genuine expensive spices for this. Yay.
Blue milk, I think you touched on one of the major problems I have with Montessori as it is practised in a lot western institutions: an over-reliance on expensive Montessori designated materials.
As you pointed out this $5 kit enables the child to practice fine motor skills (pouring, transferring objects) cognitive skills (matching lids with containers) etc. that are great learning experiences for toddlers whose parents are following the montessori philosophy or not.
And he looks like he loves to it which is perhaps the most important part!