Ready for the next installment of MPMK’s 2013 Christmas gift guides? I hope so because it’s one I’m particularly excited to share. Before I do, though, just a quick reminder that you can peruse all of our gift guides here.
On to our finds for dramatic play, yippee! Why am I so enthusiastic about this list, and dramatic play in general? Because I truly believe that this type of play is absolutely VITAL to kids’ development. It teaches so many wonderful things – literacy through vocabulary and story-telling practice as well as social skills such as empathy, turn taking, and the identification of emotions.
It can even incorporate lots of practical mathematical problem solving skills, and much, much more. Plus kids absolutely love it, which means carefully selected, engaging toys can leads to hours upon hours of both independent and cooperative play.
Once again this year, I’m heading up each list with my favorites from all the picks – here, in no particular order, are my top 7 Toys for Quality Dramatic Play (scroll down for full details on each):
Kidkraft Red Vintage Kitchen $148.64 (2 – 8 years)
Learning Resources Pretend & Play Doctor Set $26.20 (3 – 6 years)
Learning Resources Teaching Cash Register $$38.03 (3 – 9 years)
Melissa & Doug Dress Up Sets starting at $19.99 (3 – 6 years)
Green Toys Tool Set $19.59 (2+ years)
Little Helper Broom Set $13.66 (3 – 6 years)
Designed by You Doll House with Furniture $110.22 (2+ years)
I should mention that the most classic of dramatic play toys, dolls, are not included on this list other than the doll house mentioned above. That’s because there are so many blocks that I love they have their very own gift guide: Best Toys for Doll Lovers.
Read on for over 30 of my favorite toys for quality dramatic play, broken down into:
Cooking & Grocery Shopping
Dress Up
Doctor & Veterinarian
Trains, Planes & Automobiles
Construction
Stand-Alone Dramatic Play Props
Special Note: In an effort to help you out as much as possible this year, I’ve included both prices and age recommendations for each item. Please take the age ranges as just that – recommendations – you know you’re child best after all!
Also, this time of year prices can fluctuate quite dramatically. So if you see something a little outside of your price range, it might not be a bad idea to click over and check it out anyway – you may get lucky and catch a sale.
Along those lines, I’m doing my best to keep our readers up-to-date on any sales I see on our gift guide items. To be in the loop, be sure to follow us on facebook and subscribe to our newsletter.
Ready for the big list? Here we go…
Cooking & Grocery Shopping
Grocery shopping and cooking dramatic play has long been popular with boys and girls alike. As such, there are a bevy of toy props to go along with this type of play in all sizes and price ranges. Here are a few of our favorites.
Kidkraft Red Vintage Kitchen $148.64 (2 – 8 years) – The play kitchen is a quintessential play toy that I would recommend for every child if you have the space and budget. There are so many different ways kids can play with them – cooking at home, setting up a restaurant, having a tea party, going shopping and unloading the groceries, etc. We bought this one for the kids two years ago when they were 1 and 3 and couldn’t be happier with it. I really like the look of the thing and I think the vibrant red is nicely gender neutral. Despite a small footprint, this kitchen still has all the amenities and both my kids enjoy regularly playing at it simultaneously even now at ages 3 and 5 (Side note: people sometimes ask if kids will get too big for this smaller kitchen – mine are 95% in height and haven’t had an issue). If you’re looking for a big wow gift from Santa, this could very well be it!
Learning Resources Teaching Cash Register $38.03 (3 – 9 years) – An obvious extension of all the play food that comes with a play kitchen, is playing store. And the biggest prop needed for some good store play is a cash register. My kids started hoarded the register at a local drop in play center for over an hour at a time last year and I knew we had to get one for Christmas. A lot of research pointed to this one as being the best learning register on the market thanks to a working calculator and scale as well as being able to recognize real money and even incorporating some math games. This is a toy that will grow with your kids.
Melissa & Doug Cutting Food $15.99 (3 – 6 years) – Regardless of whether you go for a play kitchen, cash register, or both – you’re gonna need some food to cook or buy. We got this cutting food from Melissa & Doug before we ever got the kitchen and it was an excellent toy all on it’s own, both for dramatic play and for building fine motor skills. Our kids have been playing with these pieces for years and still found them very enticing on their own up to age 3 or so (after that they were good props for kitchen play).
Melissa & Doug Shopping Basket and Play Food $16.71 (3+ years) - As much as we love the cutting food, for a store setup it’s less frustrating to also have some food that doesn’t fall apart when being scanned and bagged. I like the array of items in this set, as well as the realistic shopping basket (a great alternative if you don’t want to go for the cart).
Melissa and Doug Shopping Cart $44.95 (3 – 7 years) – A shopping cart isn’t totally necessary for shopping play but if you have the space, kids absolutely LOVE it, both for playing store and just for pushing their dolls and other pals around in. (This option bundles the cart with a wooden pantry food set and a fridge food set.)
Educational Insights Grill & Go Camp Stove $27.05 – I’ve been a bit obsessed with camping since our family had such an awesome go of it the last two summersr I really like how real looking this set is and I think it would be great both for kids already excited about the great outdoors and those you’d like to get excited by next summer. Our toddler group had a big pretend camp set-up last year and 2 year old S loved this thing.
Dress Up
Dressing up is a great way to encourage roll playing, which really gets kids thinking critically about the world around them and their place in it. It also often leads to improved emotional intelligence as children explore how their interactions with each other effect feelings and emotions.
Melissa & Doug Dress Up Sets starting at $19.99 (3 – 6 years) – A big box full of dress up clothes was the kids’ big present two Christmases ago. I filled it with lots of random items (shoes, jewelry, masks, hats, boas, etc) as well as a few complete outfits. For that, Melissa & Doug’s selection has always been my favorite. Go for their Delux Role Play Costume Bundle or check out their chef, Fire Chief, and pirate outfits as well as this very cool, non-M&D, astronaut getup.
Little Adventures Girl Superhero Cape $14.99 (3 – 8 years) – There’s something so confidence-inspiring about getting to be a superhero. Be sure to get a cape for your boy too.
Disney Brave Merida Dress $18.65 (3 – 6 years) – I’ll admit, I don’t love the whole princess thing. Nevertheless, little girls like to be pretty – that I get. And if there’s one princess I can get behind it’s Merida from Disney’s Brave.
12 Foam Animal Masks $4.45 (3+ years) - These foam masks aren’t the highest quality but they’re dirt cheap and my kids have been playing with them for nearly two years now (with a few casualties). One of the best $5 I ever spent!
Doctor & Veterinarian
Learning Resources Pretend & Play Doctor Set $26.20 (3 – 6 years) - A quality doctor kit is another excellent dramatic play toy for both boys and girls. Kids like being patients but really enjoy the power involved in getting to play care-taker. These kits are also nice for easing doctor visit anxiety. I really like how comprehensive this set is and the fact that it comes with a durable carrying case to keep track of everything.
Melissa & Doug Doctor Role Play Set $$26.20 (3 – 6 years) - You get a lot in this set, including lab coats, face masks and an array of props like the working stethoscope.
Dalmatian Vet Kit $24.08 (2+ years) - We got this for our then 2 year old daughter last year. She’s one of those girls that likes caring for stuffed animals and dolls, but doesn’t go nuts about babies like some of her friends. This has been be a nice, non-baby dramatic play option for her. We packaged it along with a book about the vet staring one of her favotite characters, “Biscuit Visits the Doctor“.
Playmobil Super Set Animal Care Station $25.14 (3 – 10 years) and Playmobil My Take Along Vet Station $39.99 (3 – 10 years) - When I reached out to our newsletter subscribers asking for their favorite toys for this list, I got replies that Playmobil sets were a hit with their kids. These two options look like they’d provide lots of opportunities for role playing taking care of animals both big and small.
Trains, Planes, & Automobiles
Kidkraft Waterfall Mountain Train Set & Table $119.96 (2 – 8 years) - We bought our son a train table for his 2nd birthday and we always say it’s one of the best purchases we’ve ever made. Over three years later both he and his sister still play with it several times a week. At 4 he was able to completely construct the track by himself using the map and that added a whole new level of building play to this fantastic toy. I think the model we bought has been discontinued but this one has all of the same key components: a bridge, waterfall mountain, helicopter landing pad, and the all-important drawers for storing all the little pieces. If you’re going to be putting your train table in main living space, you may want to spring for the more expensive and KidKraft Metropolis Train Set Table with Trundle Drawer. It’s got a nicer “furniture” look (and that double bridge is pretty cool too).
Green Toys Airplane $10.49 (1+ years) - Ever since the kids were babies, I’ve always appreciated the non-toxic and eco-friendly nature as well as the lack of small parts on Green Toy vehicles. I’m sure we’ll be getting a few for baby #3 once he or she arrives.
Melissa & Doug World Airplane and Luggage Carrier Set $19.99 (3 – 6 years) – This simple set is charming. It’s the perfect thing for promoting lots of imaginative play and I’m smitten with the little wooden luggage and luggage cart.
Playmobil Rescue Ambulance $19.99, Rescue Helicopter $28.99, and Fire Rescue Station $34.99 (3 – 10 years) - I’m eyeing these sets for my 5 year old son this year. He’s in a rescue phase and I think he could set up some amazing scenarios with a few of these together (may have to recruit the aunts or grandparents to get him some too).
Plan Toys City Series Parking Garage $74.11 (3+ years) – C got this garage for Christmas two years ago. He and his sister really like the working elevator and it’s a favorite toy for group play during play dates.
Construction
Melissa & Doug Construction Worker Role Play Set $24.99 (3 – 6 years) – Perfect for any construction vehicle loving kiddo in your life.
Bruder Construction Vehicles $15.59 and up (3 – 8 years) – If you’ve got a true vehicle lover at home then you know they can NEVER get enough construction vehicles to push around the floor (or around the sandbox). The Brudler versions are each realistic, high quality options that won’t disappoint. They cost more but they hold up and my son is seriously smitten with how well this crane truck works.
Green Toys Tool Set $19.59 (2+ years) – A tool set is another “must-have” toy in my book. They’re fantastic for dramatic play (my kids love finding new things to “fix”) all by themselves. Add in some working nuts and bolts and you’ve got fine motor practice to boot. We bought a wood tool set for C and have been happy with everything except the durability, so far we’ve had a wrench and pliers snap. I think this set from green toys would be a lot more durable (there are sets available in blue, yellow, and green or brown, red, and blue as well).
Melissa & Doug Wooden Project Workbench $58.10 (3+ years) – If you’ve got a serious tool lover in the house, and have the space, this deluxe tool bench is another great option and the price is pretty good when compared to dramatic play toys of similar size, such as play kitchens and stores.
Stand-Alone Dramatic Play Props
Little Helper Broom Set $13.66 (3 – 6 years) - This is another item we’ve had for a few years now. It’s very inexpensive and the kids really enjoy breaking it out to help with clean up when the opportunity arises.
Green Toys Tea Set $19.59 (2 – 4 years) – Whether playing with mommy or a favorite doll, tea time is always a fun way to pass some time. We’ve had this set for over a year and it still looks like new (despite lots of use in the playroom, bathtub and even sand box). Plus I love that Green Toys are 100% recycled, made from milk jugs, are FDA approved to eat and drink from, and do not contain BPA, phthalates, or lead paint.
Melissa & Doug My Own Mail Box $13.99 (3 – 6 years) – Everyone loves to get mail! Having a play mailbox like this one is an incredibly cute way to encourage communication between siblings and they’ll adore leaving and finding notes in it. It’s also a great excuse to practice writing skills.
Aurora World Barn Yard Friends Carrier With Sound $17.10 – This is a plush farm and animal set that makes sounds and is the perfect thing for introductory imaginary play. For bigger kids, there’s the Melissa & Doug Fold & Go Mini Barn $33.79 (3 – 6). It’s a two-story barn stocked with seven realistic plastic farm animals, a wooden ladder and a folding corral.
Toobs starting at $8.03 (3+ years) - After our Make Like a Montessori Mama: Animal Activities post two years ago, I knew I needed to get C some small animal figurines as soon as possible. A quick Amazon search revealed exactly what I was looking for. Not only are the handy Toob container the perfect shape for a stocking, there are a million themes to choose from. Whether your little one are into horses, zoo babies, trains, pirates, dinosaurs, North American Wildlife, or the arctic – there’s a Toob out there for them.
Melissa & Doug Puppets starting at $14.99 (3+ years)- Playing with puppets is great for storytelling and for learning about emotions. These are very high quality puppets that remind me of the type real puppeteers would use (and also of the muppets). If you want to go all out, they also have a nice puppet theater and I also really like the creative component of this Deluxe Fuzzy Make -Your -Own Monster Puppet kit.
Designed by You Doll House with Furniture $110.22 (2+ years) – Whenever I make a big toy purchase for my kiddos, I obsess about it a bit. I research (a lot) to find the train table, play kitchen, etc. that’s not only going to hold up the best, but will also offer up the most beneficial play experience. When my daughter indicated that she wanted a doll house for her birthday last year, my research led us to purchase this one and we’ve been really, really pleased with it.The rooms are easy to access and it came with a bizillion pieces of furniture that both my son and daughter use for lots of dramatic play. What I love most about it, though, is that instead of one permanent structure, the house is modular and can be reconfigured a bunch of different ways. This really extends the kids’ engagement. I would recommend this for both boys and girls (if hubby gawfs at buying your boy something pink, just paint over those two walls with chalkboard paint to add to the fun).
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If you like these recommendations, I encourage you to pin or bookmark them for later when you’re ready to start shopping. I would also love it if you forwarded the list on to your parenting friends or shared it on facebook – trust me, your friends will thank you for the help and you get to be the cool mom (or dad) with all the best resources. It’s a win-win.
Also, don’t forget to follow us on facebook and subscribe to our newsletter for even more recommendations and alerts when we spot our gift guide items on sale!
P.S. The rest of our 2013 MPMK Gift Guides will be out shortly, but if you just can’t wait – have a look at all 7 of last year’s Gift Guides here. Because we strive to highlight the best developmentally appropriate toys for learning and creativity over flashy trends, many of last year’s picks will be present in the 2013 guide as well.
P.P.S. If you’re really looking to have the holidays in the bag early this year. Check out our new eBook, Hands-On Holidays, packed with low-prep and low-stress ideas for make memories crafting, cooking, reading and adventuring with the kids!
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