Toy Kitchens – Promoting gender equality and cultural values to kids

In a way, gender-free toys promote equality for boys and girls. Some toys that used to be seen as girls' toys are now acceptable toys for boys; one of the popular toys that have made the cross-over are toy kitchens! Today, little girls and little boys can entertain their friends just like how their parents would entertain their own friends-with little lunch or dinner parties. Pretend play has never been this much fun and collaborative. Now, when kids get together, boys and girls can play together with equal roles in the kitchen.

Toys shape perceptions

Kids spend a lot of time with their toys, and thus toys make up most the world they know. Their toys help shape their perceptions and perspectives-even their biases and prejudices. A lot of toys manufactured today are gender-specific: Barbie dolls, stuffed toys, fairy costumes, and ponies and unicorns for girls; trains, toy soldiers, toy cars, and action figures for boys. Already, through the toys we buy for our children, we are introducing to them the biases and expectations of society and the status quo. When we tell them, "those are toys for boys" or "those are toys for girls" we influence their prejudices on what boys should be and what girls should be. We may not be aware of it but in this way, we could possibly be fostering sexism in their little minds.

The changing times

Girls should be free to play with cars and ninja costumes without feeling like they are abnormal, and boys should be able to play with dolls and stuffed toys without being ridiculed. In a child's mind all these things are gender-less. It is us, parents and adults, who put meaning into these objects. We should allow them to play with whatever they want and let their imaginations and fascinations be the judge. Of course, this is only true if we live in a perfect world. Our kids do not live in a bubble and we can't protect them from being ridiculed or be seen as weird by other kids or by strangers. Our fear of them being seen as a freak or feeling out-of-place is what makes us want them to conform to society's standards, to the status quo. Thankfully, times they are a' changing.

Cooking for everyone

In the not so old days, cooking was seen as a domestic activity and was associated with housework and housewives. In recent years, however, cooking has increased in popularity thanks to food channels and cooking shows that infuse food and cooking with travel and living. Now, even rebel bad boy-types like Anthony Bourdain or independent modern women like Giada de Laurentis are considered icons of the culinary world, prompting more and more people to test and explore their abilities in the kitchen. In a way, the popularity of cooking has sparked a small revolution in neutralizing gender roles. Now, more and more males-whether husbands or bachelors-are doing more housework, particularly cooking, which used to be the domain of their wives or of females, and more and more females are cooking for the sake of pleasure and enjoyment and not just because it is a chore.

More than just cooking

As celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck's motto goes: Live, love, and eat! Cooking can be so much more than just eating: it could be cultural, educational, luxurious, and even spiritual. Being exposed to different types of cuisines and culinary possibilities allows us to explore different cultures, histories, and peoples. Teaching our kids the value of cooking will help them become more globally conscious and sophisticated about the cultures of the world.

Putting kitchens into play

Play kitchens make excellent toys in day care centers and in preschools. Pretend cooking emulates what parents and teachers actually do in real life-making it a practical, and at the same time, creative type of play for kids. With toy kitchens, kids can pretend to bake cookies, make coffee, heat up toy food with a toy microwave or toaster, and so on. Using their imagination, they can cook up an elaborate feast, a dinner party, a simple lunch, or a pretend picnic. Kids can spend hours and hours, enamored in their play kitchen. There are toy kitchens that can accommodate as much as three kids at once and there's a lot of room for various activities. Durable kitchen toys for high-traffic areas such as nurseries and daycare centers are usually made of wood and can outlast the wear and tear of everyday and frequent use. Some of these kitchen sets are sold separately-such as a refrigerator, sink, and stove. If you don't have the budget, you can buy the units piece by piece. This is also a great idea to surprise your kids every time-they'll be anticipating for that brand new refrigerator or microwave oven (just like in real life). A toy kitchen is also something that can be used for years and be acquired for a stretch of time so don't be too weary of buying a good quality kitchen set.

Values in the kitchen

Toy kitchens are not only fun but they teach a handful of values to kids such as self-reliance, patience, discipline, nutrition, science, technology, measuring, mathematics, following directions, cleaning, and minding safety precautions. Through cooking, you can teach your kids valuable traits that they can take with them as adults, without the risk and dangers involved in cooking in a real kitchen. Honing your kids love for cooking is also a great way to nurture your relationship and tighten your bonds. When they get to be a little older, they'll be ready to help you out in the kitchen and in no time, prepare wonderful meals for you and the entire family. Cooking and enjoying food as a family bridge generations. Food, after all, is always a topic that any member of the family, or any person for that matter, can have an input on-it's always something that everyone can talk about passionately. Cooking together as a family can be a treasured tradition, especially during special occasions such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.