Review: Step 2 Lifestyle Custom Kitchen

One of the many cutest things my son does is stand on his little stool in the kitchen and help mommy cook dinner. He likes to play with the measuring cups and spatulas and bang the pots and pans together.

We decided he was ready for his own toy kitchen. So we bought this Step 2 Lifestyle Custom Kitchen. Here's the scoop.

Assembly

Because I'm horrible at putting anything together, including my outfits in the morning, my wife took on this task. She did have a few problems some problems, made worse by the fact that the instructions left out a very important step. However, it was still easier to put together than the Cozy Coupe.

A few of the kitchen parts require batteries, which, like every other child's toy, are not included.




Perhaps the toughest part of the whole thing was figuring out where to put it in our living room. It is on the big side and a little awkward.

Durability

There's not much to say here except this is a very durable product. My son plays with it every day, and he can treat it pretty rough. Nothing has broken, fallen off or exploded. Even the accessories that come with the kitchen (like plates) are pretty durable as well.

Playing Fun

My son loves it! It has all the same features a real kitchen has, only these don't work. The little microwave does make noise, as does a little wireless phone. The fridge opens and closes. There are drawers the pull all the way out. He has put a lot of his small toys in those drawers.

And in typical bachelor male fashion, the sink is always full of dishes.

A kitchen Gordon Ramsey would be proud of.

The only real problems we've had is that sometimes our DS gets fussy because he can't put his water bottle in the fridge (for example). But that's really about it. The kitchen does keep him occupied for good chunks of time.

Of course, the box the kitchen came in occupies him even more.

Verdict

Yes, I'd definitely go for it. Whether you have a son or daughter, this is a toy worth the money. It retails on the Step 2 website for $89.99. You can also buy more accessories. This is a great investment, especially for those toddlers who are exploring more and try to imitate what mommy and daddy do.

Disclaimer: I did not receive this product for free to review. Further, I did not receive any other for of compensation (monetary or otherwise) for a favorable review. We purchased this product at retail price and this post represents my unbiased opinion.


Photo Credit: Me

We Got Another Word!

My son is rapidly approaching 2. He appears to be developing great as a toddler, except in one area...talking. You can imagine then, that when he does say a new word, my wife and I are ecstatic.

Within the last week he finally learned how to say "car." He pronounces it as "caw" but he's definitely referring to the cars he sees around him.

He already says "go," which of course he pronounces as "gaw." We're hoping the soon he'll put those words together and say "car go" or "go car."

The word "go" is his favorite. As soon as I get him up in the morning he'll start saying "gaw." Even when we're driving somewhere, he'll keep repeating it. I think he likes saying it as much as he likes getting out of the house and going places.

I should add that while my DS isn't talking all that much, he understands a lot. If I tell him to go get socks, he'll go into his room and grab a pair of sock and bring them to me. I can also give him something to give to mommy, and he'll do it.

And yes, he is saying "mamma" and "dadda." Sometimes repeating them over and over again.

In the next month or two we'll be taking him to the doctor for his 2 year check-up. Hopefully she can shed some light on whether or not we should be worried about his speech development.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the words will come more frequent.

One Overlooked Cause Of Temper Tantrums

A lot of parenting is trial and error. I learn the most, not by reading books, but by figuring out what works and what doesn't with my little DS.

The one issue every parent of a toddler can identify with is temper tantrums. They're those awful few minutes where you child acts as if the world is coming to an end. Parents really earn their stripes by dealing with tantrums on a daily basis.

The Cause Of The Tantrum

Most of the time, this can be easy to figure out. With my own son, it's when he can't have something he wants or we take something away from him. He'll even throw tantrums when we're about to leave somewhere he wants to stay (like coming inside after playing outside).

Sometimes, however, there are tantrums with no identifiable cause. They just come out of nowhere. These are the toughest to deal with because they are the most frustrating for a parent.

I've figured out one reason for these tantrums-out-of-nowhere:

Boredom!

Toddlers are people too and they get bored, just like the rest of us. When we get bored we get fidgety and restless. We'll seek out something to end our boredom like watching television or surfing the internet (for example).

A toddler can't communicate what he or she wants very easily. So they get frustrated, which leads to a temper tantrum.

When my son is throwing a tantrum and there is no obvious reason why, I get on the floor and start playing with some of his toys. 9 times out 10 it's enough to stop his crying and he'll come over to play with me. He was just bored.

The next time your toddler is throwing a temper tantrum try playing with him or her. It's a simple, but very effective way of calming them down while keeping your own sanity.