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Cooking up fun
By PAMELA DAVIS
© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 28, 2001
Whether your kid is a budding gourmet or just a cookie hound, there are food-related toys that will be tasty under the tree.
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Does your daughter fall asleep with a whisk in her arms instead of a teddy bear? Is your son hollering "Bam!" every time you salt the veggies?
If so, consider buying food-related toys this holiday season to foster their interest. After all, if they learn to cook, they may be a big help in the kitchen sooner rather than later.
Some of these toys allow kids to create culinary treats, while other playthings get the creative juices flowing by helping children simulate the act of cooking roasted goose with orange sauce (or spaghetti and meatballs).
Parental supervision is recommended with any toys that heat up, such as an Easy-Bake oven, which uses a light bulb as its heat source. Before the big day, open the box and review the instructions. Batteries and bulbs are never included.
Here are a few toy ideas for future chefs:
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| Chips Ahoy Cookie Bake Set (Hasbro, $9.99): This new bake set is designed to be used with an Easy-Bake oven. Young bakers can dunk cookies in melted chocolate chips, nonpareils and milk. Available in most toy and department stores. |
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| Scooby-Doo Scooby Snacks (Hasbro, $6.99): Kids make chocolate-flavored cookies in the shape of Scooby-Doo themed images, then decorate them with frosting and sprinkles. Also for use with an Easy-Bake oven. Available in most toy and department stores |
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P.J. Swoozle's Power Pops (Ideoplastos, $14.99): Cook the lollipop mix, place it in the special mold, add lollipop sticks and you've got yourself a pack of pops. In three colors and flavors: green apple, watermelon and grape. |
| P.J. Swoozle's Squishy-Mushy Marshmallow Maker (Ideoplastos, $19.49): Add water to the mix, put it in the marshmallow maker, spin and place contents on a tray. Let dry, then decorate with the nonpareils and decorettes included in the package. Available in most toy and department stores. |
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Let's Pretend Restaurant (Creativity for Kids, $15): Kids can pretend to work in a restaurant using this kit, which includes a short-order cook's hat, guest check order pad, play money, plastic cup and plate, tablecloth, realistic plastic food, fill-in-the-blank menus and restaurant signs. Available at specialty toy and select Toys "R' Us stores. For more information call toll-free 1-800-311-8684, ext. 3037, or visit www.creativityforkids.com.
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Candy Creativity (Creativity for Kids, $10): No baking is needed to create these edible pieces of art. Five flavors of Edo, an edible candy dough, can be used to make everything from candy bead necklaces to faux lollipops. The kit includes a plastic cover for work surface, corn starch, wood dowel, gift bags and curling ribbon. Available at specialty toy and select Toys "R' Us stores. For more information call toll-free 1-800-311-8684, ext. 3037, or visit www.creativityforkids.com. |
Cafe Play Kitchenette (Small World Toys, $130): According to its manufacturer, Cafe Play toys are "cookware toys for gourmet kids." The kitchenette is crafted from wood and includes a sink, stove and storage unit. It has three faux knobs, two burners, a faucet and two doors with handles. Visit www.smallworldtoys.com for a store locator.
The Cafe Play line also includes pots, pans and utensils sized for small hands, crafted with materials of professional chef quality. Utensils are made of wood, stainless steel, silicone or aluminum. Prices range from $3 to $10.
| Wok Set (Brio, $22.50): This 23-piece plastic set includes wok, rice bowls, four sets of chopsticks, spoons, cups and tea pot. The set includes a take-along backpack. Available at specialty toy stores. For a list of retailers call toll-free 1-888-274-6869 or visit www.briotoy.com. |
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Let's Pretend Career Outfit: Chef (Small Miracles, $29.99): This costume comes with a decorative chef apron, matching chef hat, rolling pin, three kitchen utensils, four cookie cutters and five laminated recipe cards. The outfit and accessories come packaged on a hanger in a clear, reusable garment bag. One size fits all. Available at specialty toy retailers; visit www.learningcurve.com for more information. |
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