The dinette is a very popular imitation game for children, girls and boys. Reproducing situations they have seen or experienced in the kitchen contributes to the development and awakening of children. We explain to you why the dinette is an essential game and how to choose the right imitation kitchen for your child.

Around the age of 2, children begin to take an interest in imitation games. The dinette, the doctor, the fire truck or even the disguises are essential. The first imitation activities are generally very focused on the daily life of the child, namely eating, bathing, sleeping. He likes to reproduce situations and events that he has observed, but also to imitate people he knows. This allows him to develop his language, to express what he feels, to integrate rules dictated by his parents at home and to appeal to his imagination. But that’s not all, these games, and especially the dinette, also develop fine motor skills. The small objects that make up the dinette (cups, teaspoons, small plates, etc.) and the gestures that the child performs while playing (taking the cup, giving food and drink to his stuffed animals for example) allow him to improve your dexterity.

Finally, the imitation game helps the child to become aware of the existence of the other and that he himself is a whole person. He also realizes that people interact with each other. This contributes to its socialization.

Parents do not always have time to play with their child (ren) and yet spending even 10 minutes a day helps to maintain the bond and strengthen the bond. A child attaches great importance to the participation of his parents in his games. The dinette is an activity that features interactions between several people around food and drink, it is an opportunity for parents to easily enter the world of their child. The parent thus discovers his child’s interests, his way of seeing the world around him, his motor skills, his creativity, etc. The child feels valued because his father or his mother is interested in what he likes to do.

A child who claims a dinette will want to cook, serve food and drink to his guests or do the dishes. Here are some tips to guide you through your purchase:

• Bet on security. Make sure that the toys you buy for your child are not dangerous. Make sure that they do not contain harmful substances and that the elements that make up the dinette are not sharp or pointed or that they cannot be easily swallowed (choose them large enough);
• Choose a dinette adapted to the age of your child (with objects neither too big nor too small for him to be able to take them well in hand);
• Invest in a quality dinette. Go on a sturdy model because the child will certainly play there for several years. Better to go on a model that will withstand many shocks but also humidity (children like to pour water to replace tea or coffee). There are plastic, wooden or even metal dinettes. Choose wood, a solid, durable and eco-friendly material;
• Opt for a complete model, so as not to constantly buy new elements. The more different parts of the dinette you choose, the more likely it will be to meet the needs of the child;
• Choose color. Colorful elements and as realistic as possible will make the child want to play because it will remind him of his daily life;
• Buy a dinette that is easy to store. If you go on a model that has a lot of items in it, your child’s bedroom (or living room) may quickly get messy once everything is unpacked. This is why it is recommended to take a dinette equipped with a bag or storage baskets. Once the child is done playing, ask them to put all the items back in the bag.