toy kitchen rotation?

[creations]

Just wondering what other people do with kitchen play.
So far DS has had permanent access to his but the collection of accessories has kind of grow into an unmanageable jumble.
He does play with it on and off but now it seems more tip the accessories all over the floor then leave them there and find something else to play with.  He can't have outgrown it (surely) he is not yet 2yrs.  It would be nice if I could find a way of reinvigorating the play for him, maybe by reduction??

Do you take the whole kitchen and accessories out of rotation same as other toys or do you rotate just the accessories?
How many accessories are 'normal' (ie cutlery, cooking utensils, play food, plates, cups, teapot, kettle, pans etc)?

[We Three]

DD played with her kitchen from the time she was 18 months until she was almost 5!  We had 2 baskets, one on each side of the kitchen. One had food, one had dishes.  A nearby kid-sized table made it fun too. I never rotated, we didn't have a ton of stuff.  Her fave was (and still is some days!) the Melissa & Doug birthday cake and cookie set!  I'd set up her table some nights, and put food on the stove, almost like an invite to play, kwim? The table was key for us.   

[aisling]

Ds is 7 and still plays with his.  I have the same organsatoon since we got i at 2, two bins, one for food and one or untensils and plates. So you could do this and take a few things from each group away.

You may find he takes a bit of a break from it right now.  Ds often played kitchen at that age only with me or when his older cousins came over.

At 3 and 4 when he was full on imagination man, the kitchen had a rebirth as he had various types of restaurants he was working at lol. Either way it usually involved serving the food he prepared to someone or his Teddys. I also got him an apron and chef hat.

At 5 and 6 i gave the kitchen a new location, in our outdoor patio and the play became even more elaborate with menus and signs he made.  I went to put it away for winter and he has decided that we could keep it out with the snow so it can become an icecream shop, so I've left it or now.

I will say though, we are always after him reminding to put the food etc. in the bins! His one cousin is obsessed with throwing the food all over the lawn, drives me mad!

I love that he still plays kitchen it is worth it even though it is more difficult to keep it contained and a once in a while toy.  It is for sure more of a social play then it s a solo play.

[creations]

two bins, one for food and one or utensils and plates

This is what I have atm.  A play box maybe 30cm square for all the utensils and a small shopping basket for the food.  Items like the kettle and toaster only fit in the box if it's well packed and a bit piled up so usually get stored along with a larger crock pot inside his oven.
Maybe I just need to take some of it away, reduce the plates and cutlery down etc and save them for when he starts to need them in his play again.

I just bought him an apron and chefs hat for Xmas so maybe that will kick start some more play.  I've tried setting up place settings at his little table and chairs set but he was only mildly amused by it.
I suppose I feel like we keep picking this stuff up but he hasn't had a good play with it.  if he was having stacks of fun I wouldn't be bothered by picking up yk?  he does also help clean up but depends on mood etc and I think under 2 it's my role to help him and do a good share of cleaning up.

Aisling I love that your DS wants it to be an icecream van! That's great!
I also look forward to the play extending with menus etc, it sounds lots of fun.

[Mashi]

At 3 and 4 when he was full on imagination man, the kitchen had a rebirth as he had various types of restaurants he was working at lol. Either way it usually involved serving the food he prepared to someone or his Teddys. I also got him an apron and chef hat.

Yes, this is the stage we are at now! The kitchen had been away for about a year or so, it has been reborn and is now a cafe. He calls it "The Strange Mix Cafe" and you will only be served foods that clearly don't belong together (onion cookies, or carrots on top of french fries, his favourite is to distract you and shake salt in your tea instead of sugar    ).   He also likes to rip you off with your change or overcharge you (he falls over in stitches when my DH is disgusted by being charged 30 euro for a cup of tea, etc), chase you off, or have DH in the cafe when I come in and he tells me there are no seats left when there is clearly space for me and have me argue it and so on.  It is SO much more than a kitchen!!! 

I don't think it is about rotating food and utensils so much as it is coming up with a new way to play with it and introducing him to new things that can be done with it. At 2yo it was all about "can I have some potatoes please...oh thank you..." but as time wore on it was tea parties for teddies, sending him off to cook things for me and bring them back to me, etc etc.   

[*Liz*]

Ours is out all the time - they go through patches where they don't really play with it for weeks though - then it all starts up again.

The latest is cooking playdough cakes and cookies. Megan does it too, but if basically copying her brother.

I have moved it into new rooms as well when they are just making mess. Near the kitchen seems the best!

[Buntybear]

I just bought him an apron and chefs hat for Xmas so maybe that will kick start some more play.

Cool present! Where from?

Our kitchen is out all the time but his food and bits are away so it comes out once or twice a week to play with.

[creations]

Cool present! Where from?

Both from the same on-line shop.  The hat
http://www.littlecraftybugs.co.uk/moredetails.asp?itemid=15256
I haven't tried it on him yet, my guess is that the velcro adjustment isn't going to tighten small enough but I think it would be fine with an extra piece of velcro sewn on.  It's pretty thin fabric, cheap, but it's just for fun hey (you can make it stick up more than the photo shows for a taller hat)
The apron
http://www.littlecraftybugs.co.uk/moredetails.asp?itemid=14338
they have various colours.  The blue one shows an alien or something on it but I think that's a craft idea to make it individual, it's just a plain fabric apron.  Again might be a bit big yet but for dress up I don't mind.  A few other colours too.

And they do some character and patterned aprons and apron and hat sets too.

I think it probably is just a case of needing new ways to play with it and he's just going through a phase of not being so interested, it's all police cars, helicopters, trains and space rockets right now.

[Buntybear]

They are fab - we haven't really got any dressing up clothes. It has given me an idea to have a look and see what else I can get, maybe a few hats to start with 

[creations]

I had a thread on dress up boxes a few months back and have been gradually building a collection.  Stuff we've been given, and I keep an eye out for stuff in the sales like fabulous Palace Guard outfit after the jubilee was over.  It's a few years too big but it doesn't matter when it's just for fun and I expect he will enjoy it even more when he's older anyway.