Homemaker Toys – Is There Really Such a Thing?!

Many homemakers (including myself) dream of the day when all household cleaning and chores will be delegated to the children so we can finally take a day off!  What better way to prepare kids for cleaning, cooking, and homemaking than with “homemaker toys”, also known as the 13 toys listed below!  These teaching toys show off some of the jobs we as homemakers, moms, dads, and family managers do in a fun way.  Children love to help, and doing grown-up jobs with kid-size tools will let them feel helpful and important.

Toys worth buying are the ones that don’t get put into the donation station 2 days after Christmas because they were complete bombs (i.e. nobody wants to play with them)!  Don’t let your Christmas gifts be relegated to the return station either, forcing you to brave the exchange lines at the stores after Christmas.  Choose some double-duty educational toys that let your kids become your little helpers.  Presenting the 13 Best Homemaker Toys Worth Buying!

These 13 homemaker toys will be a great buy for kids’ Christmas presents this holiday season:

1.  Toy cleaning sets.  Dirt Devil Junior ~ 12 Piece Play Cleaning Set.  You never know which toys your child will really take to, which makes a cleaning set with a variety of toys a great option.  For ages 2+, this cool cleaning set includes kid sized cleaning tools: sponge mop, duster, broom, scrub brush, 2 cleaning bottles, dust pan, wet floor sign, and more!

2.  Little Tikes Shopping Cart.  What better way to get your little one ready to help with grocery shopping than with their own mini plastic shopping cart?  Let them practice at home: 

• Have kids unload grocery bags by putting items into their cart
• Have kids “shop for” ingredients for dinner from the pantry and bring them back in the shopping cart
• and many more.

3.  Toy cookware.  Dining Room Pots & Pans.  Let your kids practice cooking with you in the kitchen using their very own toy cook set!  This becomes a great teaching toy for washing dishes, as well.  This set comes with pots, pans, lids, plates, bowls, cups, spatula, plastic silverware, and even a salt and pepper shaker. 

4.  Toy vacuum cleaners. Fisher Price – Laugh & Learn Learning Vacuum Cleaner A nifty toy vacuum will let your toddler or preschooler zip around with you while you do your housework, instead of getting into trouble while you’re not watching.  This toy talking vacuum looks like the real thing, rolls and makes realistic vacuum sounds, but is safe for kids 12 months and older.  

5.  Toy brooms that REALLY clean! The Silly Sam Talking Broom with Dust Pan says cute messages like, “Cleaning is fun.”  Finally!  THAT is exactly what we want toys to tell our kids!  This toy broom and dustpan will let your child help clean up real messes while being a big kid helper to mom and dad.

6. Cleaning cart with REAL working hand vacuum.  My Cleaning Trolley Set with Hand Vacuum Cleaner has a real working vacuum cleaner so your child will really be cleaning as they help you with chores! Also comes with broom, mop, hand brush, dust pan, bucket and real working water sprayer.  Recommended for kids 24 months+.

7.  Toy ironing board set.  Let your child pretend ironing and hanging up clean pressed clothes with this great learning toy.  Ironing Board With Iron (pictured at left) is great for boys or girls age 3+, while the Ironing Board Set with Drying Rack (right) comes in pink and purple.  Pink set also includes mini hangers and clothes clips!

8.  Toy washing machine. Washing Machine (shown left) is designed for kids 3+ and features sloshing water, a spinning tub, realistic sounds, and pull-out detergent dispenser.  What an exciting way to get children involved in laundry – just set up the toy washer in the laundry room by the real washing machine!

9. Toy Microwave Oven. For kids 3+, this nifty toy microwave even has a rotating food carousel and a digital countdown timer.  They can practice  heating up leftovers or preparing tasty dishes to share with you!

10.  Toy coffee maker and toaster. A pretend coffee maker and toaster like the iPlay Gourmet Breakfast Blend let little ones pretend to make a “grown-up breakfast” of toast and coffee for their parent before work!  Good practice for teaching toaster safety and dishwashing for the cups.

11.  Toy baking set.  The Alex Completer Cook, 9 piece set is a great toy for your child if you do a lot of baking.  Let him or her help you in the kitchen with their very own oven mitt, wire whisk, measuring spoons and wooden spoon.  Now you only need 2 more things… #12 and #13.

12.  Their own play kitchen! The Little Tikes Inside/Outside Cook N Grill Kitchen is perfect to set up in your real kitchen so the kids can copy all your chores, from cooking to cleaning to decorating with refrigerator magnets!

13.  Kids’ aprons. The finishing touch, whether for cooking in the kitchen or cleaning the house is a child-size apron for your little household helper.  There are so many different styles and colors available that you’re sure to find one to fit your child’s taste.

There you have it – the top 13 best homemaker toys worth buying.  Make sure the Christmas presents you pick for your toddlers and preschoolers do double duty:  they can be fun and educational at the same time!  Instead of focusing solely on educational toys that teach math and reading this year, let’s remember the toys that teach homemaking skills as well.  Homemaker toys work for me!

For more great toy picks this holiday season from real parents, visit Works For Me Wednesday.