Christmas Gift Reviews: Pretend Play and Dress-Up

It's that time of year again, when I start researching for Christmas gifts. I'm always curious to know what other parents are buying for their children. I read countless reviews on toys that I'm considering to buy because I want to know the pros and cons for each toy. The best way to really discover a toy is to ask other parents and children too. I would love to know what your children favorite toys are. So, each week, I will have a different category to review. Click here for the category list and dates. Please feel free to share your views about toys in each category too.

This week's theme is Pretend Play and Dress-Up.

Izzie is at the age where she loves to pretend play. Here are a few of her favorite pretend play props:

If you're looking for a play kitchen this Christmas, I would highly recommend the KidKraft Retro Kitchen.

Pros: This is a well constructed wooden kitchen set that is large enough for multiple children to play with at the same time. I really like the storage compartments for Izzie's accessories and food items. Below the sink, there is a compartment with 2 deep shelves, the oven opens to 2 shelves and a bottom drawer, and the inside the refrigerator there are two large shelves with additional storage below. Izzie plays with her kitchen set, daily!

Cons: It takes up a lot of space.

We normally stock Izzie's kitchen with only wooden food or felt food. However, when I saw the Just Like Home Pizza Decorator and Cake Decorator Playsets, I knew she would enjoy them too, even if they are made of plastic!

Pros: These playsets are very realistic. Each playset comes with a ton of toppings to attach (Velcro) to the top of the pizza/cake. The pizza and cake are Velcro together to create a whole, but can be cut into individual pieces.

Cons: The plates for the cake are too small to hold a piece of cake. There are a lot of small pieces to keep up with. I had to buy small storage containers to place the items in...I really wish that each set came with it's own box for the toppings. With all the small pieces, I would not recommend these playsets to younger children or children who still put items in their mouth.

Dress-Up Clothes

Most days, Izzie is wandering around the house in a princess dress! She really enjoys dressing-up. I buy Halloween costumes for her. I bought several costumes last year on clearance and bought 3 more last week at Target for only $1.70 each (they were 90% off).

Disclaimer: I did not contact or receive any products from the above companies. These are my opinions, which may vary from your experience with these products.

Please link your child's favorite Pretend Play and Dress-Up items too!