I've always loved watching my children play make believe, emulating the actions of adults.
Never before have I seen them as engrossed as I have with their Little Tikes kitchen.
I recently bought a kitchen set for each of my children.
I never thought I'd be buying more than one until I realized that they never seemed to step away from them.
If you're not familiar with what these are and how they work, I'll explain them in simple terms.
These are the play kitchen sets you grew up with, only they're far more interactive than they ever were.
Depending on your age, you may have had the play ovens, measuring cups, and other accessories that gave you the impression that you were successfully operating a real home kitchen.
These provided many of us with endless hours of fun.
The new Little Tikes kitchen sets are completely interactive like you've never seen them before.
They have dishwashers with real lights that make real noises.
They have play microwave ovens with timers that count down and sound off when food is ready.
The same goes for ovens, not to mention the fact that refrigerators have lights that activate when they're opened.
The stoves even come with fake flames.
This is so real to the point where my children insist that I try their creations.
Another great element of these Little Tikes Kitchens is the furniture that comes with them.
Many of them are equipped with chairs, tables, and other accessories like built-in wall phones that make things even more enjoyable for children using them.
These may cost some more money than your typical toys, as many of them retail for $100 and more.
Still, a Little Tikes kitchen will provide endless entertainment for three or more years.
There's a good chance that your child will look back at this as the best toy he or she grew up with.