Dora’s Talking Kitchen

Does your child love to follow you around in the kitchen? Do they like to pull out all the pots and pans from the cabinets and pretend that they are cooking too? If so, then Dora’s Talking Kitchen is a great toy to further their imaginary culinary play.

Dora’s Talking Kitchen is one of series of toys for ages three to seven. It is based on the wildly popular Nickelodeon children’s series Dora the Explorer. In her show, Dora (an animated Latina cartoon character who is bilingual) travels the world with her backpack, map and faithful friend Boots. Each episode is designed to teach basic problem solving and expose children to the Spanish language. Other family members that are represented in the show include her mother (Mami), father (Papi) and her grandmother (Abuela).

Dora the Explorer is also a popular show with parents, as children are encouraged to actively get involved (albeit in their minds only) in helping Dora solve specific challenges. She asks them for their help in counting and repeating Spanish words as well as taking part in physical activities such as clapping, singing and jumping. In fact, for many children, Dora is their first exposure to a foreign language. And, the show focuses on using terms for simple items that children may use or come into contact with, every day. Dora’s Talking Kitchen leverages the same learning principles.

Children can insert special recipe cards into the kitchen, which then recites the ingredients in both English and Spanish. The kitchen also features other realistic sounding noises, ensuring that their make-believe play seems all the more real. In addition to 28 play pieces that includes pots, pans, cups, plates and utensils, Dora’s Talking Kitchen also comes with a life size version of Dora – so your child has someone to share her cooking adventures with. While you are making breakfast, lunch or dinner, your child can cook up their special recipes with their Dora Talking Kitchen or host numerous special events for their friends (whether real, stuffed or imaginary). By creating their own environments and games, it simulates your children’s creativity and capacity for keeping themselves entertained - and providing you with those all too rare – and much needed – quiet breaks to catch up on your own projects.

Although Dora’s Talking Kitchen is life sized (if you are a young child), its overall footprint is fairly small. It weighs less than fifteen pounds as is less than 27 x 12 x 23 inches, and will easily fit in a child’s room, or average closet for storage. In addition to Dora’s Talking Kitchen, other Dora toys include numerous Dora the Explorer books and videos / DVDs, as well as a talking house, toddler bed and licensed clothing items.