Guidecraft All In One Play Kitchen {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Chelyeah!}

Did you know that kitchen remodeling is the single most popular home renovation? If you look up any information about it online you'll find a wealth of tips and suggestions that are centered around two important facts: kitchen remodeling is the home improvement job that adds the most value to your house and, without a doubt, is one of the best investments a homeowner can make.

Recently I discovered that when it comes to play kitchens, the exact same things apply. Because what kid would rather imagine and pretend with something flimsy and plastic when they could have the opportunity to enjoy hours of fun with something gorgeous, wooden and much more high quality? Don't little cooks deserve a great kitchen as much as adults do, even when their food isn't actually edible?

Guidecraft certainly thinks so. And they have taken dramatic kitchen play to an entirely different level of amazing with their All In One Play Kitchen.

Beautiful, isn't it? This isn't just a play kitchen like every other play kitchen out there, this is the most detailed, accessorized, just plain cool place to pretend to cook, bake, wash, store food and so much more. (Is it weird that I'm a little jealous that my kids now have a nicer kitchen than I do? When can I have a remodel like this done?)

Arriving in two long, heavy boxes (this kitchen weighs in at 100 lbs), the All In One Play Kitchen does take quite a bit of assembly simply considering all of the intricate parts and pieces that it includes. Fortunately, Guidecraft makes things incredibly easy by having everything well-labeled and including clear, concise instructions.

With only a screwdriver, I started at the beginning and followed along to each step in the manual. What at first somewhat seemed like an insurmountable task began to come together right before my eyes.

The only somewhat difficult part I encountered when putting together this kitchen came at the end with the tiny screws that hold on all of the various doors. Just because of their miniature size, it took me a few tries to get some of them to screw in while trying to balance the doors at the same time.

However, before I knew it (around two hours later) I was putting away my screwdriver and standing back to admire the finished product... which was immediately taken over by two chefs that had been oh-so-patiently waiting.

The features included in the All In One Kitchen are vast and, for lack of a more technical word, very cute. Instead of stickers or painted-on parts, these knobs really turn, the hands on the clock can be moved and there's even a write-on message board for scribbles, notes and maybe a grocery list or two. Hey, even dramatic play kitchens run low on milk sometimes.

Each appliance has its own door that is held in place by magnets when they are closed and right away both Big Sister E and Little Sister B liked the act of opening and shutting them to put items inside. The addition of the movable shelves (there is even a slide-out rack in the oven) make each location throughout the kitchen that much more entertaining and realistic.

This kitchen also has modern amenities such a dishwasher, storage cabinets and cordless phone. And what chef could be without a proper prep area? The All In One Play Kitchen has plenty of counter space for cooking (I love that it has a sort of marbled look like a real counter top) and lots of room to hold food, dishes or cooking supplies throughout.

From the soft green backsplash to the red cabinet hardware to the realistic burners on the stovetop, everything from the looks to the quality and functionality of this kitchen are top-notch. All but a few pieces are wood and with everything being so interactive, there is no way for kids to lose interest. Plus, with the longer length of the All In One (40" h x 50" w x 16" l) there is plenty of room for multiple children to play and not be on top of one another.

It goes without saying that this kitchen is pretty amazing. Retailing for $240, it is more of an investment piece than "just another toy" but the amount of time playing, pretending and learning about the way the world works is going to be so much more valuable.

Plus, as with all of Guidecraft's educational toys, arts & crafts and furniture, the level of craftsmanship and quality means that the All In One Play Kitchen will last for years to come - and could even be passed down to the next generation. The joy, creativity and laughter is exactly what Guidecraft stands for: smart, well-crafted products which allow children's minds and imaginations room to truly wonder and grow.

With everything from developmental toys to building blocks that encourage open-ended educational play, the Guidecraft name is simultaneous with only the very best! And, thanks to their extreme generosity, one person will get to experience that for themselves, because...

One VERY lucky person will win an All In One Play Kitchen
from Guidecraft!

To enter to win: Visit Guidecraft and tell me another of their amazing products that you love.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Guidecraft on Twitter, subscribe to the RSS feed of the Guidecraft blog and/or become their Friend on Facebook. 1 more Extra Entry if you leave the following message on their wall: Guidecraft's All In One Play Kitchen is amazing! I just entered to win it at Thanks, Mail Carrier! http://bit.ly/ddKVIP
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

I want to WIN a Guidecraft All In One Play Kitchen ($240) for amazing pretend play! http://bit.ly/ddKVIP #thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and Guidecraft.

Giveaway will end on November 19th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A massively large thank you to Guidecraft for providing an All In One Play Kitchen for me to review as well as for one very lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.