Smoby Chef Corner Restaurant - Review

AD - We were sent these products for the purpose of this review.

One of Ava's favourite things to do is role-play - doctor, vet, mummy, superhero, baker, ninja - you name it, she's been it! With lockdown still looming I was delighted to be offered the Smoby Chef Corner Restaurant to review - a playset perfect for different roleplay scenarios, something to keep her busy and entertained while life is on a bit of a standstill - and beyond of course.

It arrived in a huge box with lots of bits and pieces - the instructions said that it would take two people 1.5 hours to build but it was almost 3 hours for us. The instructions are quite clear but there's just so much to assemble, tons of stickers, and some parts were quite fiddly - I'm looking at you tap! I would recommend building it before gifting to a child as the kids were constantly asking if it was ready and they were both trying to help, ha ha.

Once assembled it stands at an impressive H82, W23.5, D76cm. There's an option of making it taller as your child grows - this is great because kids often struggle to use playsets like this once they are at a certain height. It features kitchen sound effects, a sink with a real water function, a till with play money, a mobile phone, an attached table, stool, and a working calculator with an LCD screen.

It also includes over 70 accessories; cutlery, pots, pans, mugs, condiments, chopping board, recipe cards, and various food items. The pizza is Ava's favourite accessory - she likes piecing it together like a puzzle and adding different toppings. The cutting carrot is great too - perfect for practicing those fine motor skills.

I sat back and watched the kids play – Ava opting to be the chef and Noah the bossy customer. She took his order, hanging the recipe card on the serving shelf, and made him a hot chocolate from the espresso machine while he waited. His pizza was ready in no time and she provided service with a smile too - not bad for a 3-year-old!

It's worth noting that Noah is quite tall for a 6-year-old and it's a great size for him. With it being a large playset he felt like it was "grown-up" enough for him to play with too. It was lovely watching them play so nicely together and switching roles.

Smoby encompasses everything that little ones love about play and they’ve certainly proven that with the Smoby Chef Corner Restaurant. I’ve seen some play kitchen/restaurant setups in my time but my word, this is the daddy of them all. With so many features and accessories, it’s extremely immersive and encourages children to role-play, be creative, and use their imagination. The kids have played with it for hours and I can see them getting many years of use out of it.

The Smoby Chef Corner Restaurant is suitable for children from 3 years of age, retails at £150 and is available to purchase at Argos.