Play Food · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

The kitchen set other families keep reaching for

£11.99

or 4 payments of £2.99 with Klarna

🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.

Express · order today for next-day delivery

Standard · 2-3 working days

Age 3,6
Complete set
Easy grip
Life skills
Hand-finished
Ships 2,3 days
30-day returns
Klarna available

Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795

as seen in

Real talk

The one that actually gets used

You know the feeling,you buy a toy, it sits in the corner. This one doesn't. Kids reach for the Prep & Play set because it feels real in their hands: proper weight, smooth wood, utensils that actually cut. They're not pretending to cook; they're learning to.

And you get 20 minutes of peaceful kitchen time while they're busy building the skills (and confidence) they'll use for years.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What's inside

A complete chopping set designed so small hands can grip, slice, and play independently,no assembly, no batteries, no learning curve.

In the box

Chopping board

Smooth wooden board with edge grip. Sized for 3,6 year old hands. Stable enough to cut safely; light enough to lift and carry.

✓ Wood construction, hand-finished
✓ Curved grip edges, easy to hold
✓ Dishwasher safe

Set of child-safe cutting utensils with soft handles

In the box

Child-friendly utensils

A set of cutting tools designed for little hands,blunt edges, easy grip, and real cutting action. No frustration, no danger.

✓ Soft grip handles for ages 3,6
✓ Blunt edges, safe for small fingers
✓ Real cutting action on soft food

Child playing with the set, slicing pretend food at a table

Play style

Independent play

They can slice, prep, and create their own meals,exactly like you do. No supervision needed once they know the safe grip. Real confidence builder.

✓ Encourages solo and group play
✓ Works with any pretend food
✓ Teaches knife skills in a safe way

Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday

Prep & Play Kids Kitchen Set: £11.99

While they play

What they learn while they play

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

✋

Fine motor control

Holding the board steady, gripping the utensil, co-ordinating the cut. These small movements build strength and precision.

🧠

Independence

They do it themselves. No 'mum, help me.' That quiet confidence spreads to other areas fast.

👨‍🍳

Real-life skills

They're learning how meals actually come together. That's knowledge that sticks, not screen-time that fades.

💭

Imagination & creativity

Every slice is a story. They decide what to make, how to serve it, who's invited. Open-ended play at its best.

What families say about Jaques of London

Why families choose this one

★★★★★

"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."

Lynda Evans✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."

Danella Jones✓ Google review

★★★★★

"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."

Irene Johnstone✓ Google review

★★★★★

"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"

Tegan✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."

John A✓ Google review

★★★★★

"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"

Sarah Lardner✓ Google review

★★★★★ 4.8/5 rated by families across Google and Trustpilot: real reviews, quoted word for word

Get ready for life

Why real play matters

Real brain growth comes from real play.

24%

Gift-buyers struggle with the choice

You don't live with the child, so you need a safe bet. This is it,recommended by families for 4,6 year olds across birthdays and big moments.

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2,3 days

Arrives ready to play

Ships within 2,3 business days. The packaging is so good it arrives as a gift,no wrapping needed, though we've seen grandparents do it anyway.

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30 days

Full returns, no questions

If it's not right, send it back. We've tested every set before it ships, so returns are rare,but we stand by them.

Why this matters right now

231 years We've been making toys families trust Est. 1795. Over 100 million toys and games sold. We know what works and what doesn't,this set has been refined to do both.

23,000+ Families who ordered this month Not a bestseller because we say so. Families are choosing it, again and again, over the plastic versions online.

Solid wood Hand-finished, proper weight in the hand It feels real because it is. No hollow plastic. Kids notice. They play with it differently,more carefully, more creatively.

230 yrs of making things worth keeping Jaques of London has been crafting games and toys since 1795. This one is built to be handed down, not thrown out.

We really are different

Why this beats the plastic kitchen set from Amazon

	Jaques Prep & Play Kids Kitchen Set	Cheap Alternatives
Material & weight	✅	❌ Plastic feels cheap in hand
Grip design	✅	❌ Hard handles, slides in wet hands
Edge safety	✅	⚠️ Sharp edges, parental worry
Dishwasher safe	✅	❌ Hand wash only, food trapped in seams
Lasts years	✅	❌ Cracks in 6 months
Resale or hand-down	✅	❌ Not worth passing on
30-day returns	✅	❌ 30-day return fight

Jaques

✅ Real wood
✅ Soft grip
✅ Safe edges
✅ Dishwasher safe
✅ Years of play
✅ Hand-down ready
✅ Easy returns

Cheap alternatives

❌ Flimsy plastic
❌ Hard, slippery
❌ Sharp & risky
❌ Hard wash only
❌ Breaks fast
❌ Landfill only
❌ Return hassle

Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday

Prep & Play Kids Kitchen Set: £11.99

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.

Questions & answers

Questions parents actually ask

What age is this for, really?

3,6 years. At 3, they need close supervision and patience. By 4,5, they're slicing soft pretend food independently. At 6, they're running the whole 'kitchen.' If you're buying for a specific birthday, order now,it arrives in 2,3 days, and we've never had a 'wrong age' return from families.

Will they actually use it, or will it sit in the toy box?

The wood and weight make it feel real. That matters. Families tell us they reach for this set during quiet time, when friends visit, and,honestly,when parents need 20 minutes of peace. Real kitchen play keeps them busy longer than plastic sets. Catherine McCulloch said it was the 'perfect gift for any babies' 1st birthday',and she meant gifts that actually get played with.

Is it safe? Can they actually cut themselves?

The edges are blunt, not sharp,they cut soft pretend food and nothing else. Kids aged 3,6 can use them safely with normal play. We include a 30-day returns promise, so if you're worried after opening, send it back. Most parents say the weight and grip actually teach good habits,they hold it carefully, like they know it matters.

How does it compare to the plastic versions?

Solid wood, hand-finished, proper grip, dishwasher safe, and it lasts years. Plastic sets from online retailers are lighter, cheaper, and break faster. One parent, Karen Pepper, said it best: 'Toys that don't break after five minutes of play.' You're not paying more for a brand; you're paying for something that'll still be worth passing on to the next child.

How much does it cost?

The Prep & Play Kids Kitchen Set is £11.99 today. Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.

What's your returns policy?

30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.

Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday

Prep & Play Kids Kitchen Set: £11.99

Our story

Making toys worth keeping since 1795.

Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.

We've been making toys families trust since 1795. The Prep & Play set is what that means in practice: solid wood, soft grip, safe edges, and a design that gets refined by watching thousands of children play. It's not the cheapest set online, but it's the one parents and grandparents choose when the gift actually matters,because it teaches confidence, not just distraction. That's the Jaques difference.

Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London

Ready when you are