Toca Kitchen

$2.99, iPad, iPhone, Android

Teaches: cooking, socialization

CTR Rating: 94%

CTR Review

Note: See Toca Kitchen 2 (CTR Jan 15). Note: See also Toca Kitchen Monsters (CTR April 2012). Great for role play in early childhood classrooms, Toca Kitchen turns your iPad or iPhone into a virtual kitchen, where you can cook for four hungry characters. There is no reading or languages -- the characters communicate through grunts or happy sounds. You start by choosing from one of four characters to feed (a boy, girl, goat or cat). You then choose from 12 food items in the fridge by dragging and dropping the items on the plate. To feed your person, you touch the food and drag it near the mouth. They will either eat it, or refuse it. If it is the latter, you can visit the kitchen where you can cut it, blend it, boil it, fry it, or use a microwave. Each item can be made in many different ways. Each of the characters in the app have specific food preferences, and their reactions are dependent on how your prepare the food. They may refuse to eat certain foods, or they may start drooling even if the food is uncooked. As in real life, the expression says a lot. The design is clean and encourages accidental success. All in all, you won't be disappointed by this cleanly designed role play experience.