KidsKitchen

KidsKitchen and it is a safe yet fully functional version of the typical play kitchen for young children, combined with a control mobile application. While many play kitchens are on the market, typically made of wood or plastic, children cannot actually learn any cooking skills with them. When children actually learn to cook or assist in the kitchen they do so on step stools at adult height counter tops with regular cooking tools. If children are provided with a cooking environment that is safe and designed to fit their sizes, abilities, and needs, children can exercise far more independence and learn these tasks at a younger age. KidsKitchen will feature a small sink with running water, a singular electric burner (no flames), and a very small shallow refrigerator drawer. 


Overview

The target users are parents who want to help develop their children’s independence and learn how to cook and help in the kitchen in a safe and nurturing environment that is built for a child and their needs. It is no surprise that it is difficult for a four year old child to find ingredients in a full sized refrigerator, reach an average countertop, mix in an average sized mixing bowl with a large spoon, and cook safely on a high heat burner. However, these tasks are well within the reach of children in this age range with the correct equipment.


Target Users

I conducted a needs analysis in order to understand what the needs of both the parent and the child are. In conducting interviews with parents of a three year old child and this needs analysis I learned that parents are concerned with general learning and development, safety, eventual desire to have children help in the kitchen, cleaning skills, and opportunity for children to have fun while learning all of these skills. The children are concerned with desire for independence, wanting to assist parents in the kitchen, fun, freedom, playtime, and attention from parents or supervisors.


Needs Analysis

Learning & Developement

Safety Skills

Help in the Kitchen

Cleaning Skills

Enjoyment and Play

Child often puts objects or other toys into the pots and bowls to pretend that they are real food

Frequently takes cup from play kitchen to the bathroom sink and requests help filling it with water to bring back to the play kitchen and then often spills the water while walking back

Sometimes puts the pots and pans and other items on the floor because there isn’t enough space on the counter 


Wants to help a lot more than she is able to, for example, she wants to pick up the full gallon of milk to pour

Is allowed to stir the cookie dough, but has a difficult time grasping the spatula and the bowl

Is good at scooping dry ingredients into the bowl

Gets a decent amount of cookie dough on her shirt as she is working 

Tries to help get ingredients out of the fridge but she cannot reach anything without being picked up


Play Kitchen Observation

Real Kitchen Observation

Purchase and set up KidsKitchen → decide that this product is wanted and then find space to assemble 

Plug in KidsKitchen → make sure it near enough to an outlet to plug in safely

Download KidsKitchen application on mobile device → must have a smartphone in order to operate the kitchen

Create an account with desired login credentials → create a password that you can remember

Connect the mobile device through bluetooth to the KidsKitchen → need to have bluetooth capabilities on phone

Name device → probably name it after the child who it is for

Set locks on desired features (sink, stove, fridge) → in order to safely use the product, lock these features when parent is not supervising

Browse media to play on screen → similar to YouTube interface and nice to scroll through

If desired, select a video, graphic, or playlist to display on the screen → choose a video appropriate for the skills and abilities of the child using it

Supervise child while using if features are on → assist child when necessary but mostly pay attention to safety and help guide child and teach how to cook


Parents / Adults

If chosen, watch video on screen → tutorial has directions and can be started and paused as desired

If desired, turn on stove or sink → depends on instructions and tasks at hand, turn off when not using

Take ingredients out of fridge → select what to cook and decide what to take out when, make sure it doesn’t get too warm

Cut/chop any necessary ingredients → use child safe knife to ingredients and make sure not to cut fingers

Add ingredients to pan → try not to spill on the floor, use spoon/spatula

Turn on heat and cook → regulate the heat as to not burn the food and monitor it while it cooks and decide when it’s done

Turn off stove when food is done and put it on plate → remember to turn off and safely remove food from pan and don’t spill

Clean up → use sponge and rag to wipe everything down


Children

Task Analyses

The following task analyses demonstrate how both children and parents/adults interact with the product. The information before the arrow is the physical task and the information after the arrow is the cognitive process involved in that task.


Anthropometric Concerns

Relevant Measurements

The main design of this project stems from anthropometric concerns about small children trying to assist in a regular sized kitchen, but having difficulties due to their small size. In order to solve this, this kitchen is designed to accommodate children aged 3 - 5, so it is based on the average measurements of a 4 year old child (inferred from the means of a document that measured 3.5 - 4.5 year olds). 


  1. Stature (height) 3.5 - 4.5 yrs: 101.4 cm (to determine kitchen height)

  2. Vertical grip reach 3.5 - 4.5 yrs: 116.6 cm (to determine upper cabinet )

  3. Frontal grip reach 3.5 - 4.5 yrs: 43.1 cm (to determine kitchen depth)

  4. Head circumference 3.5 - 4.5 years: 50.2 cm (for chefs hat)

  5. Shoulder-elbow length (upper arm length) 3.5 - 4.5 yrs: 20.3 cm 

  6. Elbow-hand length (lower arm length) 3.5 - 4.5 yrs: 26.7 cm

  7. Hand length 3.5 - 4.5 yrs: 11.4 cm (for utensil sizes)

  8. Waist height 3.5 - 4.5 yrs: 55.4 cm (for countertop height)

Sketch

3D Model

Keep the design as simple and clean as possible for ease of use and lesser visual and cognitive load for users

Clear navigation - obvious return buttons on each page to navigate back to the main menu

Consistent aesthetic - repetitive design elements (for continuity of information and so that app is recognizable, i.e. familiarity)

Engaging colors that are nice to look at, but not distracting from functionality

Consistent banners at top of pages so it is clear where to look for the title of page - reduction of confusion 

Minimal text - easier to view icons than excessive text


Mobile Application Considerations

Low Fidelity Wireframes

Key Skills & Lessons

At a Glance

The Challenge

My Role

To design a play kitchen for children that is functional and can teach real skills in an environment suited to their needs.

Anthropometry, Task Analysis, Needs Analysis, Environmental Observations, Interviews, Sketching, 3D Modeling, Figma Prototyping


Solo project in which I undertook all tasks from research gathering to design and prototyping.