Toys like play kitchens are so great for kids. They help them develop fine motor skills, support independence, and are just a great vessel for kids to act our their imaginations. Most parents don’t think twice about getting one of these set for their kids, but they should pay attention to the potential risks these innocuous-seeming toys pose.
Sadly, one family is still grieving the loss of their toddler who reportedly died from strangulation and asphyxia playing with The KidKraft Farm to Table Model Play Kitchen in 2023. The toy itself is a stylish version of a play kitchen that features a play sink, faux brick backsplash, a chalkboard, and a pots and pans rack that has a large opening where hooks are placed. The hooks on the toy are designed to hold play kitchen accessories, like play pans and utensils.
While the toddler was playing with the kitchen, his shirt got caught on one of the toy’s exposed hooks while he attempted to crawl through the opening. In a press release issued on July 31, 2025, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission stated the hooks need to be replaced. The CPSC explained the hazard: “If young children are climbing on the counter or crawling through the opening at the back of the play kitchen, their clothing can get caught on the plastic or metal hooks meant to hold toy kitchen accessories such as play pots and pans, posing a strangulation hazard.”
The CPSC announced that reseller Backyard Kids, LLC, voluntarily agreed to recall the product and provide replacement hooks for any units already purchased, even if it didn’t sell the kitchens. Backyard Kids itself only sold about 400 of the kitchens. The manufacturer, KidKraft, sold around 192,000 units before it went bankrupt in 2024.
The KidKraft Farm to Table Model Play Kitchens were mostly sold at Walmart and on Amazon. Units bearing the model number 53411 are the ones being recalled.
While it is hard to anticipate every potential disaster, before ordering toys for your kids it is important to think of all the ways it could go “wrong” before bringing one into you home.
