Remember when we built Clara a play kitchen last Christmas? It was an instant favorite and remains one of the few toys she uses every day. Naturally, we wanted to expand it—more kitchen equals more imaginative play—so we decided the set needed a classic appliance: a refrigerator.
We already had a leftover cabinet from our kitchen remodel tucked away in the basement, saved specifically for this kind of play-kitchen expansion. It came from Habitat for Humanity Restore and had been sitting around for about a year, patiently waiting to become a DIY play fridge. At first glance it needed some work, but it was exactly the right size to transform into a child-friendly refrigerator.
To make the interior functional, I removed the original doors and installed three shelves using a single 10″ pine board from Home Depot. I secured each shelf with screws through the cabinet sides so they’re sturdy enough for a toddler. I spaced the shelves about 7″ apart to fit some of Clara’s taller play items while still being easy for her to reach and use.
Next, I covered the recessed sections on each side to create a smooth, box-like exterior and to hide the screw heads. Using plywood panels cut to size on the table saw, I glued and clamped them in place—these were the only wood pieces we had to buy for the project. Once the glue dried, the cabinet already started to look more like a proper refrigerator.
Before painting we lightly sanded the cabinet doors and face, just like you would when painting kitchen cabinets for real. For an authentic, magnetic front, we used magnetic primer on the doors and did three coats to build stronger magnetism—shake the can well before use so the magnetic particles remain suspended. The rest of the cabinet received a regular low-VOC primer we already had on hand.
For the finish, we matched Clara’s existing white play kitchen by painting the exterior semi-gloss white. To add a fun, cool vibe inside, we painted the interior a light blue (leftover paint in Sylvan Mist by Benjamin Moore). The magnetic primer on the doors did require multiple topcoats to cover, but the end result felt polished. I reattached the doors with new hinges and installed long 7″ pulls that match the other kitchen hardware.
We briefly debated adding a little logo to the door with metallic scrap-booking stickers to make it look more like a brand-name appliance, but in the end decided the clean front worked best for Clara’s play kitchen. Still, it was a fun branding exercise and showed how small details can change the feel of a piece.
On Christmas morning Clara found her new fridge (which could easily double as a pantry) next to the play kitchen from last year. Of course it needed to be stocked, so we filled the shelves with mostly play food we already owned, plus a few small extras to create a full shopping experience.
Most of the play food is Melissa & Doug pieces we found at a discount, plus a few DIY touches: tiny emptied Ben & Jerry’s cartons for ice cream (I tested one for quality control) and wooden eggs with small crates that hint at a dairy section. Sherry also picked up miniature takeout containers so Clara can pretend she’s got leftovers in the fridge.
We also added a rolling cart we found at a thrift store for $5. It was already the right color and it’s roomy enough for Clara to store fruits, vegetables and pantry items on the lower shelf—plus it rolls, which makes it an instant favorite for hauling groceries around the playroom.
Budget breakdown for the fridge and rolling cart:
- Cabinet – already owned (originally around $15, maybe)
- Wood for shelves and side panels – $14
- Primer and paint – already owned
- New hinges (Home Depot) – $5.25
- 7″ hardware handles (Home Depot) – $12
- Scrapbook stickers (unused) – $5 (with 50% Michael’s coupon)
- Thrift store cart – $5
- Wooden eggs, crates, and takeout containers – $6 (with 50% Michael’s coupon)
- Tiny Ben & Jerry’s cartons – $2.50
- Other play food – already owned (about $30 originally)
- Total: $50.75 (estimated at about $95 if you had to buy the cabinet and all play food)
Adding magnetic doors is a small step that adds big play value—Clara can stick drawings to the front and someday scribble her own shopping lists. We’ll share photos and video of her discovering the gift soon. For the curious, the playroom wall behind the set is painted Sylvan Mist, the same color we used inside the fridge.
Are you making anything special for the holidays? Do your kids love play food as much as Clara does—especially play eggs? Do you notice how play fruits and veggies are usually life-size while many pantry items are scaled down? We’ll pause here while you ponder that and promise to post a video of Clara playing with her expanded kitchen soon.
Psst—there’s a quick video of Clara playing with her kitchen on Young House Life if you want to peek.