Life

I'm Obsessed With This Pretend Sushi Counter & The Perfect Wooden Blob Of Wasabi

by Cat Bowen

When my kids were little, they had a ton of foodie play sets, including one with pancakes, an entire pantry of pretend dry goods, and the most adorable wooden eggs. What they didn't have — because it wasn't available — was this kids' sushi counter set from Melissa and Doug, and to be honest, I'm kind of salty about it.

My son started devouring sushi at about age 2, and he would have absolutely died over this set. For only $40, this huge, 46-piece set is decked out with multiple pieces of sushi, maki rolls, and even mini maki and felt nori for kids to use to wrap and cut their own sushi. They have pieces of nori and wooden pieces of fish to make hand rolls, as well as a tiny bamboo mat and serving tray. And of course, soy sauce, wasabi, and chopsticks. To make it even better, the whole thing folds out into a tiny sushi bar with a little menu.

I can see it now, "Mama, here's your salmon avocado roll, extra wasabi. Don't worry, I gave you the low-sodium soy sauce that you like." The level of cute opportunities that this provides is a bit overwhelming.

This set is so deluxe that I can't believe it's only $40. However, because it's so well-priced, it's likely to sell out. So if you like it, and if you think your kids will like it (they will), you need to grab it now.

I have been working on my own sushi game for about a year, and I love the idea of my baby nephews being able to saddle up beside me and make their own little rolls with this kit. What a sweet bonding experience. Plus, it just might encourage your kids to try a new food. Pricey though it may be, sushi is one of the healthier restaurant options. If you could just add a karaoke set to this, you can have the perfect pretend night out.