Toddlers are funny little people in that they are so young and inexperienced, yet so fiercely independent.  My daughter has gotten to the age where "self" and "Riley's turn" are said more than anything else, simply because she wants to mimic every single thing her father and I do, but completely by herself.  Now that the warm sun is shining, everyone begins to head outside and enjoy this gorgeous weather.

So, what's a young one to do when her family is grilling some goodies on the barbecue pit?  Why, join right along and serve up some delicious fare with the Step2 Grill and Play Patio Cafe!  Keep reading to learn all about Riley's favorite new outdoor activity that she can do all by herself!

The Step2 Grill and Play Patio Cafe is a complete outdoor kitchen and dining area all rolled into one.  This set is made in the USA and contains everything your little one will need to prepare a backyard bounty of fun!  One side of this toy contains a pretend charcoal grill, sink with swivel faucet and two stove-top burners with clicking knobs.  There is also a "stainless steel" oven, which appears to be cooking a pizza, and refrigerator complete with make-believe ice maker.

The other side of the Grill and Play Patio Cafe is the sit-down dining portion, which contains a raised tile-patterned counter top and two attached stools.  Finally, this toy even contains a large 40" adjustable umbrella to help shield your children from the sun's harmful rays while they play.  Step2 even thought to include a wonderful accessory kit, complete with everything you need to grill steak, corn, chicken, and even a hamburger with all the trimmings.

This toy does require adult assembly and as you can see from the pictures above, Riley was all too eager to help.  Of course, her "help" actually made this project take twice as long as it should have, but it was so cute to see how excited she was getting as this toy was taking shape.  It was also fun assigning her small jobs that she could help me with and watching her spring into action to complete them.

The Step2 Grill and Play Patio Cafe was actually very easy to assemble and the directions were clear and concise.  Soon I was ready to complete the last steps of the assembly, which needed to be done outside.

Riley couldn't have been more thrilled with the Grill and Play Patio Cafe!  She loved every single thing about it and I loved how sturdy and durable it appeared.  She even seemed to like both the outdoor kitchen portion and the dining portion equally, which surprised me.  I just knew that she would spend all her time preparing the included food, making drinks, putting things in and out of the oven and refrigerator, etc., but actually she enjoyed sitting a spell and eating her food just as much.

We've had this toy now for several weeks and I can attest that it is built to last and extremely easy to clean.  Since being left outside, it's collected it's share of drifting pollen, dust, dirt, grass clippings, etc, but after a quick rinse with the garden hose, everything is as good as new again.  Riley plays with her Grill and Play Patio Cafe EVERY SINGLE DAY!  I thought that by now the newness might have worn off, but she has definitely not tired of it whatsoever.

If you want a well-made outdoor toy which will provide your toddler with hours of make-believe fun, then I highly recommend the Step2 Grill and Play Outdoor Cafe.  Now your little one can fire up the grill and successfully mimic mommy and daddy all summer long, and have a blast in the process!

Disclosure:  I received the Grill and Play Patio Cafe from Step2 in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective.