Melissa & Doug Wooden Chocolate Factory Pretend Play Set, Play Food Candy Maker for Boys and Girls - FSC-Certified

We are huge Melissa and Dough fans in this household. We own most of the different food kits, so when this one was released, we knew we had to get it! It was such a different concept than the other ice cream, sandwich, pasta kits that kept getting reworked and sold. In typical Melissa and Doug fashion, the quality of this toy is the gold standard that other toys should be held to. The wood is smooth, the paint is professionally applied, the small amount of plastic used is not flimsy at all. There is just enough offered that the kids can really make and do everything, but also enough "missing" that their imagination can fill in the gaps. We LOVE the lack of batteries and sounds. My two boys (6 and 3) both play with this a lot. While my 6-year-old is at the top end of the age recommendations per Melissa and Doug, he still gets a lot of enjoyment out of it. His play style has changed from just being mesmerized by the dropping fillings, buttons, knobs, etc to asking people for their orders, making candies for his plushies, and worrying about taking money and giving change. I think that as long as imaginative play is encouraged, this toy has a lot of life left even for him. This holds his attention more than others sets because, well, kids are more interested in making gourmet chocolates than sandwiches or salads. There are only two cons that I have with this item. #1: The price. When we purchased this, it was on sale. Even then it felt like a lot of money. Since then, it looks like the price has gone up even more. While you are definitely paying for the quality and uniqueness, it is an obstacle to purchasing Melissa and Doug toys. Other kits we have purchased that are a similar price had more wood to explain some of the cost. This item is very nice, heavy, durable, but besides the main frame the only other pieces of wood are the small cubes meant to be fillings. #2: This is minor, but I wish there was a third chocolate box included. There are 6 pieces of chocolate when fully assembled and only two boxes. This would not only make storage neater; but it would allow the kids to make all the chocolates and box them all up at the same time. They are just cardboard/paper, and with the total cost of the item, I think it is curious that only two were included.

I kept a close eye on this toy throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas; finally caught it on sale, and I’m so glad I did! Huge hit with my three year old especially. I wish the storage situation was a little better (like the M&D ice cream set for example - everything has its place!) and I’m not sure why it only comes with two “gift boxes” when there are six chocolates. Neither issue is a dealbreaker by any means though. So cute, fun and easy to play with, suitable for littles and bigger kids alike. It would be nice if the halves of the chocolates actually snapped together, but that would make it harder for the “factory assembly” part to work, so again not a dealbreaker. Overall very satisfied, as expected from Melissa & Doug!

This was AWESOME! My granddaughter LOVED it! We played candy shop for hours while we were home for Christmas!

Great product from Melissa and Doug. My 3 year old plays with this constantly. It keeps him engaged and comes in fun colors. We have had it for several months and everything is holding up well. Would make a great gift for a child!

Why did you pick this product vs others?: I love Melissa and Doug toys, they are always great quality, durable, and provide my son with endless fun! My son loves the chocolate factory and being able to go through each step of making his chocolates and then packaging them in a cute little box. He plays with this often!

Super cute! I would recommend. The only issue I found is that the slider gets stuck, but that is not a deal breaker for me.

A Christmas present for my granddaughter.

I got this for my 3 year old for Christmas and it has been such a huge hit! He continues to play with it every day and has so much imaginative play inspired by it. Everything works well and is holding up. It’s a little on the expensive side, but has been worth it as a special gift.