Melissa & Doug Cooks Up Exciting New Toys by Pairing Pretend Food Play with Its Popular Water WOW! Color Reveal Technology

As kids stir, flip, and season the play food with water-dispensing utensils and condiments, the ingredients transform—from "frozen" white to perfectly "cooked" colors.

WILTON, Conn., May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Melissa & Doug, the toy brand known for its commitment to play that inspires development and discovery, is expanding its extensive collection of pretend play food sets with the introduction of color reveal technology. As the #1 Brand in Preschool Kitchen & Food, Melissa & Doug makes high-quality, realistically designed play food sets that give children a lifelike cooking experience.* That experience takes on a dynamic new dimension with the introduction of two innovative kitchen play sets that incorporate the color-reveal action found in the brand's popular Water WOW!^® Activity Pads.

"Parents and children have always raved about Water WOW!, and that enthusiasm inspired us to explore more ways to utilize the technology," said Sofia Dumery, Senior Vice President of Design at Melissa & Doug. "With these new play sets, kids get to create the transformation themselves—stirring, flipping, shaking, and seasoning to 'cook' the food right before their eyes. No batteries required. We know how essential play is to a child's development and we're excited to provide true-to-life pretend experiences that help build real-world skills."

These new play sets include water-dispensing kitchenware such as spoons, spatulas, condiment bottles, and salt and pepper shakers. The play food pieces appear white, but when activated by the water, they become vibrantly colored, mimicking the cooking process. Just like real meal preparation, the color change takes a little time. As kids stir, flip, and season their dishes, they get to experience the hands-on fun of watching the transformation unfold. Thanks to color reveal technology, the pieces gradually return to white as they dry, letting kids prep, cook, and serve their favorite meals again and again.

• Simmer & Stir Stovetop Play Set (available now): Use the spoon and olive oil bottle to add water to veggies and proteins, sauté and stir on the stovetop play surface, and watch the food "cook" before your eyes. Little chefs can pretend to simmer mushrooms, carrots, and broccoli, sauté chicken, shrimp, and beans, and steam double-sided disks of rice, soup, spaghetti, and mac and cheese. The 27-piece set includes a durable stovetop play surface, cooking pot, "olive oil" bottle, and double-sided reusable activity card.
• Flip & Fry Grill Play Set (available July): Little ones can watch play food "cook" on the grill and deep fryer play surface as the spatula, condiment bottle, and salt shaker dispense water. This 19-piece play set lets kids make breakfast, lunch, and dinner and includes felt "fixings" and color-changing buns. Kids can toss the fries, chicken tenders, and onion rings in the fry basket and serve their food in "to go" bags that double as storage!

For four years in a row, Melissa & Doug has been recognized as the #1 Brand in Preschool Kitchen & Food, Children's Puzzles, and Craft Kits.* The new pretend play sets are the latest innovation from Melissa & Doug that feature color reveal technology. The products follow the release of the new Water WOW!^® Take-Along Multi-Activity Drawing Set, Scented Water WOW!^® activity pads available in Fruit and Treats scents, and the Water WOW!^® Pen Pack.

Learn more about the importance of open-ended, screen-free play, and access free resources, like print-and-play activities, blog posts, and more, at MelissaAndDoug.com.

*Source: Circana LLC, Retail Tracking Service, US, USD, Jan 2021-Dec 2024

About Melissa & Doug

Timeless Toys. Endless Possibilities.

From classic wooden toys to crafts and pretend play, Melissa & Doug products provide a launch pad to ignite imagination and a sense of wonder in all children so they can discover their passions and their purpose. Recognized by parents as the #1 preschool brand for wooden and sustainable toys, Melissa & Doug is committed to its vision of making timeless, sustainable toys for a thriving and inclusive world. Melissa & Doug is a wholly owned subsidiary of Spin Master Corp. (TSX:TOY), a leading global children's entertainment company.

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SOURCE Melissa & Doug