Let’s be real: the most disappointing part of Lovevery’s kits is the fact that you cannot purchase individual items separately. I always hear from parents that they just want the buy the Lovevery sink because their kids would love it, but they cannot or don’t want to commit to subscriptions. Especially considering that now all kids will love every toy from every kit – my own kids hate felt toys so a part of every kit is wasted basically.
The good news is that there are quite a few options for Lovevery sink alternatives and similar products to The Helper kit, so you don’t have to! However, let me be real for a second. Lovevery is a popular toy subscription box in the Montessori community, but many of their toys have nothing to do with the actual Montessori philosophy. It doesn’t make the toys any less valuable or fun, just not necessarily true Montessori.
If you follow Montessori at home you probably have already had a learning tower (we had ours since my firstborn turned 1) and the child has access to the kitchen sink or bathroom sink so then you might ask yourself why buy a toy one as well, especially as the child is already over 2?
How does Lovevery sink work?
Lovevery sink is part of The Helper play kit and it’s a sustainable sink with cups & plates.
The top part of the sink detaches from the bottom – that’s where the water goes. The faucet plays water sounds when in use, so it requires two AA batteries so make sure you get rechargeable ones.
Cons of Lovevery Sink
Why would you want to teach your child to let the sink water run for hours? You want to teach your child to turn off the water and save it, but this sink opens doors to a water-wasting mindset.
My kids enjoy playing with water, so we got them a water table and the kids are aware that this is like a pool toy and that’s why the water stays there and not something resembling an actual sink where they brush their teeth and wash the dishes.
Lovevery Sink Alternatives
The average cost of the toy sink similar to Lovevery on Amazon is about $25-30. Most of them work in the same exact way and are a great alternative.
1. Basic Amazon Lovevery Sink
This set comes with 20 pieces of cups, plates, and cutlery. Lovevery sink only comes with 2 cups and 2 plates. The faucet runs more water than the Lovevery one
2. Amazon Sink with Color Changing Cups and Plates
The dishes change colors on this one when put in warm water. It comes with a brush so kids can really pretend they’re washing the dishes or toys if they wish. Keep in mind, that this version is often sold out.
3. Elegant Kitchen Sink Toy with Running Water
The slickest looking toy sink and yet, the most affordable. Many people are getting it for their birds and cats, so if your child grows out of it that’s an idea 😉
4. Toddler Sink with Drying Rack
This sink might look slightly more like a toy than a slick-looking sink, but for a similar price, it also comes with changing color plates and a place to hang cups to dry them off. The faucet is running even better on this one than on the basic one.
5. Ikea Kitchen Hack
You can turn the basic Ikea kitchen into a full-working snack and water station for toddlers. It requires a water pump and takes about half an hour to set up, but it provides kids with a fully independent experience in true Montessori style.
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