My 2.5yo son loves these! As others have said, they are as good for pretend play as they are for learning about shapes. The pieces are all heavy, soft rubber, not hollow plastic like a lot of play food. They did smell quite a bit right out of the package, but that has dissipated. And they are hard to separate, but they loosen up a bit after a few go-rounds, and it's a good lesson in perseverance. My boy has spent a long time with these each day since they arrived, "baking" them, serving them to the whole family and his stuffed animals, singing Happy Birthday, then taking them apart and matching the pieces, and matching the colored bottom parts to the colors of the plates from his kitchen. Highly recommended for any toddler or preschooler, but especially for a child who loves his or her play kitchen.