DIY Pretend Play Diner from an Upcycled TV Cabinet

When I saw this amazing upcycled TV cabinet project shared in an early childhood teacher Facebook group, I just knew that I had to feature it here! Fortunately for us, the lovely Linda agreed to share her fabulous idea with us. See how they upcycled a humble TV cabinet into an awesome pretend play diner for preschoolers or kindergarteners.

How to Upcycle a TV Cabinet Into a Pretend Play Diner

You will need:

• Someone handy with power tools
• One wooden TV unit
• Paint
• Tools
• Nails, screws, hinges, wood etc
• Anything you can lay your hands on that might be useful (including a small kitchen sink!)
• Time (you’ll need plenty of this)

How To:

1. I started nagging my dad early for his help with my idea. Perfect phrases to use included: “I love you so much, Dad. You know how you’re really good with power tools?” or “You know that plumbing job you did last week? You wouldn’t happen to have taken out a tap set that I could use for a project?” or “Hey Dad, the grand kids haven’t seen you for a while. Would you like to come and stay for a few days? Bring your tools, please.”

2. Start by removing the TV cabinet doors and sanding back any areas that need work.

3. Take a look at the shelf and realise it is too low for children to work at so take the top shelf and move it down to the bottom.

4. Find a tap and sink to install.

5. Realise the sink is too big to fit in the space provided and go to plan B – a bowl instead.

6. Trace the bowl, tap and tap handles and cut holes in the shelf. Install. Forget to put the washer in. Uninstall. Reinstall.

7.  Visit your sister. See a stovetop in her shed leftover from her kitchen remodel. Ask if she is going to be needing that.

8. Cut stovetop down to size to fit in. Cut self on sharp edges. Figure it is not too child friendly and rectify with a wooden frame. Spray wood silver and hope it blends in.

9. Start working on fridge, oven and pantry doors. Revisit handy tradie sayings such as “Measure twice. Cut once” and “Righty Tighty. Leftie Loosey.”

10. Find mini coloured saucepans on sale at Kmart for $1 each. Gather them all up doing a Gollum impersonation, “My preciousssssssss.”

11. Repeat step 10 but replace saucepans with block out curtain material and Kmart with Spotlight.

12. Have pies, sausage rolls, hotdogs and anything else that requires sauce or mustard every night of the week for a fortnight so you can have the bottles for your diner. Fill the bottom of them with a little Plaster of Paris to give them weight.

13.  Attach doors. Take doors off again after realizing it’s easier to paint with them off. Soothe blisters with aloe vera after all the screwing and unscrewing.

14.  Paint

15.  Paint some more

16.  Paint again

17.  Surely three coats is enough! Take a break from the fumes. Make note to self – next time get water based paint even if you have to go to a different store to get it.

18.  Get excited that the end is near.

19.  Start making a vinyl sign online. Upload it to a .com.au website so it gets here quicker. Go through checkout and wonder why the shipping says UPS and not Australia Post.

20.  Wait.

21. Get tracking number for sign. Do a little happy dance. Check to see where it is. India?? Refresh tracking repeatedly to help it get here faster.

22.  Install sign.

23. Pat self on back.

24. Remember that dad helped and ring to thank him.