--- title: "Melissa & Doug vs Step2: Which is searched more?" description: "Is Melissa & Doug or Step2 more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Play kitchen brands set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/melissa-and-doug-vs-step2" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Melissa & Doug vs Step2: Which is searched more? Is Melissa & Doug or Step2 more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Play kitchen brands set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Melissa & Doug and Step2 - **Competitive set**: Play kitchen brands - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Melissa & Doug Share of Search**: 20.4% - **Step2 Share of Search**: 9.1% ## Is Melissa & Doug or Step2 more popular in search? - In September 2026, Melissa & Doug had more branded searches than Step2 among play kitchen brands worldwide. Melissa & Doug had about 135,000 branded searches, while Step2 had 60,500. Melissa & Doug made up 20.4% of all play kitchen brand searches we track, and Step2 accounted for 9.1%. - Melissa & Doug was ahead of Step2 in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Melissa & Doug’s share of searches among play kitchen brands worldwide moved from 19.7% to 20.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 135K. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Step2’s share of searches among play kitchen brands worldwide moved from 5.9% to 9.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40.5K to 60.5K. ## Top play kitchen brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Melissa & Doug and Step2 were each mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Step2 was listed before Melissa & Doug in two out of three answers. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | KidKraft | 1st | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Step2 | 2nd | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Hape | 3rd | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Melissa & Doug | 4th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Little Tikes | 5th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | Fisher-Price | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about play kitchen brands - Asked ChatGPT "Which play kitchen brand should I buy?": 1. KidKraft, 2. Hape, 3. Melissa & Doug, 4. Little Tikes - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best play kitchen brands?": 1. KidKraft, 2. Step2, 3. Hape, 4. Melissa & Doug - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best play kitchen brand for a toddler?": 1. Step2, 2. KidKraft - Searched Google, AI Overview "kids play kitchen": 1. KidKraft - Searched Google, AI Overview "wooden play kitchen": 1. KidKraft Not named in any answer: Fisher-Price. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in the United States on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for play kitchen brands worldwide in September 2026? - In September 2026, Little Tikes overtook Melissa & Doug to rank 2nd among play kitchen brands worldwide, with 24.8% of the searches. - In September 2026, Step2 gained share of searches among play kitchen brands worldwide, from 7.9% to 9.1%. - In September 2026, Melissa & Doug lost share of searches among play kitchen brands worldwide, from 21.7% to 20.4%. ## Month by month | Month | Melissa & Doug estimated searches | Melissa & Doug Share of Search | Melissa & Doug rank | Step2 estimated searches | Step2 Share of Search | Step2 rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 135K | 19.7% | 2 | 40.5K | 5.9% | 5 | | Nov 2025 | 247K | 24.4% | 2 | 49.5K | 4.9% | 5 | | Dec 2025 | 202K | 21.1% | 2 | 40.5K | 4.2% | 6 | | Jan 2026 | 110K | 17.6% | 2 | 33.1K | 5.3% | 5 | | Feb 2026 | 90.8K | 18.4% | 3 | 33.1K | 6.7% | 5 | | Mar 2026 | 110K | 17.7% | 3 | 49.5K | 7.9% | 5 | | Apr 2026 | 90.9K | 14.8% | 3 | 60.5K | 9.8% | 4 | | May 2026 | 90.8K | 14.2% | 3 | 60.5K | 9.5% | 4 | | Jun 2026 | 90.8K | 16.8% | 3 | 49.5K | 9.2% | 4 | | Jul 2026 | 110K | 18.3% | 3 | 49.5K | 8.2% | 4 | | Aug 2026 | 135K | 21.7% | 2 | 49.5K | 7.9% | 4 | | Sep 2026 | 135K | 20.4% | 3 | 60.5K | 9.1% | 4 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Melissa & Doug’s and Step2’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading. - **Melissa & Doug**: Measured on the search terms “melissa doug” and “melissadoug toys”, summed into one figure. - **Step2**: Measured on the search term “step2”. - [Melissa & Doug profile](/demand/global-en/brands/melissa-and-doug) - [Step2 profile](/demand/global-en/brands/step2) - [All play kitchen brands worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/play-kitchen-brands): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Melissa & Doug or Step2 more popular in search? In September 2026, Melissa & Doug had more branded searches than Step2 among play kitchen brands worldwide. Melissa & Doug had about 135,000 branded searches, while Step2 had 60,500. Melissa & Doug made up 20.4% of all play kitchen brand searches we track, and Step2 accounted for 9.1%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Melissa & Doug vs Step2: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/melissa-and-doug-vs-step2 This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/melissa-and-doug-vs-step2. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.