Do you find difficulties with toddlers while doping house chores? It is difficult to keep up with them while attending to the daily house chores in the kitchen. There is a creative way of engaging them in the kitchen to help you with the house chores, and it will help them be confident, skillful, and independent in the kitchen by investing in a kitchen learning tower, which is a better option than a step stool.
What Is A Kitchen Learning Tower?
A kitchen learning tower is a four-sided caged frame or wooden box to prevent the kid from falling while helping the grownups in the kitchen and helps them learn some essential kitchen skills and improve their imagination and creativity to make them confident independent as they grow.
Benefits Of Kitchen Learning Tower
Helps eliminate insecurity- kitchen learning tower helps the kid be confident and independent since she will be engaged in helping you in the kitchen; thus, eliminating insecurity fear. Simultaneously, you are not close to her while attending other business or doing house chores.
-It is a safer option for toddlers instead of using a stool or chairs. It features four corners that cage the kid inside, ensuring maximum safety and security since kids are scared of heights, making them unstable being on an empty chair or stool.
A learning tower encourages the kid’s appetite; therefore, the child will try new foods since the learning tower’s sturdiness and safety allow you to be free with her to help you in the kitchen while playing with utensils.
-A learning tower provides you with an opportunity of doing house chores without interruption from the kids since some of them are equipped with educational boards and arts that will keep them busy. Besides, the kid can also get engaged in playing with bowls and spoons in the kitchen, allowing you to have an easy time cooking.
-Encourages early learning of kitchen skills and arts since as the kid grows, she becomes excited and fond of the kitchen and, she will learn some skills from you while cooking and washing the utensils in the kitchen.
How To Choose The Best Kitchen Learning Tower
Suppose you need the best kitchen learning tower that will be reliable and versatile to assist your kid as she grows until she becomes confident and independent by handling kitchen towers. In that case, you should consider the following vital features/factors. These include;
-Adjustable height and foldable step
The best kitchen learning tower should be adjustable at least to 3-levels and should be maximally adjustable to counter height to allow your kid to attain a comfortable position as she grows while helping in the kitchen.
Besides, this also encourages the kid to become fond of the kitchen and learn faster the kitchen skills as she grows. Furthermore, foldable steps allow you to store the kitchen learning tower easily and minimize available space.
-Safety
The kitchen learning tower’s safety should be your priority to avoid unnecessary accidents that could be life-threatening for the kid. Thus, when choosing the best kitchen learning tower, it should feature the following;
• A wide step platform with the anti-slippery mat provides ample support to the kid while climbing or accessing her way in or out of the kitchen tower.
• Graspable handrails and hand-holds where the kid will hold while accessing inside or outside the kitchen learning tower. Besides, the handrails should also be adjustable to different heights to secure in case the kid slips accidentally.
• Should feature 4-attachable anti-slip strips on four legs with supporting foot to make sure no tip-over risk.
-Quality of its construction
The kitchen tower’s quality of construction is also the key factor since it determines its durability and sturdiness. Therefore, you should consider a kitchen learning tower made from high-quality material that can serve you for a long time, support a lot of weight, and sturdy enough for the kid’s safety.
-Should include educational board
The best kitchen learning should include an educational board with some chalks to keep the kid engaged when busy in the kitchen. Therefore, she will learn some drawing skills on the board, and also it provides a chance for other kids to share with her.
Thus, installing interaction skills with other kids while gaining skills and knowledge as she grows.
What Is The Suitable Size For A Kitchen Learning Tower?
There are different sizes of kitchen learning towers due to different brands in the market, but the suitable size for a kitchen learning tower depends on the available space in your room.
However, it must/should match the kitchen counter to allow the kid to assist you in the kitchen/play comfortably in terms of height.
How To Allow The Child To Help In The Kitchen With The Learning Tower?
For the kitchen tower to be helpful to you and your kid, it must be thoroughly be used by the child; therefore, below is how to allow the child to help in the kitchen with the learning tower, these include;
• To bush their teeth and wash their face.
• Observe what they are doing in the kitchen and assist them where necessary for them to learn.
• Give them art projects at the counter height to keep them engaged while you are cooking or other activities
• Engage her to help you with the kitchen’s daily chores like washing the utensils, cooking, and baking.
• Adjust them to your level to make her feel secure and excited to encourage her to help in the kitchen.
Kitchen Learning Towers Vs. Kitchen Step Stools
The kitchen learning tower is a cage-like design with four corners secured in place with handrails to prevent the kid from falling with a stepping platform that is adjustable at least to three different heights up to the counter height surface is anti-slippery. Besides, most of the kitchen learning towers have a foldable step platform for easy storage and allow the kid to access inside and outside the learning tower easily. Furthermore, the learning tower is an advanced feature of a step stool since it may also come with educational boards to allow your kid to play and do paintings while playing, and it is wide enough to accommodate two kids.
Contrarily, the kitchen step stool is designed with a wide step platform that is stationery with no handrails and is not enclosed like the kitchen learning tower making it a little bit insecure for the kid to use it, not unless you are there to guide her. Besides, the step stool is majorly meant for one child, and it may also feature two steps to allow easy access and does not have comprehensive features like kitchen learning towers.
What Features Should A Kitchen Learning Tower Have For Kids?
-adjustable height
A kitchen learning tower should feature an adjustable height to allow the child to fit into different positions comfortably as she grows to allow him/her to help in the kitchen without limits in height and make her confident and independent while growing. Furthermore, the platform should easily adjust to 3 heights, 12″, 15″, and 18″.
-Handrails
Handrails are frames that are screwed in different heights to allow your child to support herself/himself while climbing the learning tower comfortably and also ensures that the kid is securely contained in the kitchen learning tower. Thus, preventing unnecessary accidents.
Tips On Using Kitchen Learning Tower Safely By Kids
Learning towers are built with precision, versatility, and child safety is 100% prioritized through its construction, but that does not mean it is safe for your kid to use it freely. Therefore, before you allow the child to help in the kitchen with learning, you should ensure you have done the following:
• Always check before using it to remove spills or residues from previous sessions and ensure you have tightened the screws of the handrails, steps, and many more.
• Ensure that the learning tower is on an even surface and is not supported against unstable and insecure structures to avoid hazards when in use.
• Ensure you test the leaning tower’s stability before allowing the kid to climb it if given a chance.
• Keep the learning tower away from the hot surfaces, like near the irons, toaster, utensils, boiling water. In case you are going to place the kid near water, ensure the water temperature will not scold your child.
• You should be cautious enough by keeping the learning out of rich from sharp, poisonous, and hazardous objects or items.
• Lastly, it would be best to talk to your kid while on the learning to engage her on what to do and avoid misunderstanding or putting her life at risk while playing on the learning tower.
FAQ:
What is the best age for a kitchen learning tower?
The best age for a kid to use a kitchen learning tower is from 18 months- 3 years since at that point is when the child has grown stronger and able to stand without your assistance. You can easily communicate to her while playing or assisting with little things in the kitchen, like stretching her arms to the spoon rack.
How to build a learning tower kitchen stool
Tools and requirements
• Four pieces of wood each measure 15.5 inches long with a thickness of 1.5 by 0.75 inches {sides frames pieces}
• Four pieces of wood each measure 6 inches long with a thickness of 2.5 by 0.75 inches {frame support pieces}
• 1 round dowel 12.5 inches long with a thickness of 0.5 inches
• Two pieces of woods, each measuring 12.5 inches long with a thickness of 0.5 inches {front frame support}
• Sandpaper
• Screwdriver
• Drill
• Pencil
• Drill bit for screws
• Screws
• Wood filler
• 90-degrees wood clump and leveler
• A stool
Procedures for DIY learning Kitchen stool
-Unscrew the top piece of the stool and set it aside.
– Sand all the surface and the edges of the pre-cut woods mentioned above using sandpaper.
– Take the one piece of 15.5 inches long {frame} and use a drill bit for screws to make two a pilot hole on one end and the at the middle of the thinner, then turn on the wider side and drill pivot holes like on the thinner side but the pilot holes should be offset of the drilled thinner side. Repeat the same procedure with the other three frames.
– Take two pieces of the frames label “front” and the other 2 “back” to give an easy time when attaching them because the front and the back pilot hole are slightly different. Since back pieces and front pieces are the images of each other, you will have to label “left” and “right.”
– Then, take one of the frames labeled “front left” and “back left” attach with two pieces of 6inch frame support; one of the frame support on the upper part and the other in the middle using and secure them in place using screws. However, you have to ensure you attach the horizontal support {frame support} to the vertical {frames} at 90-degrees using angle clamp. Repeat the same procedure with the remaining pieces.
– After you are done, take the 12.5 inches {front frame support}. Attach them to the left and right frame using screws on the pivot hole on the wider side and level to 90-degrees. Also, remember that each side has two pilot holes at the top where you will also attach the handrail.
– Place the round dowel to the front part of the frame and attach it with screws.
– When you are done attaching the round dowel, place the frame on top of the stool and mark it around the leg using a pencil.
– Drill 4 pilot holes at the center of the marked area.
– Put the top frame upside down and attach with screws to the top of the stool to make a platform.
– Now your kitchen learning stool is ready, but ensure you tighten the screws in place and seal the holes using wood filler.
– Let the filler dry and sand it to make the surface uniformly nice and smooth as the frame.
– You can coat your kitchen learning tower using an undercoat paint and finish with your favorite paint.
Best Kitchen Learning Tower Reviews
1. Little Partners Explore n Store Learning Tower
Explorer n store learning tower is constructed from layered birch and poplar with a safe, non-toxic material with a durable finishing that allows you to wipe clean it, and it’s sturdy enough to support kids from 18months-6years old. The kitchen helper stool is adjustable to three different positions up to counter height to encourage the kid to explore and interact with her parents. Thus, making it versatile as your kid grows until she can handle things in the kitchen with confidence without your help.
The kitchen tower is built with a four-sided railing with two-step for easy climbing and ensures the kids’ safety due to instability and features a fold-up bottom step for easy storage when not in use and allows the kid to access the kitchen tower easily without your help. Furthermore, it is available in white and silver drop color.
2. Little Partners’ Kids Learning Tower
A Montessori school educator designed little partner kids learning tower and is built with precision to make it versatile and reliable. The quality of its construction encourages the kids to be independent since it is sturdy enough to support up to 250lbs; it is four-sided with round edges for safety and has a 2-steps option for climbing and access their way out easily without your assistance.
The little partner learning tower is adjustable into four positions up to the counter height; therefore, it encourages the kid to help you in the kitchen. It has a play mat made of silicone and is anti-slippery for safety and sturdiness while standing inside. Furthermore, it features a playhouse tent and an art and education board that allows the kid to share with other kids while learning some education skills, keeping them engaged, and exploring their imagination.
3. KidzWerks Kitchen Step Stool for Kids
KidzWerks kitchen stepping stool is constructed from Birchwood materials that are strong and long-lasting until your kid is old enough to handle and to assist you in the kitchen confidently and independently with minimum attention from you. The step stool is adjustable into 3-levels, 12″ 16″ or 20″ based on your preference up to the counter height to allow the kids to find the right and comfortable height for helping in the kitchen.
The KidzWerks is designed with the versatility to allow the kid to view in all viewing angles and features adjustable safety handrails with matching screw covers. Therefore, you can adjust it to certain heights to secure the kid and has easy-grip handles where the kid supports herself when moving or changing the viewing angles. Furthermore, it also includes four anti-slip pads for safety, and the step stool is available in multiple colors that will match up with your kitchen.
4. Kinbor Baby Kids Step Stool Kids Learning Stool Kids
Kinbor step and learning stool for kids are designed to encourage them to be independent while fostering their creativity and enjoying every moment of family togetherness. This step stool’s construction is from 100% wood that is sturdy that can accommodate up to 150lbs, durable, and non-toxic with finishing that wipes clean easily. Besides, it features safety treads and four-sided frames with safety rails to offer support, independence, and confidence to the kid while climbing, helping in the kitchen, and brushing teeth. Furthermore, it is elevated designed with a single step platform for the kid to access inside and get out of the step stool easily.
5. Guidecraft Kitchen Helper High-Rise Step-Up
Guidecraft kitchen helper is designed with precision and versatility to support up to 200lbs since it is constructed from strong and durable material that features a combination of engineered wood, solid pine, and plywood with UV-polyurethane finishing that is non-toxic. Besides, its construction highly prioritizes the kid’s safety by texturing it with non-slip treads and has hand-holds to help the baby climb and go down.
The high-rise step-up has a wide step platform that allows children of age 3 to use it confidently climb to the counter height; thus, giving the kid opportunity never to miss a moment of family togetherness. The step is sturdy enough, and even adults can use it to reach things at the highest point anywhere in the room.
6. SDADI Adjustable Height Kitchen Step Stool
SDADI kitchen step stool features a load-bearing platform that is adjustable up to the counter and fits the kids’ height; thus, it allows you to elevate the kid to teach them cooking skills and get a little helper shortly, and make your kitchen full of fun! Also, you could put it in the washing room so kids can brush their teeth by themselves.
Investing in this kitchen step stool is worth a thousand reasons since it’s made from solid wood, carefully coated with a durable, non-toxic, lead-free coating, and it features four-sided railings to provide excellent support when your baby inside. Besides, it guarantees double safety with the attachable anti-slip strips on four legs and has a supporting foot to make sure no tip-over risk. The recommendable ages to use this step stool is from 18months-3 years.
Conclusion
All in all, with reviews from the products mentioned above, you will able to find the best kitchen learning tower that will be versatile and reliable to assist your kid to become skillful, independent, and confident in the kitchen as she grows.
