# learning tower or step stool? opinions please!



## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

ds REALLY loves to help in the kitchen latley. so I am thinking of getting a learning tower. they are spendy though, but I figure we will get good use out of it with dd as well. for those of you that have them do you reccomend them or should I save the $ and just buy a step stool? a friend was over the other day andd we let him use a cooler as a step stool :LOL not very safe, but we were with him every second and he just LOVED it and helped us make quacamole even!

also what kinds of activities does your dc use the learning tower other than "helping" in the kitchen? is it really safer than a step stool? (we have ceramic tile floors) TIA!


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## The4OfUs (May 23, 2005)

:...

I showed DH a picture and gave him the option that either he could build us something like it, or I was going to ask for it as a present for Christmas if he didn't want to take it on as a project.....would love to hear how others feel about theirs, or if others have made up things *like* it and used successfully at home...


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## abac (Mar 10, 2005)

I don't have ceramic floors and I might do things differently if I did. We let ds (17 mo.) stand on a chair. He pulls them out from the table himself and puts them where he wants to climb, (usually the sink.) He always puts the back of the chair against the counter which I prefer. (Less chance of tipping.) He's fallen once when he was playing at the sink in his bare feet and got water on the chair. Slippery. Now if he's at the sink, I make sure he has socks on.

I can't imagine spending so much money on a learning tower! It seems like a rip-off to me. They cost so much. When ds first started standing on chairs, I would stay beside him for safety, but after about a month he seemed to have it down pat. Now he's always in view, but I can do other things while he plays in the sink or "cooks" at the stove. But, like I said, I don't have ceramic floors.


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## loomweaver (Aug 17, 2004)

Also considering one.... We're using anIkea step stool right now..







:


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## TortelliniMama (Mar 11, 2004)

We have a Learning Tower. I would definitely buy it again. It's great to be able to step across the kitchen without worrying about ds suddenly forgetting that he's on a step stool and taking a step backwards into nothing. We use ours for washing dishes, helping to cook, coloring Easter eggs, and occasionally eating. Oh, and ds likes to pretend it's a swing.


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

the thing I am wondering about is will ds be able to get on and off it by himself? or will it pose a hazard in itself with my hard floors?

I am just not sure at all. (have been debating this for months actually :LOL )


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## mamaroni (Sep 12, 2003)

we loooove our learning tower. we got it last christmas when older dd was 4, my son was 2.5 and younger dd just 9 mos. the older kids loved it right away (although they did argue about where to put the platform, high or low). we keep it at the end of our kitchen island. we started putting younger dd in it when she was pulling herself up. It took her a while to climb in and out unassisted, but it was great to have a place to put her while I made dinner (and she could munch and see everything going on). all last winter my son pretty much ate meals standing in there. now, younger dd does the same. my older dd rarely uses it now (she's 5). we push it over to the sink quite often. my younger dd has fallen off kitchen chairs and stools a few times here and there, but NEVER the learning tower. Since we had the room to keep it permanently in our kitchen, and more than 1 child to use it, I think the price was well worth it. FYI, it also comes with a cloth to put. over. top .like a t.en.t. sorry dd at keyboeard,

hope that helps!


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## mamademateo (Feb 13, 2005)

the learning tower is the greatest most useful thing i have for me ds 23 months. he looves it.


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## starbarrett (Jun 16, 2004)

The learning tower looks like such a space hog that we never considered it. DD used chairs just fine until her grandparents got her a stool/chair from one step ahead. http://www.onestepahead.com/jump.jsp...781&change=117

I don't know if it's any cheaper, but it is nice as dd can get up and down on her own, it's water proof (unlike my dining chairs!) and it has conviently placed handles that help dd climb up and down safely.

It's doesn't fold up nicely like a stepping stool, and it does get slippery.

Left to my own devices, I wouldn't have spent money on either a learning tower or the one step ahead chair. The dining chair worked just fine (except for getting drenched like i said). There was a short learning curve-- she felt twice I think. But she doesn't anymore-- and she's only 18mo. But my floor is linoleum, not ceramic.

well, that's my 2 cents!


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

I have never been able to afford a LT, although they look very nice. My kids both stand well on a folding step stool. I also like the fact that when they are finished with it I can fold it and store it between the fridge and the wall.


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## annethcz (Apr 1, 2004)

We use chairs, as well. It works for our family. In fact, my kids (5,3,1) were all helping me make biscuits this afternoon, standing on chairs.

After seeing a friend's learning tower, I would never buy one myself. As squirly as my kids are, they could fall out of the learning tower just as easily as a chair. Not to mention, those things are HUGE. I think it would only work if you have a pretty big kitchen and a good place to store it when not in use. To me, it seems like another silly 'baby gadget'


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## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

My son uses a chair, as well, but I am planning to buy a folding step stool because it's a pain to haul chairs back into the dining room all the time. Our kitchen is way too small for a learning tower and it seems like a waste of money, IMO.


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## mightymoo (Dec 6, 2003)

My DD loves the tower. We had to put it in the garage because we are selling our house (need to make the kitchen look bigger) and she got so upset!

She just likes I think begin up at our level, she will bring all sorts of toys up and play on the counter. I leave a box of play-dough there and she plays with that, sometimes she colors. I haven't gotten her much into cooking yet, but she really likes the tower.

I'm a big fan of 'kids are smart and resilent and don't need a ton of safety items' philosophy, but it really is better than just a step stool - I find that at 2.5 in order for it to be high enough for her to reach everything its pretty high and she gets involved and doesn't pay attention. I've had her fall off of chairs and things becuase she wasn't paying attention and leaned the wrong way or stepped off the edge.

Anyway, I know they are spendy, but I think its definitely worth it and will be for a while.


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## jcmama (Aug 7, 2005)

Love the tower. It is at the end of our island and she has her snacks in it, reads the mail, great place to "keep" her water bottle etc. She gets in & out with no problem Got it when she was 1.5 yrs and it took about 2 wks for her to learn how. I am looking forward to her little sister using it too. Also great for dishes etc. NEVER use it as a desk or puppet station like they advertise but i am sure you could. Lots of our friends have admired it, and many have said that it would be a task to make one.
Great Christmas gift for child, even better gift for Mom & Dad!!
We have hardwood floors and had a big dog, keeps her safe!!


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## Meli65 (Apr 29, 2002)

We have a folding stepstool from Target -- ds has been using it since he was 2.5. There has never been a problem with it, and he likes to drag it around so he can climb up to other places (which could be a problem, depending on how you feel about your dc rooting around in the linen closet or whatever).


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## Dal (Feb 26, 2005)

We use our learning tower everyday and would definitely buy it again. We like to be near Simon (18 months old) when he's in it. At one point, he was leaning too far over one of the sides and fell out face first. It was horrifying. Dh caught him. We put it to a lower level, but he's taller now so I wouldn't trust that this couldn't happen again. So... we try to stay within arm's reach of him while he's in it. Admittedly though, sometimes he'll be really busy at the sink and I'll rush across the kitchen to grab something. In all, I think that with careful supervision the danger of it is minimal. It might be a good idea to add slip resistant bathtub tape to the bottom because it does get slippery when a child is playing with water while in it.

It was about 2 months ago, I think, that Simon could finally get in and out of it unassisted. I'm sure that we'll be using it for a long time to come. We're thinking of moving far away and taking hardly any of our possessions with us. The learning tower is one thing that we would definitely take.


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## 2GR8KIDS (Jan 17, 2005)

We have always used a folding step stool with no problems, and the kids like to be able to get it out and move it around. In general, I don't like gadget-type things. If I had a learning tower, and had a MUCH bigger house, maybe I would feel differently.


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## hipumpkins (Jul 25, 2003)

I think it is aluxury item that if you can afford it and are nervous about chairs or step stool it is great. We have one simply b/c I got it for 20 dollars at a nursery school sale. DD could just as easily stand on a stepstool. It is heavy and burdensome for me to move around. Although someone did tell me once that their 3 year old could move it. Maybe I'm just weak. In my opinion it's nice to have but by no means necessary.


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## chersolly (Aug 29, 2004)

Our kitchen is one the small side, so we wouldn't have the room for a LT. We're using a chair and DD is fine with that. If I did have the space, I'd seriously consider the LT.


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## jake&zaxmom (May 12, 2004)

We recently sold ours. It was a well made, quality item but it just seemed like a cumbersome hassle. We rarely used it because it was such a pain to drag around. I noticed that a PP said that they were able to keep it in the kitchen next to their island. If I had had that set up, then I'm sure that we would have used it tons. We have a long narrow kitchen and when we wanted to use the LT we had to drag it from the living room.

I had envisioned making cookies etc. with my child, but the reality or dragging or scooting the LT from sink to counter,ds having to get in and out, it just wasn't very practical for us.


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## vermonttaylors (May 17, 2005)

Ours is sitting in the kitchen in its box having just arrived yesterday. I can't wait to put it together and get ds helping out in the kitchen. He loves to mix things and is DEFINATELY the kind of kid who forgets he is up on a stool. I will feel much better knowing he can't fall over backwards and that I can turn away from him to grabv something out of the fridge without worrying too much. I'll let you know what he thinks of it. My friends who have them love them, those who don't don't know the difference so they don't really care :LOL

Cheers!


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## *bejeweled* (Jul 16, 2003)

We absolutely love ours and so does DD. We bought it after I read about a bad fall a child had standing on a dining chair at the sink.

I really believe it's one of the best purchases we've made in her childhood. That and her wooden easel are just awesome and will definitely be used by our future children also.


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## B52Bombshell (Jan 5, 2004)

Wooden kitchen chairs, baby, kitchen chairs. DS's been climbing up, down, & around the chairs for over a year, with no problem. We have linoleum floors. Maybe putting a chair over some towels on the floor could work for the ceramic? Something to cushion a possible fall?







Just an idea...

I had debated about a step stool or the LT for awhile, but let frugality & laziness take over. I live in a small space, with NO storage space (gotta love NYC), so anything big, bulky, & non-collapsible doesn't work for us.

I mean, heck - me & every single other adult I know of has used the kitchen chair method as kids...


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *B52Bombshell*
I mean, heck - me & every single other adult I know of has used the kitchen chair method as kids...

I always think this kind of argument is a little funny. . . funny how we don't know any adults who fell off kitchen chairs and died as children. . . Granted, I'm being extreme, but you get my point about how there isn't really any logic behind "it worked for us" statements.

I'm generally NOT any sort of safety freak. . . I believe that teaching kids how to do things themselves is the best precaution to take. My kids have been safely going up and down stairs since they were about 7 months old. But our Learning Tower really did change my life when I first got it. I started using it when my boys were 11 months old. . . way too little to stand alone on a chair with any sort of security.

If you plan on standing right there next to your kid while she/he is standing on a step stool or chair, then it's probably totally safe. But the great thing about the Learning Tower is that you don't have to be standing right there while your kid is in it. I can concentrate on cooking or dishes, or whatever, and my boys are right next to me, on my level, "helping" and totally content. The LT is not just another "baby contraption," because its whole intent is to facilitate your ability to include your children more. It's more like a sling than a swing.

We've been using our tower for 20 months so far. . . we bought it new for $120, so that comes out to $6.00 a month--definitely worth it! And it just gets cheaper the longer we use it. And when we're done, I'm sure we'll be able to sell it for some amount of money since even after all this time, it's as good as new.

HTH!

Lex


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## B52Bombshell (Jan 5, 2004)

Oh, I totally know it's a lame argument, with no real logic behind it. But I was never any good at real logic.









I'm also one who believes that teaching kids to do things safely by themselves is the best precaution. I used to stand next to him when he was on the chair when he was younger. Granted, I've been in small kitchens. Most of y'all probably have bigger closets than the 1st kitchen DS was in. So far, the chairs have worked for us. Granted, I might change my tune when #2 comes around...


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

We have ceramic floors so I know how *very* hard they are. But the only time dd got a concussion was when she fell off my low bed onto carpet, lol. I wouldn't get a learning tower. My friend loves hers, but it's enormous, and just doesn't seem versatile to me. In fact she got it because she can fit her two youngest in it at once, but I don't think she's used it much. When my dd was a toddler she either stood on a stool or sat on the kitchen counter to help, and when she was big enough stood on one of her small wood chairs, which is what we're starting to do with ds.


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

can 2 toddlers fit on the LT at one time?


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

doh! your post answers my question!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizD*
We have ceramic floors so I know how *very* hard they are. But the only time dd got a concussion was when she fell off my low bed onto carpet, lol. I wouldn't get a learning tower. My friend loves hers, but it's enormous, and just doesn't seem versatile to me. In fact she got it because she can fit her two youngest in it at once, but I don't think she's used it much. When my dd was a toddler she either stood on a stool or sat on the kitchen counter to help, and when she was big enough stood on one of her small wood chairs, which is what we're starting to do with ds.


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## amey (Jan 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rainbowmoon*
can 2 toddlers fit on the LT at one time?

Yep. Even 3







You can see a pic of my son and his twinnie friends washing at the kitchen sink here: http://photobucket.com/albums/v158/a...t=100_1007.jpg

They're probably around 18 months old? My 2 year old and 5 year old can stand in it to help at the counter, but it's a little crowded. They also use it for other stuff (they just climb in it, they take out the "floor" and play in it - it does get alot of use).

~amey


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