Best Learning Towers – Finding the best learning tower is no easy task! Your toddler is growing quickly and it is surprising to parents how quickly they can move. They want to move and explore and they will do almost everything to begin their big adventure. Learning towers are safe and a great way for a child to feel like they are in control of their adventures, but be in a great space for learning.
What Is A Learning Tower?
A learning tower is a safe elevated surface that allows your toddler to explore and engage at a higher level. Learning towers can include magnetic chalk boards, safe steps, dry erase boards or can be simple safe stand for your child to experience and engage.
Are Learning Towers Safe?
Good quality learning towers are safe for your toddler. There are some on the market that can not be as safe as they are advertised. We want to make sure that your child is safe first and foremost. Secondly, we want to make sure that the learning tower allows your child to interact at an elevated level. Lastly, any added perks like chalk boards or white boards are appreciated.
Parents want to be wary of learning towers that do not have any safety features. They also want to make sure the learning tower is not made of toxic chemicals. We all know children like to put things in their mouths and you want a toxic free zone for them.
Ideal Age For A Learning Tower?
You want to make sure that your child is sturdy on their feet when they are working with a learning tower. Anything 15 months (if your child is very sturdy on their feet) all the way to four years old is suitable. Parents may want to look for learning towers that can go up to six years of age. That way, your child can still help in the kitchen and the bathroom until they have that next growth spurt.
Where Do You Put A Learning Tower?
Learning towers are usually placed in the kitchen but there are other great places for a learning tower. A learning tower would also work in a bathroom. A toddler can get into their learning tower that is facing a mirror and brush their teeth, brush their hair and wash their face. They can learn the routine of hygiene.
They can also see their face in the mirror and learn about their body parts. It is so important to follow a hygiene routine every day! Your child can also observe their parents going through the routine and mimic them.
Why Parents Love A Learning Tower For Their Children
Learning towers are not just a great way for your children to interact in the kitchen, they are bonding tools. You get to watch your children have more independence and your child thrives at these new “grown up” opportunities. Here is why parents love learning towers for their children.
They Are A Part of Kitchen Routines
Parents love a learning tower for their children. Firstly, it teaches your child to be a part of kitchen routines. They get to see this room from a new perspective. They can help wash fruit or vegetables, stir something in a bowl or just have a snack while Mom or Dad is working in the kitchen. Your child gets to see how a kitchen functions. They learn this is where food is prepared and they start to understand what goes where in your kitchen.
They Will Learn Independent Skills
Children love to be independent and this is a great way for them to accomplish easy tasks in the kitchen. Secondly, they can watch and learn what is going on in the kitchen independent from their parents. A child would usually be out of the kitchen or be carried by a parent while they are in the kitchen. Your child does not get a unique and independent experience.
It Helps With Fine Motor Skills
Your child will learn how to brush their teeth or brush their hair or wash their face. If your learning tower is in the kitchen, they will learn how to stir a bowl, wash fruits and vegetables among many other fine motor skills. This is a great skill set for any toddler to learn.
What To Look For In A Learning Tower
We wanted to make sure that we had an expert helping parents find the perfect learning tower and what to look for in a good learning tower. Secondly, what should parents avoid in a learning tower? We decided to ask Stephanie from Milies and Lilies, a high quality online boutique for families.
Safety
We asked Stephanie what most parents are looking for in a learning tower. She stated with no surprise that safety is the number one concern. Many Learning Towers on the market do not have any feature at all that can prevent your child from falling backwards. This should be a major concern. “Let’s be honest”, Stephanie attests, ” kids can be clumsy and parents need that feature to stop them from falling to have a peace of mind.”
Minimalistic Style
Stephanie loves learning towers that have a minimalistic style so they fit in with the room you are putting the learning tower in. These towers are big but can be a complimentary piece instead of a statement piece. Learning towers are usually in kitchens or play rooms.
Fun Features
Stephanie suggests looking for fun learning towers that have great features. A good learning tower can become its own art easel. It can also have a removable magnetic chalkboard and the other side is a dry erase whiteboard. Look for a learning tower that can be a two in one!
High Quality Design
Unfortunately, many parents are disappointed with the quality of their learning tower. They find that many learning towers were not safe. Learning towers that are made elsewhere where safety regulations are not considered means they are less expensive. Parents may be thinking they are getting a great deal on a learning tower, when in fact, they have a tower that is of low quality and possibly dangerous to baby.
Stephanie recommends a learning tower that is made out of premium birch plywood. It is thick and safe for your child. Other less quality learning towers can splinter or not be able to handle a toddler that is active. You want something that is durable and that lasts.
Choosing the best learning tower means picking one from a country that has high quality safety standards for children’s products, such as Canada.
The Learning Tower We Recommend
Which learning tower is best? With all of these great things to look for, we have broken it down to these attributes:
Safety
Safety is always our top concern. Every learners tower should have something that protects the child from falling back or falling too forward, especially in those first few months of use.
Minimalism
This structure will be an integral part of your kitchen or bathroom but it does not have to dominate your kitchen or bathroom! We want something that is going to be strong and sturdy but not take up too much space. We want a soft and quiet design and not a loud design that takes away from our other decor in the room.
This learning tower is a part of the family and should fit right in!
Made In A Country With High Safety Standards
Unfortunately, some countries do not hold the same safety standards as others. You can have a neglect of safety standards or a learners tower made from products that can break and splinter which could cause injury. Pick a learning tower that is made in your country, like one from Mili and Lilies can avoid all of these problems! Regulators will hold these companies accountable from the beginning.
Superior Quality
We want a learning tower that is made of superior materials like premium birch wood. Since our children are so young, they will put things into their mouths! We want to make sure that the paint is non toxic, that the wood is smooth so it does not splinter and cause injury to our child. A learners tower wants to be strong and be able to put up with an active family who is always bumping into it and moving it around a room. This learning tower has to last for years and probably go through multiple children.
Little Extras (like a white board or a magnetic chalk board).
With all of these must haves, it is difficult to find the best learning tower. There are inexpensive ones that are made with a high quality, expensive towers without all of these attributes. With Stephanie from Mili and Lilies help, we found the best learning tower on the market. We love the Paul 2 in 1 Learning Tower.
This comes in a sage color. The quality of this tower is amazing! It is made in Quebec Canada where the standards are high for children safety toys and products. This product is in Quebec which means there is a lot more control on the quality control of each tower. These are not mass produced like many Learning towers. Stephanie finds that the price is right and to have a product that is not being shipped around the world is also very green. This Learning Tower is made right here in North America.
Minimalism
The look is very minimalistic and fits beautifully in any home in any room of your house. Stephanie points out that there is not any visible hardware on the outside of the tower. It was strategically placed inside for safety and appearance. This gives the learning tower a beautiful sleek look that compliments a room but does not overpower it.
Paul 2 in 1 Learning Tower
Here are the specs of a Paul 2 in 1 learning tower
- Recommended for 12 months to 6 years old.- ]This is great for parents who want a learning tower to grow with their child! Use the chalk board and have your child use the learning tower until they are six! They can learn so many different kitchen skills and have that independence they crave. Parents will have the safety they are looking for in a learning tower.
- Durability- These learning towers are built to last. Your child can use this into childhood to be a part of the action!
- The Platform Panel Changes- The platform panel that the child will stand on can change into two levels. One for under three years old and the other level for over three years old. This is very innovative and helps the learning tower last longer and serve your child for years to come.
- High Quality Finish that has non toxic laquer- It is safe for your children!
- The magnetic chalk board can flip over and become a white board- This means hours of fun for your child.
- The chalk board can come off for further play
- Made completely in Canada
- The Step has a chalk recess- You can store your chalk easily!
- Assembly is quick and easy.
- For ages 2-6 years old- Get more years out of your learning tower and more memories and experiences.
The Paul 2 in 1 Learning Tower checks all of our boxes and more.
Whether you have a great big space or a smaller space, this learning tower will fit into your home easily and not take up too much room or dominate your decor. The Paul 2 in 1 Learning Tower is the best on the market in our opinion and in the opinion of our expert, Stephanie!
Should I Consider A DIY Learning Tower?
We find a lot of people selling learning towers online or consider making a DIY learning tower. DIY learning towers are usually from someone local who has made them themselves. They can be as expensive as a store bought learning tower but parents like that it is coming from a local vendor. Here are the challenges of guy a DIY learning tower to consider.
Why to avoid DIY Towers
Stephanie points out that a DIY learning tower will not be subjected to the same safety standards as the parent ones. Though we usually love supporting local business, a local vendor may not know the high standards that must be considered when creating a learning tower. Many of them do not have safety features or use the right type of wood for durability.
Secondly, if there is an accident, it is harder to hold someone accountable for injuries or challenges with the tower itself. Many of these small independent companies that people create come and go very quickly. A beautiful website and a fantastic facebook page today can be non existent tomorrow.
Though we believe strongly in supporting small business, this time, stick with those who are governed by safety rules and regulations and held to the highest rate of accountability.
What Learning Towers To Avoid
Learning towers have so many benefits. There are so many on the market, it can be hard to choose. It is important to have your “must haves” for a tower, but it is as equally important to know what to avoid. Unfortunately, the market is saturated with unsafe learning towers as much as it has good ones. Parents want to avoid many learning towers that are currently on the market. Here is what parents should be mindful to look for.
If the price is too low
We love a good bargain, probably more than anybody! However, since this is a learning tower, we are willing to pay extra to have a learning tower that is held to high safety standards of the country you reside in. Most of the time, you are paying for those extra safety measures. You want something that is going to last for years and years. Sometimes, there is a cost involved that ends up helping you save in the end.
Unsturdy Learning Tower
Many parents want a learning tower that can fold out because of storage. However, Stephanie reveals that you don’t want to compromise easy for sturdieness. Considering you may want to use the learning tower for many years, overtime, the folding in and out could weaken the stability of the structure which compromises safety.
The Best Learning Tower is Paul 2 in 1 Learning Tower
There are many learning towers on the market. They all have different price ranges and different features that will appeal to toddlers, children and parents alike. If you follow our Learning Tower must haves, you will be certain to find that perfect tower. We highly recommend the Paul 2 in 1 Learning Tower. This tower has high safety expectations, a minimalist design, some extra fun features like a magnetic chalk board and a white board for your child to create and so much more.
Children will love the endless creative time with the magnetic chalk board and the white board. They will be so pleased to sit up tall in the kitchen and “help” with dinner. They can stir ingredients in bowls, dry dishes and even wash fruits and vegetables! If you put your learning tower in the bathroom they can learn the daily routine of hygiene and grooming. Your child will be able to watch themselves brush their hair and teeth and wash their face.
Parents will be happy that their children are learning fine motor skills and get to experience a whole new world up high helping their parents.
With the Paul 2 in 1 Learning tower, parents and children can play at ease as they make new memories for years to come!
About Mili and Lilies and Owner Stephanie:
Owner of Mili and Lilies online boutique Stephanie loves her business, clients and so much more. But did you know that Mili and Lilies also gives back? For every purchase, proceeds go to children in Haiti providing them meals and annual dental and medical care. Learn more about how Stephanie gives back with her wonderful business:
In Stephanie’s Words…
Giving back has always been very important for me and my family. So it was obvious that I wanted Mili & Lilies to be a brand that gives back, especially when it comes to children in need. For the past 10 years the MBP Foundation has been offering over 2000 meals a week to help feed over 500 kids in the village of Tivery in Haïti.
These children and their families are also given the money to pay for school so they can get an education. This organization also has teams of volunteer doctors, nurses and dentists that travel there once every year. MBP has been founded by the local church I’ve been going to for the past 12 years. During those years I have been able to see the direct result of every dollar that has been sent.
Why This Cause
There are of course many other great causes we can support, but since I was already involved in this one and knew exactly where the donations were going, I decided to give a percentage of the sales of Mili & Lilies to this organization. This is why when you shop on my boutique you can see that each item has an amount of meals written next to it. This amount of meals is what your purchase will allow to send at the end of month.
I feel so blessed and privileged to have this online shop through which I get to meet and talk with many amazing people, and on top of this, I am beyond excited to know that through this boutique, every client that is purchasing something for their kiddo is at the same time helping feed other children in need.
Also, the organization also gives back in many other areas in Haiti, not providing food for children. They coach locals on agriculture basics; they have an on-site doctor; they teach construction and they even have a child sponsorship program. They are also implicated in Africa.
Here is the website that Mili and Lilies donates to, Foundation MBP. They donate meals with every purchase from Mili and Lilies:
https://fondationmbp.org/nos-missions/mission-haiti/cantine/