The Learning Tower - Natural

S & A & baby makes 3...or 4 from Rockville, MD              January 21st, 2009
We were initially concerned that having the Learning Tower in our kitchen would encourage Jungle Gym style behavior on our indoor furniture. However, when given the chance to climb up on the sturdy Tower to work at the counter on their own next to the standing adults, it's just that, a means to an end for small "big kids" and not something distracting from the task at hand. The children are proud of themselves for doing it on their own and can pay attention and participate in cooking and crafting on the kitchen island, rather than being frettfully wobbly kneely uncomfortably on adult stools. It was the discomfort and distraction of it and the anxiety for both of us about falling that made stools not work for more than five minutes, if that. The Tower is fun because it works. With that in mind, I'm not sure I would use the playhouse accessories that the company offers. We don't need any more playthings underfoot in our kitchen. If you're going to buy this, buy it because you like to cook with your kids, or do crafts at the counter. The chalkboard accessory is intriquing, though, as it appears to affix firmly to the Tower and a piece or three of chalk wouldn't be a total disaster to fall off the Tower or be left lying on the kitchen floor, like a whole family of puppets and dolls would be if the Tower were used for a Puppet Theatre. Chalk can crush (bummer), but you can slip and fall more easily on a cloth hand puppet and it could get spaghetti sauce on it, which is a whole other set of work and tears. -- Love the Tower. It's very sturdy and attractive. No moving parts like a stepstool to catch little fingers, accidentally collapse, or wobble with age. Cook and craft from it.