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What seems to be all the rage this year and we can totally see why, goes by names such as learning towers, kitchen helpers, toddler towers or Montessori stools. What we understand to be a very popular resource in Montessori households as they promote independence and support children to learn about every day tasks.
For the purpose of this blog, we will refer to this early learning resource as a "learning tower". Learning towers without a doubt, would have to be the number one item on the shopping list for toddlers.
So what exactly is a learning tower? It is basically, a ladder for kids to use in the kitchen!
Let's unpack this new resource in the Early Learning world and together we can work out the pros, cons and whether it is a something you need in your household.
So like a ladder, the Learning tower is like an enclosed stool that allows children to gain a little height in the kitchen safely. They provide the child with the independence to climb up and down freely once they have mastered out how to get up and down unassisted. Although they appear to be a pretty safe product, falls can happen so its super important to know the physical skills of the child and always have them within reach.
Learning towers often children the opportunity to "water and feed themselves" assist in meal preparation and cooking, help to wash dishes, observe and supervise the grown ups, paint, play and more.
Learning towers support children's independence skills as they explore the world around them, and see things at different heights. They foster confidence in acquiring new skills and support the development of hand eye coordination and physical skills like balance and climbing.
When children feel a sense of control in their environment it supports them to feel a sense of calm. When children are not in control, it can cause feelings such as frustration and anger.
Not necessarily cons, more like considerations.
From a safety perspective, if your learning tower has a permanent place in your home then you need to be mindful about what is within reach on the kitchen bench. Toddlers are like magicians, they can make things happen and disappear in record time! Making sure that the space in front of the learning tower is clear, is a must! Learning towers can be a pretty costly purchase, it is a good idea to look on buy swap sale or fb marketplace. Lastly the only other consideration, would be space, they take up a lot and cant really be folded up and put away.
Learning towers have really taken off in Australia and there are many companies that now sell them. Ranging from the Kmart one which retails for about $75 to some online boutiques that are asking up to $250. Some of the key differences are wood grain, non slip velcro on the steps, extra fabric wrapped around to avoid the child slipping out, adjustable heights and lastly some can be turned into kids tables. We would suggest researching and asking around.
We have the one from Kmart and it has been terrific for our toddler, he uses it multiple times a day, especially when he wants to have a snack or drink independently. Our disclaimer, there have been a few falls. Lucky for us he is one tough cookie! We introduced the learning tower pretty early at our place as our toddler was walking at 10 months old. I belive they are marketed at 18months-5 years old. A huge hit amongst my mothers group and the reports are all the same, the kids love it and the parent love it just as much!
Our final thoughts on whether you need a Learning tower?
We believe it is a really great investment, a purposeful piece of furniture that will more than likely hold its value. Learning towers foster a range of developmental areas, plus they really do make life easier for everyone!
Written By Jem @create4me_
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