14 Best Baby Activity Tables; Buyer Guide, Types, FAQs

Emma Davies
Stay at Home Mom

Babies are curious by nature and would happily play with the contents of your kitchen cupboards all day long. But no one wants to deal with that kind of mess on a daily basis. So activity tables are a great way to encourage that curiosity without destroying your home in the process.

These multi-functional toys are great for developing cognitive skills, social skills, vocabulary and of course all encourage those fine and gross motor skills.

So what should you be looking for when you are purchasing an Activity Table, here are a few things to think about.

Baby activity Table Buying Guide

  • Age-appropriate toys -
    All toys are deemed fit for a certain age group. But if your child is developmentally more advanced than his age you may find that you are potentially faced with toys that are aimed at older children and so have small parts. These small parts could pose a risk of choking to younger children than they were intended for.
  • Developmentally appropriate -
    Children develop at different rates so when buying toys try to ensure that they are challenging but not so frustrating that the child gives up on them. Appropriate for their level of complexity is very important too if toys have too many complex rules children will lose interest very quickly.
  • Cost:
    Toys can vary in price hugely, depending on where they are being purchased from and the brand of the toy. If you are going to make a significant financial investment in a toy, ensure that it will continue to grow with the child and not be thrown on a shelf when the child becomes too old to play with it in a few weeks time.
  • Durability:
    Toys that stand the perils of being played with by little people all day are the best investment. Toys that are well made out of durable materials such as plastic (as a parent I am trying to limit the number of plastic toys that we purchase in order to be more environmentally friendly), wooden toys are fantastic and the feel of natural material for children is exciting.

Keeping in mind the points above please find below a few options in our opinion of not only the best baby activity table but also the best activity table for toddlers and the best activity table for kids.

Best Traditional Activity Tables

  • Vtech Baby Play and Learn Activity Table

A toy that is engaging for children from birth to toddlers. It introduces an age-appropriate curriculum in a fun way that children don’t realize they are learning.

Each different area provides the opportunity to learn and practice skills such as independent play, role play, fine and gross motor skills. It introduces number and color recognition, fun songs and early phrases for children to learn. There are animals to learn and music notes.

With removable legs, it offers children the opportunity to stand and play or for the younger ones to sit and enjoy this vibrant and educational toy.

This is a great example of a best buy educational toy, as it has won the Practical Pre-School Silver Award in 2014.


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  • Vtech Touch and Learn Activity Desk

VTech Touch and Learn Activity Desk Deluxe (Frustration Free Packaging)

One of the best educational toys for 2-year-olds, as it supports preschool development.

This toy is packed with lots of different activities to keep your little ones busy and engaged. Introducing letters, numbers, phonics, animals, body parts, music, shapes, colors and seasons.

Encourages children to pretend play, use their imagination and creativity.


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  • Baby Einstein Curiosity Activity Table

Baby Einstein Curiosity Table Activity Station Table Toddler Toy with Lights and Melodies, Ages 12 Months and Up

This is a new twist on the traditional activity table. This is art meets science on this two-sided activity table. On one side is a whiteboard for baby to draw, color and explore their inner artist, while on the other side their innate curiosity and love of scientific discovery is unearthed. Packed with gears and gadgets, along with the ability to make a circuit and switch on a light bulb.

The Baby Einstein table can grow with your little one as the legs can be removed for floor play and put back for standing play.


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  • VTech Magic Star Activity Table

VTech Magic Star Learning Table, Pink

This fun activity table comes with 6 activities in English and Spanish. It has a turning steering wheel to drive the bear around the table: flip the electronic book pages to hear nursery rhymes: press the light-up music buttons on the gear toy to play music - learn colors and early color recognition; use the phone and make a phone call and chat with animal friends.

This can also be used as a floor play toy when the legs are removed.  It encourages independent play, fine motor skills, and verbal skills.


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  • LeapFrog Toys Little Office

LeapFrog Little Office Learning Center (Frustration Free Packaging), Green

This little one's first-desk comes complete with a laptop, phone, and globe. Plus 27 electronic touchpoints for imaginative play.

Use three different modes: explore, learn and music to encourage first words, greetings, and music from around the globe.

Little ones can open up the laptop and start working on shape recognition and learning the animals as they appear on the screen.

Spin the light-up globe to hear songs from around the world. Comes bilingual in English and Spanish, complete with over 180 songs, melodies, sounds, and phrases.


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  • Ever Earth Garden Activity Cube

Six sides of endless colorful fun. It will keep little ones entertained with its unusual shape, geometric shape sorting, counting beads, sliding animals, spinning gears and a wire bead maze to top it off.

This natural wood toy provides children with a new dimension and sensory experience.

It is the perfect height for sitting babies to hold, reach and grab. Providing ample opportunities for them to grow with the toy.

The bold colors and sensory experience stimulate brain development. The bead mazes encourage reach, sliders promote grasping skills and gears spur on logical thinking and problem-solving.


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Activity Table with Seat

These are perfect for when your little ones need the stimulation and entertainment but are still not 100% stable on their feet or sitting up.
Most of these will grow with your child, so once they are sitting or standing unaided the seat part can be removed, great for taking up a little less room in your home.

  • 3 in 1 Around we go Activity Center

Bright Starts 3-in-1 Around We Go Activity Center & Table Ages 6 Months Plus

This activity table and walker in one is perfect to get those little legs moving while working their brain at the same time.

Complete with 15 activities including a piano station with lots of silly sounds and music.

This activity center will grow with your child, starting off with the seat giving little ones the freedom to move and explore the activities without needing to be held. Around we go can will continue to keep them interested as they become a toddler and the seat can be removed.

This begins to give baby the chance to make choices as to what he plays with and once he has had enough he can move on to the next toy in his own time.

Hours of fun from 6 months well into toddlerhood!


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  • Fisher Price Sit to Stand Activity Center

Fisher-Price 2-in-1 Sit-to-stand Activity Center, Assorted

This grow with me activity table will keep baby busy with lots of hands-on activities. While they grow from sitting to standing, the seat can be removed and the toys are repositionable. So the fun never gets boring or repetitive.

This table encourages gross motor skills from sitting to standing and also cruising around the table. It also helps to develop their sensory skills and curiosity with its bright colors and a variety of sounds and textures. Little ones are also introduced to cause and effect, as they slide the bugs down the spiral ramp.


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  • Evenflo-Exersaucer Triple Active Learning Center

Evenflo ExerSaucer Triple Fun+ World Explorer Bouncing Activity Saucer

This multifunction amazon themed learning center provides activities from birth to 2+.

For 0-4 months there is the playmat with the hanging toys above. This is just starting off baby’s learning journey.

From approximately 4 months to walking age the activity center provides hours of endless fun and activities designed to encourage baby to reach important developmental milestones. These include fine motor skills, object exploration, and tactile development. The three-position height adjustment gives further for growth with your child.

From walking age to 24 months the seat can be removed and the table can have a new lease of life by turning into an activity spiral. This will entertain and encourage any toddler for hours of endless fun.

Evenflo comes with a machine-washable seat pad, great for getting rid of all those messes and spills. It also has a cool ‘take with me toys’ feature, allowing certain toys to be removed and used on other Evenflo items.


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  • ORIBEL PortaPlay Forest Friends Ultimate Fun Combo

The major selling point of this particular activity table is that it is foldable and marketed as a travel activity center.

It does have some other major selling points in my opinion. Firstly it is a multi-stage center and converts from baby to toddler. It can be used to bounce, turn, play, transform and fold.

Bounce - elastic bands within the seat pad allow baby to bounce, which all babies love to do. The seat also has a 360-degree turn meaning that baby is always at the heart of all the fun!

Once baby gets bigger swap the seat for the tabletop provided to convert into a play table for toddlers all the way up to 5 years old. You can purchase PortaPlay stools separately in order for it to be used as an arts and crafts table.

The toys provided on the table are well thought out and offer the opportunity for the development of your little ones fine motor skills and cognitive development.


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Musical Activity Table

Music has always been proven to have a hugely positive effect on children’s development from such a young age.  Playing music can help to activate the neural pathways responsible for skills such as creativity or spatial intelligence.
Did you know that three-month-old babies can use music to help them remember things that they have learned.
There is no wonder that most if not all of these activity tables come with a musical element. Yes, I know as a parent how frustrating and annoying some of those musical elements can be, but just remember they are boosting your baby's brain!!!

  • Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table

Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table, Ages 6 months +

This musical activity table from the fantastic makers at Baby Einstein, not only give baby the choice to make their own wonderful music. Providing them with a piano, drum, guitar, and french horn. It also gives them opportunities to learn a new language as it has 3 options of English, French or Spanish.

Discovering Music also has a discovery mode where each piano key introduces numbers and colors, extending baby’s language and number/color recognition.


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  • Leapfrog Groove Musical Table

The brightly colored buttons and instruments activate over 70 songs, tunes and phrases.

While introducing traditional songs like Old McDonald and Itsy Bitsy Spider provides opportunities to develop language skills and vocabulary.

The piano and drum give children the opportunity to explore new sounds, songs, and instruments. This table also introduces shapes, colors and letter/number recognition.


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Best Activity Table for Kids Aged 4-8

Many think that once children grow out of the traditional baby activity tables that they no longer need them. However, all that has happened is that their needs from this piece of equipment has changed. The table now needs to have more than one function, it needs to be a place to paint and color on one side and then a lego base on the other, where they can let their imagination explode and build fantastic creations.

  • Play Platoon 3 in 1 Activity Table

This 3-in-1 activity table will keep children entertained for hours. They can move between the water table, building brick table to smooth all-purpose table for creating arts and crafts.

Inspiring creative play as children splash, build and design till their little hearts are content.

It comes with two chairs, perfect for play with a friend.

This table is durable and strong and built to deal with the rigors of play from busy and not so gentle children.

It also comes with a neat and tidy storage under the tabletop, perfect for building blocks, craft supplies or water toys.

This table will grow with your children and provide hours of fun.


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  • Exercise and Play Activity Table

This 3-in-1 activity table will keep children entertained for hours. They can move between the water table, building brick table to smooth all-purpose table for creating arts and crafts.

Inspiring creative play as children splash, build and design till their little hearts are content.

This table comes complete with 25 large building blocks so children can jump straight in and start having fun. It is also compatible with all major building block sets.

This is an all-round great choice for children and would be a welcome addition to any playroom. It provides everything that a table should with its multiple surfaces and chairs, along with easy and convenient storage.


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FAQ

What age are these activity tables for?

Each activity table has its own suggested age range which has been included in each description above.

Are activity tables good for babies?

Activity tables provide children of all ages multiply opportunities for developing core skills such as hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and language skills. Along with number and color recognition.

What type of material is best?

The vast majority of activity tables are made from plastic which is fine, however, those that are made from wood offer another experience for your children. The natural materials give them a sensory experience that they can not gain from the plastic equivalent.

Image credits :
Amazon

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