Activity tables are a perfect way to keep your child occupied and busy when you don’t have much time to be around. Since activity tables can be used from the early age of six months, they are perfect for babies and they are equally good for preschoolers. It’s a great way for them to play, while learning new stuff and developing new skills at the same time.
How to find the perfect activity table
There are various options of activity tables or kids learning tables with different toys, objects, and educational tools, so we are going to help you choose the best fit for you and your little one. Before you start shopping for the activity table, first you need to figure out what you need in one, so you know where to start.
Let’s start with their shape and size first. Since many of them come in different shapes like round and rectangle, first choose where you want to put your activity table. Is it going to be in the middle of the child’s room, or in the corner of the living room, and then focus on the right shape, so it’s not coming in your way.
There are also some unique shapes of activity tables like flower or octagon, which are also perfect for multiple kids to play together, so you can pretend your room is the classroom, you are the teacher, and the little ones are your students. Combine fun and learning together.
When it comes to height, you want to choose the best one for your child, based on how old they are. Since most of them come with small chairs, they are also perfect for your toddler or even older kids. Sometimes you can also find a table with adjustable legs, so you can change the height of the table as your little one is growing.
If you decide to buy one for your baby, you can look for the ones that come with removable legs to turn it into a floor toy, if the baby is still not standing and walking. And don’t worry if those little chairs are not included, you can always buy them separately.
As we mentioned, activity tables are great fun for little ones, which means they will be spending most of their time playing with it, so keep an eye on the material of the table. You can choose from wood, plastic or even metal, so pick one that will be also easy to maintain, so you don’t spend most of your time cleaning them, when your child decides to take some rest.
Activity tables are similar to water table for kids, meaning that they come with lots of toys, accessories and features with them. Tables are mostly colorful and bright, to keep your child entertained. Piano, whistles, balls, and other toys you can find on the activity table are awesome ways to amuse your little ones, while they’re boosting their motor skills, cognitive functions, creativity, imagination and so on.
Since many activity tables are educational, you can find a lot of them that will help your child to learn other languages like Spanish, French or even Chinese. And why not create their own music while learning, with piano, drums or other imitated instruments you can find on the activity table.
They will also provide a lot of play activities for toddlers , where they can learn about shapes, colors, numbers, letters and sounds. Toddlers will train their thinking, creativity, imagination, and ways to solve problems, so they will be prepared when the time comes for them to go to preschool.
When you think of all the benefits kids activity tables provide, the only thing you will regret is not getting one sooner. Of course, the main thing of an activity table is all the fun your kids will get, but also exciting new stuff they will learn while moving the beads, push buttons to create sounds, playing with the piano, turn and match gears and what else not.
Another advantage for parents, considering activity tables, is that they are easy to clean. Since your child will spend a lot of time playing with it, you will have to clean it more often. But don’t worry. You can easily just wipe them with some wet towel or disinfectant wipes.
In conclusion, you can not go wrong with a kids activity table, but before choosing one, decide which one is the best for you and your kiddo, listen to your child’s needs, and decide what are the main things you want for your activity table to have.
We made a list of various activity tables, so you can be sure you will find the best one for both, your child and you:
8 Best kids activity tables
While exploring how the gear works and how to connect them, your child will build motor skills while finding the best ways to get all the gear to move. With light up buttons, music and sounds, when you flip the table, they can explore shapes, instruments, and much more. Don’t worry, with 5 different playing modes, it will keep them busy for a while.
Age: 1 – 4 years.
Let your baby have fun and learn with this activity table. Equipped with a ball ramp, piano, learning book, more than 60 songs and 4 languages your little one will develop different skills while playing. They will learn about sounds, shapes, colors and much more, plus it has an adorable design which will keep them entertained for hours.
Age: 6 months – 3 years.
This activity table is perfect for toddlers, since it can be transformed to the floor toy, for the ones that are still not able to stand on their own. With music, lights, and many different colors and accessories, your little one will play and learn at the same time. Besides English, with this one, your toddler will be able to learn Spanish as well.
Age: 6 months – 3 years.
With over 160 words, 30 learning activities, over 20 melodies, touch pages and LED screen that will demonstrate how to write letters and numbers, this one is perfect for toddlers. If you flip up the table, then the older ones can get more fun with chalkboards to push their creativity till the end. The design is going to attract any child, and don’t worry about the chair. It is included.
Age: 36 months – 6 years.
This is an all in one table. Your child can have fun with drawing, painting, building blocks, and even use it as a water and sand table. It comes with storage for toys, two chairs, and over 100 pieces of building blocks. It is very easy to assemble, and very light, so you can carry it wherever you go.
Age: 36 months – 6 years.
This durable activity table comes with lots of features. It is easy to switch from activity table, to water and sand table, building blocks or drawing place and it has a storage unit as well. Two chairs are included and with 25 large building blocks, your child will have hours of fun and creative play.
Age: 18 months and up.
KidKraft activity table comes with a reversible top, one with an illustrated side and the other one is for building blocks. You can choose from various different color options and it’s made of wood, so the construction is pretty solid. Your child will master their skills of building with 195 pieces of blocks to play with.
Age: 36 months – 3 years.
This wooden table, with it’s interesting design, is filled with games made especially to boost your child’s motor skills. Gliders, spinners, beads, and a lot more interesting activities will keep your child busy for hours trying to solve them all. It’s colorful with lots of eye capturing details, so it will fit perfectly anywhere in your home.
Age: 12 months – 5 years.
FAQs about kids activity tables
Why buy an activity table?
Activity tables are a great way to stimulate your child’s brain and train fine motor skills, while they’re playing and having fun at the same time.
What age are activity tables suitable for?
Since activity tables have a lot of positive sides when it comes to your children, they can go from as early as six months, to even 10 year olds, depending on which model you decide to buy and what you want in an activity table.
What are activity tables good for?
For physical and mental stimulation of the child, nourshiring their fine motor skills, developing creativity, imagination, and sensory skills, learning about letters, numbers, sounds, and what else not. And let’s not forget, they are super fun as well.
Do they come with chairs and built-in storage?
Depends on the model. There are some that come with both, chairs and storage included, there are some with chairs only, and there are some that have neither of those things. To be sure, always check the product description before buying one. If nothing, as everything, you can buy chairs and storage units separately.
Can my baby use an activity table?
Yes. There are activity tables that are suitable for babies that don’t even walk yet. They will help them stand up, keep their balance and maybe they will even walk sooner. You can find a table with detachable legs, to transform it into a floor toy, if your baby decides to get some rest from all the standing and playing.