"Must Have Product" series - The Learning Tower

I am going to start a new series of reviews of  products that have been tested by me.  These will be tried and true products, ones that i would highly recommend to friends and family.  I do a lot of research on products and have found some amazing products that are not found in mainstream stores.  When you dig a bit deeper, you always find a gem of a product.  You may spend a bit more money, but these are the products that are worth it- long lasting (products that you use for many years), durable (well built), natural, and functional in your everyday lives. 

I  am starting my series with the most used and loved product in our family.  This product is not used by me  though.  My daughter gets full enjoyment, but trust me i get to reap the benefits as well.  This is my go to product when i need to get things done around the house with a busy toddler...works amazing for two toddlers as well.

Cleaning may not be the easiest thing to get done when you have a toddler competing for your attention.  There is a funny saying "Cleaning your house with a toddler is like brushing your teeth while eating an oreo cookie".  You really can't do both at the same time, so might as well give up, and just wait until you have time to yourself.  Maybe you can manage to get by with an untidy house until the weekend.  Who likes a messy house during the week though?  More importantly, who wants to spend their weekend cleaning?

Most parents try to find something to keep their children occupied while doing the cooking and cleaning. Watching TV, playing with their toys or just letting them go crazy in the pots/pans and tupperware cabinets.  Although you can distract them for a little while,  usually they get bored and want your attention.  They pick the worst timing- you know, when you have pots and pans on the burner, and something that needs attending to in the oven. That is when they are hanging from your knees, wanting you to play with them.
I found a solution, or as close as you can get to one.

It is called the Learning Tower and made by the company Little Partners. The name of the product is bang on, as it does indeed create many learning opportunities.  With the Learning Tower, your children do become little partners, doing the work along with you (brilliant thinking on their part).

What is the best way to describe the Learning Tower?  I would say it is the ultimate step stool...a step stool on steroids perhaps?  It  allows the child to get right up to the counter to work independently like mom and dad.  To be honest, getting to work on the counter space is half the battle.  My daughter loves being able to hang out along side me, that there really is no need for distractions.

With a regular step stool, you have to be right behind your kids, and well that just defeats the purpose of them helping.  They can't help, in fact they will get in the way because you have to make sure they don't slip off the step stool or chair.  That does not sound like fun for either parent or child.  The Learning tower is a safe enclosure for your child to be right up at the counter with you...without you having to worry about emergency room visits for falls.

My daughter  loves to cook with my husband and I. There is always something you can find for children to do.  Mixing ingredients, measuring, kneading, cutting, grating...the list goes on.  After the cooking, they can help with the dirty dishes.  I fill up one side of the sink with soap/water and my daughter gets to chose whether she wants to clean or rinse.
Speaking of filling up the sink, that can be just as fun as helping mom and dad (or more fun).  If i am extra busy, or she is not in the cooking mood,  bring on the water play! Fishing games, giving her dolls a bath or pretending they are at the beach, food colouring in bubbly water...oh there are so many possibilities with the kitchen sink and the Learning Tower.  Don't get me started on some of the fun things we have done (whip cream in the sink).  On many a days, our kitchen sink doubles as a sensory bin.
Cleaning is so much more fun for them when there is a little extra height involved...getting to clean places they otherwise would not be able to.  Washing the windows, walls and  helping us dust our "hard to reach" spots in her tower.  I am hoping that allowing her to help when she asks,  will translate to her wanting to help out when she is older.

I will wash, you rinse.

Dolls at the beach.

Putting away the utensils.  Sorting and cleaning bonus!  

We got the play kit along with our tower.  It has a cute little roof where you can put one of three signs for some pretend play (lemonade stand, drive thru or puppet play).  There is also a rod with a curtain-perfect for puppet plays or pretending you are in a tent or even a hideout from mom and dad.  They have new play kits here and here that look so much fun (and easier to put up than the old play kit).  If you get updates with them on Facebook, word has it that they are going to create a fort...how fun!

About to start a puppet play.

There is an art easel that you can attach to the Learning Tower.  I need to find one to try it out, but it has been hard for me to find at a local shop.  We have an easel, but space wise it would be so much better with the built in easel (with both a whiteboard and chalkboard)

Art time- the easel attachment would make it so much easier.

Whenever i introduce this product to visitors (it is usually the first thing they notice in the kitchen), one of the questions they want to know is if i ever have any safety concerns.  They ask if i think it may lead to my daughter pulling the tower to unsafe places in the kitchen- the stove/oven, hot water and so on.
I believe my daughter has become more knowledgeable about safety due to her exposure in helping us out in the kitchen. She knows which way the faucet should face, that the oven/stove is hot and which utensils are safe ones to use. I would be more afraid of a child who is not given the exposure, who pulls up a chair to explore the kitchen. Curiosity has been taken out of the equation.  She enjoys the kitchen with us and is aware of the dangers associated with it.  As with any product, adult supervision is required (can't believe companies still have to put a disclaimer on that).

Hands down this is a must have product. Perfect shower gift, birthday or holiday gift.  The best part is, that your money goes a long way.  The age range goes up to 6 years old, I don't know of any product that has the lasting power and is so useful.  Need a bit more convincing.  Check out this video of my daughter making lasagna in the tower.  She cooks on her own now with all the experience in watching us cook.

You will be seeing more of the Learning Tower on my blog.  I will be including many blogs posts/pins about kids crafts and activities where the Learning Tower will be making appearances.
you can also check out the many projects Little Partners have on Pinterest here

Whenever i can, i like to make a note about products that go well together. My daughter loves to play dress up right now.  When we are in the tower cooking or cleaning, she wears an apron to keep her clothes somewhat clean.  I found some awesome costume aprons on Etsy here and here.  Are they not the cutest things?  Perfect for quick dress up, and can be easily hung on a hook in a kitchen cabinet.  I may have to order one and test it out (or should i say my daughter needs to test it out).  They need to create some for the boys too.  Toy Story is popular here- would it not be cool to have Woody or Buzz Lightyear aprons.   
Here is my daughter in her Minnie costume.

Stay tuned for some more product reviews.  I have so many good ones i want to share.