Learning Tower
I have been so eager to get our hands on a Learning Tower. Although they are cumbersome and insanely large, they seem like such an awesome way to help young children participate in the kitchen life of the family. Although I've read that "Practical Life" activities usually start around 15 months, I can sense that Henry is ready to at least be elevated to the counter with us. A few nights we've had him stand on a chair (with one of us standing directly behind him) in order to watch us wash dishes or make dinner. He's completely enthralled.
I've seen directions for making your own Learning Tower (that folds up!), but that option didn't sound too appealing. The materials seemed expensive, and neither Matt nor I are particularly adept with power tools. If only we were like John and Sherry...
Instead, I've been scouring Craigslist nearly every single day (no joke!) trying to score a used one. They go fast in Austin!
Luckily, Matt's family decided to buy us one for Henry's birthday. Woo-hoo! We are so eager to involve him in kitchen activities. Working with us in the kitchen will help him develop focus and concentration, foster his independence, build his self-esteem, develop his fine motor skills and his hand-eye coordination, help him cultivate diverse tastes, and allow us to spend quality time together. It will definitely be messier and slower, but I hope that we continue to prioritize this time with Henry. If you're interested in supporting your child's growth in the kitchen but don't know where to start, stay tuned for the book Kylie and I are working on! It should be available on June 4.
Matt and I toured a Montessori school the other night, and I was just blown away by the youngest classroom (ages 18 months through 2.5 years). The children walk around in just training underwear and a shirt, since they start toilet learning that young. The children also make brunch every day for the community. They slice bananas and avocados, and sometimes they make something like biscuits. They set the table, first with a table cloth and then the dishes. I can't wait to go back and do an observation when school is in session. It's amazing what children can do when we step back and let them show us!
I've seen directions for making your own Learning Tower (that folds up!), but that option didn't sound too appealing. The materials seemed expensive, and neither Matt nor I are particularly adept with power tools. If only we were like John and Sherry...
Instead, I've been scouring Craigslist nearly every single day (no joke!) trying to score a used one. They go fast in Austin!
Luckily, Matt's family decided to buy us one for Henry's birthday. Woo-hoo! We are so eager to involve him in kitchen activities. Working with us in the kitchen will help him develop focus and concentration, foster his independence, build his self-esteem, develop his fine motor skills and his hand-eye coordination, help him cultivate diverse tastes, and allow us to spend quality time together. It will definitely be messier and slower, but I hope that we continue to prioritize this time with Henry. If you're interested in supporting your child's growth in the kitchen but don't know where to start, stay tuned for the book Kylie and I are working on! It should be available on June 4.
Matt and I toured a Montessori school the other night, and I was just blown away by the youngest classroom (ages 18 months through 2.5 years). The children walk around in just training underwear and a shirt, since they start toilet learning that young. The children also make brunch every day for the community. They slice bananas and avocados, and sometimes they make something like biscuits. They set the table, first with a table cloth and then the dishes. I can't wait to go back and do an observation when school is in session. It's amazing what children can do when we step back and let them show us!
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8 comments:
We built the folding one from Ana White's site. The folding feature is priceless in our small space, but it was also very inexpensive to build. My husband built it over the course of a weekend.
Thanks for your input? Do you mind my asking how much it cost? I had heard estimates around $150 to build it yourself.
It really is amazing what kids can do when we let them. I think parents often get in the way of their children and "over parent". Our older son (3) is overly independent in nature so we found the toddler years have been particularly challenging with power struggles. We find if we let him assert his independence (where he is not in danger of getting hurt etc.), it is far more peaceful in our household. We may make some minor compromises such as accepting his sense of style when he dresses himself. But all in all I find it easier to engage him in everyday activities even if it means refolding laundry or peeling the parts of the carrot he has missed than it would be to keep his curious mind out of trouble. And it also helps to teach them that everyone in a household is expected to pitch in.
I can't wait for your book to come out!!! I am a regular follower of yours and Kylie's blog and I love what you do! Any hint, what it will be about? ("Just" about children in the kitchen or about Montessori at home in general? Which age group?)... I am so curious ;-)
My kitchen is so tiny that tower would fill it all up! My granddaughter stands on a chair---14 months---and learned easily that she has to stand in the middle. Of course, the kitchen being so tiny means that I'm never more than three steps away from her and usually in arms reach. We also worked hard to teach her HOT so she doesn't reach for the stove....
But she "makes" bread, does dishes---plays in soapy water---slices avocados, mixes brownies and batters, etc.
When Henry's balance is a bit better you can also perch him on the counter. It probably helps that this isn't my first kid and I have quite a tolerance for theoretical risk by now.
Sara,
I love the tower, but I'm pretty much with Lisa re: using a backwards chair or step stool. Our son learned to get the step stool out, unfold it (with a bit of help), and scoot it where he wants it at about age 2. An issue I see with the tower is that it doesn't appear easy to get down? Is it? Because when our son helps, we say, "Go grab the milk out of the fridge" or "Go get a spoon out of that drawer", etc. I wonder if the tower would therefore kind of actually LIMIT independence? Just trying to help save you a few bucks.
Hi Carrie,
The benefit of the learning tower is that Henry can use it now (as a one year-old) and we can feel comfortable being across the kitchen from him. If he were on a chair or a regular stepping stool, we wouldn't be able to incorporate him into the kitchen at the counter this early. Based on what you've said about your own child, we may not need the learning tower for very long. The good thing about it is I'm pretty confident we can resell it for a good price. They seem to sell really well and quickly on Craigslist!
Yes, I certainly see the allure of it with a young toddler. He can't climb/fall out of those holes? Given the re-sale value, I'd go for it! :)
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