Safety Guidelines and Misconceptions Regarding the Learning Tower

Do you own a learning tower or plan on purchasing one? It has come to our attention that a lot of people have several misconceptions about a product that has increased in popularity over the past couple of years in Egypt. For that reason, we thought about clarifying some of these misconceptions and help you, as a parent, decide if owning one (and if so, which one) is the right decision for you and your child.

The first misconception concerns the safety of learning towers and that they should all have the maximum level of safety features.

In terms of design, learning towers sold worldwide come in different shapes, sizes and features. Some are slim and fit well in smaller kitchens, while others take up a lot of space and can make for lots of stubbed toes for caregivers and children due to “tip stoppers” located at the bottom of the legs of the tower. There are also foldable and convertible options available on the market for practicality and ease of storage. We have attached different models below for for clarification (including ours).

They also offer different levels of safety. This means varying levels of autonomy, as well. Some parents and caregivers are looking for maximum safety features, such as a fully enclosed platform. This type of toddler tower is a bit safer and can be great for a parent’s peace of mind, but it limits a toddler’s ability to climb in and out independently and can take up a lot of space in the kitchen. It can also be more difficult to move around the house or fit in the bathroom for hand-washing and tooth-brushing due to its large size and heavy weight.

Another misconception that is widely believed, is that the learning tower’s primary goal is to relieve mothers from having to carry their children, and that owning a learning tower will let them go hands free in the kitchen while their children simply observe what is going on. As much as the learning tower does give mothers the opportunity to go hands-free while carrying on with their daily kitchen tasks, it is very important to note that children using the tower should either be involved in those tasks with their caregiver or be given a different task to complete to keep them occupied. If a child is simply observing (even if mom is close by), they can easily become distracted or curious and attempt something dangerous. This can be in the form of trying to grab something on the kitchen counter that isn’t within their reach, climbing off the learning tower incorrectly, or even leaning on the safety bars as a form of play. Children are unpredictable and accidents can happen if they are not given something to do and are not properly guided by their caregivers.

However, as long as they are distracted doing something and are closely supervised, the risk of accidents occurring drops significantly.

To conclude, all learning towers are not created equal. They vary by levels of sturdiness, features, and safety measures. When you are choosing a toddler tower for your little one, you need to factor in your child’s abilities and age, the amount of space in your kitchen, the level of safety you want, and how much use it will get.

We, as a company, offer two different designs: the desk learning tower and the adjustable learning tower, which implement basic safety measures BUT both designs do not offer the MAXIMUM safety measures. The adjustable tower is heavier and will do better with taller or more active children as the step can be adjusted to 3 different levels. We have not added anti-slip grippers for children to be given the opportunity to move the learning tower around, giving them more autonomy and independence. We have chosen the slimmer design for it to be practical in both small kitchens and bathrooms. Both models have been tried and tested and have sold hundreds in the past 3 years with countless positive reviews. But nevertheless, it remains up to the parent’s discretion and judgement to consider whether or not this is something they want in their household.

We strongly recommend that parents conduct their research and decide whether or not this is a product they would like to invest in and are here for any questions, recommendations or even the customization of a tower that fits your parenting style and individual needs. 

There are numerous benefits to owning a learning tower, but once again, please make sure that the design you purchase (whether from us or from another business) is the right fit for you.

- The Eftekassat Team