So my mom gave us $ for DS's Christmas gift. I'd like to get him a table and chair set or an actiivity table (train table). DS is only a little over a year, but very active, has been walking for months. So, I think eventually I'd like to have both, but for now... what do i do?!
Table and chair Pros: He plays with a doll at playgroup and sits it in the chair at the table, etc. He loves to sit 'like a big boy' on the couch, or dining chairs. I know he would love to have snacks there too
Table and chair Cons: -but we have 2 very big hungry dogs that are still getting used to not eating everything below table level so snacks might not happen. I'd like to have a lip around the edge so things wouldn't always be falling off-like a train table, might be too big now, or too small later
Activity Table Pros: He loves stacking blocks on the ottoman, but it's cushiony and doesn't work very well, as well as being too high-a table would be great, he'd love building legos and playing with trains later, I like the storage that is available underneath but out of sight
Activity Table Cons: can't really sit and draw, do artwork, have snacks, might be too small later
What do you have for your DC? Do you like it? What don't you like about it? How long have you had it, plan to have it? Thanks!!!
Oct 2006
Oct 2008
hi! We dont have a train table but my DD got a table and chairs for her first birthday and we use it all the time. We use it for coloring/drawing, reading books, playdough, snacks/sometimes lunch. No dogs in our house, so that is not a concern. I think you will definitely get your money's worth with a table and chair set. Good luck deciding.
Me- 33
DH - 37
DS & DD
Personally, I'd go with table and chairs.
Maggie -Smart & Sassy-11/7/03 ~ Charlie -Sweet & Funny -7/4/06 ~ Stella -Small & Mighty -4/24/09
My etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BabyDear
I'd go with the table and chairs also. It's more of an all in one whereas with the train table, he's limited.
With the table and chairs, he can sit comfortably and eat..you could even put the dogs up while you're having dinner.
He can also play at the table also..stacking blocks, for instance.
Deanna + Phillip + TTC since 8.2002=Madison
born 10.15.2008 @ 39.4 wks 8lbs 9oz
Ditto the PPs -I vote for the table and chairs. I think you will get a lot more use out of it and not outgrow it as fast. We got DD a table and chair set for her second birthday, and it has been hands down the best thing ever. She uses it for drawing, play doh, eating, building with blocks, reading, playing with dolls, and so on. Very useful, and I imagine she will be using it for at least a few more years until she physically outgrows it.
Christina
married DH Ozzy on 1/27/07 Sophie born on 7/1/07 Alexander born on 10/28/09
another vote for table and chairs. We have the Mammut ones from Ikea- we love them and so do the kids! They are cheap and indestructible. They eat at the table, color, do play-doh, play with dolls, everything!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70169533
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30168644
http://www.amazon.com/TAG-Toddler-Activity-Table/dp/B000BTBQG2
My friend has a table kinda like this, she uses it for both. She has a little stool that she put under the table for her daughter for when she would like to color or do art activities. It does have a small lip around the edges as well. She has let her daughter have snacks on her table from time to time, but of course takes all the "goodies" off the table and places a dish towel on it so she recognizes that the time to eat is when it's set up for snacking. If you give a good search, I'm sure you can find other tables as well that will work for both.
Good Luck!
We have both and enjoy both. There is a table at www.landofnod.com where you can get short and long legs and convert it as your child grows too. We have one for DS room. I plan to get the longest legs to make it a desk when he's a little older.
Karen (35) and DH (36)
10/2003 10 weeks 01/2010 8 weeks
Best of both worlds... I got a kitchen table (craigslist ) cut the legs (20 inches to table top), and put pads on the bottom. Then I bought some little stools at IKEA for super cheep. The table is long enough to do all sorts of projects, play with blocks, etc., and the stools fit underneath so he can choose to sit or stand and they don't get in the way. This is it:
HTH!
loki12: That's super cute! Another vote for table and chairs, but we don't have a dog. We do use cork-backed placemat boards a lot to make cushiony surfaces flat (carpet, ottoman, etc.) I also prefer doing trains and things on the floor, so layouts are not limited.
That's super cute!
Another vote for table and chairs, but we don't have a dog. We do use cork-backed placemat boards a lot to make cushiony surfaces flat (carpet, ottoman, etc.) I also prefer doing trains and things on the floor, so layouts are not limited.