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The Learning Tower, a Review

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The Learning Tower Kitchen HelperI have been running this site for nearly a year and for some strange reason it has taken me all this time to review one of my wife’s favorite items: The Learning Tower.

I used to be a regular attendee to Toy Fair in New York for the eCommerce company I work for.  It’s an event for anyone in the toy industry (sellers, buyers, reporters, etc…) and my wife would typically take off for a few days and come with me.  She would help me navigate the huge convention hall, take notes, and just act as my assistant.   In the evening, I would take her out to a nice dinner and we would enjoy the city.  It was always a great couple of days for both of us.

Toy Fair is massive and there are things hidden away in aisles where you wouldn’t typically expect to find them so we would hit every aisle and every booth to make sure we didn’t miss anything.  That may not sound difficult but Toy Fair is HUGE!!!  It takes up the entire Javits Center in Manhattan as well as several other buildings down town.  The business I am in sells licensed and pop culture items so it’s actually a pretty small segment of the overall toy market but part of the fun was the challenge of hitting everything to make sure we didn’t miss anything.

The first time we went, my wife was pregnant with my oldest son, Harrison.  We had a lot of fun going through the baby and little kids sections even though it had nothing to do with why we were there.  We got to see stuff we might want for our son before a lot of it was released to the market.  Also, we got to see stuff that was already on the market that companies were trying to push to new buyers.  It’s a unique situation where you get to talk directly to the company and in the case of smaller companies, directly to the owner/creator.

What is the Learning Tower

One of the items that really interested us was the Learning Tower by Little Partners.  The product had been around for a year or so before we ran into it at Toy Fair but our excitement was fresh as we had never seen it before.  The Learning Tower is the perfect kitchen companion for anyone that likes to cook with their children.  It’s not just for the kitchen but that seems to be it’s most popular application.  It’s the ultimate step stool that brings your children up to counter height and keeps them there safely and securely.

Nothing at Toy Fair is for sale to the the general public, meaning, you can’t walk through, hand your card to someone and walk out with it.  Buyers can put in orders for their companies but the products are shipped to the company/store they were bought for and not available to walk out with.  I tell you this simply because if it was possible for us to leave with a Learning Tower that day, we would have.

The Learning Tower

Why We Love the Learning Tower

My wife LOVES to cook and bake and always fantasized about cooking with our children.  In addition to loving to cook, she is also a safety professional.   Her job is to make sure the workers at the company she works at, work safely.  The need to keep everyone safe is a big part of who she is and one of the things I love about her.  The Learning Tower appealed to her need to keep her soon to be born child safe and her desire to have our little one active and in the kitchen helping Mom cook.

It’s so much more than a step stool, it’s an adjustable platform that safely brings your child up to counter height. The most popular application is in the kitchen but it can be used anywhere. It’s very well constructed and the platform can be adjusted so it continues to become useful as your child grows.  It can hold over 200 lbs and has plenty of room for a second little one if you have more than one child.  My 5 year old and 3 year old share it with no problems.

But Wait There’s More

What makes this item even better is you can buy accessories that make it more functional.  You can get a kit that turns it into a puppet theater in minutes or a chalk board that hangs off the side for arts and crafts.  It comes in 9 different finishes so there is sure to be a design that matches your decor.

At nearly $200, it’s not cheap but we believe it’s a great investment.  We have had ours for 4 yeas now and it gets used all the time.  It’s very common for used Learning Towers to sell on eBay and Craigslist for $100 so it holds it’s value really well.  When our boys outgrow our Learning Tower we plan on selling it on Craigslist to recoup part of the expense of buying it but even if we didn’t do that, we have have more than gotten our moneys worth with this item.

For activities to do with your children that would include using the learning tower, check out this other great articles.

8 Simple Rainy Day Activities For Kids
7 Screen-Free Activities for Preschoolers
3 Life Skills Every Child Needs To Learn

We recommend the Learning Tower if you are looking to buy one.

The Learning Tower got some media attention a few years ago when it was featured on the Rachael Ray show. Check out the video below

Have you ever heard of the Learning Tower? What do you think of it?

 

Basic Baby Tools Reviewed

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A crib is one of the things you need to buy when expecting a baby

Photo on CAPL

Funnily enough, 2010 seemed to be the year of the babies. I have so many friends who welcomed their bundles of joy last year and so many who got pregnant and are expecting this year. It really is beautiful to see the beginnings of a life, to see the joy in the parent’s faces, and to see all my new mommy-to-be girlfriends fret over all the baby things they think they need.  This is especially true (and fun to watch) with my friends who are going to be first time mom’s.

I remember very well what I thought I needed when I was pregnant with my first child.  I remember it was a few months in chaos listing all the things magazines and sites were telling me I needed.  And, being the anal person that I am, I got MOST of these items.  Only to find out later that I didn’t really need half of them.  Good thing was I was able to use them for my second child. Wonderful how some baby things just don’t go out of style.

Anyway, I thought about doing a list of things you really need after you find out you are expecting and a basic time chart for when to get them. It might be helpful for all the first time mom’s out there.

6 months before D-Day:

By this time, I think it is OK to start getting the big stuff. This is because you will have had enough time to save up for them and because you will still have enough time to pay them off should you decide to get these on installment.

1. Crib

OK, you can choose whatever crib you want here but I personally think that if you have no baby cabinets yet, then get the ones with the drawers and the ones with the bed that can take the baby into the growing years.  There are some cribs that are cute and may fit a little nook in your room, but for practicality and for budget’s sake, these are not the smartest choices.

2. Stroller/Car Seat/Bassinet

OK, there are sooo many choices in the market today and some ranging from the reasonably expensive to the outrageously expensive.  The things I would say to look out for are the material of the stroller and car seat, the quality of the belt and the fasteners, the padding around the bars, the size and quality of the wheels and the shocks of the stroller.  Any brand that presents above average standards for all these is a thumb’s up for me.

4. Bottles and sterilizer

Now, if there were many crib and stroller choices, there are even more bottle choices.  And the manufacturers have made these bottles so complicated that  it almost feels like you need a degree to choose the right one!  The rules I followed were two things: that they were designed to produce a non-colicky baby, and that they were made from material that does not leach BPA or bisephenol, which is a harmful byproduct of plastic that can go onto the liquid in the bottle if it is heated above 175F.  The thing is a lot of the really cute and popular bottles use Polycarbonate plastic despite this fact because it is lightweight to bring around and for the baby to hold and offers flexibility in design of nipples and bottle.  But there are a lot of bottles made from safer and greener plastic that are just as pretty. It really is personal choice here.

3 months to go:

1. Bedsheets, clothes, blankets

I cannot stress how many of these you will think you need in the first two months after the baby is born.  You will want sheet replacements in case you need to change the sheets, and change you will need to do often.  You will want clothes that can come off and go on the baby as easily as possible and these usually are the ones that you tie up front. For tropical countries, it is important to have cotton clothes to keep the baby cool and it is essential to have changes of clothing to keep the baby clean and fresh. I has a set of 6 tops that you tie in front, 6 that you button on the shoulder, and 6 wide neck ones.  I used them all.  Blankets and towels are equally important as they cover the baby, keep the baby warm, and is what the baby will be wrapped in for chnks of hours over the day.  I had 6 of these although I know of others who had a dozen to be safe.

2. Washing/changing station

If you are old fashioned like me, you will do with a regular tub with a dipper in the bathroom.  If you are more mod, you may want to use a changing table that can convert into a washbasin. This is entirely a personal choice.

3. Breast pump

Now, if you do not intend to breastfeed, this is a moot point. But, if you do, finding a good pump will be a lifesaver.  Like most things, a pump has a price range.  I didn’t try all but I have tried a few to be able to make some kind of recommendation. I’ve also thrown in comments from friends for good measure.

  • Medela- This range of breast pumps is, as far as I’ve heard, the Ferrari of breast pumps. It is strong but not painful and really gets the milk out. Plus it has some sort of suction imitation thing that keeps breast milk in production even if the baby is not breastfeeding from the breast all the time.  This is pricey though.
  • Avent- very very well known for quality bottles and pumps, I had the opportunity to use the manual breast pump. It was very good. No need for an electric pump at all. It was virtually painless to use, had good suction, and was easy enough to use for a few hours straight. The only thing I found a bit off putting was that it was rather large to use and hold (for me at least) but this really depends on the woman’s grip and hand size.  I would recommend this breast pump if your budget allows as this is also a bit on the pricey side.
  • Pigeon- this is the more budget friendly brand and I was able to use the manual and electric varieties. The manual one was great. It was small enough so it was not cumbersome, the pump was soft enough to use for a few hours straight, it was virtually painless as well. I would definitely recommend this pump. I used the electric one as well because i thought i could get a lot of milk minus the manual pumping. It was very painful. I stopped using it after two tries. I do not recommend this at all.

4. Diapers

You will need to change the baby around eight times a day in the beginning and will only taper off when the baby is well withing the first year so stocking up early is not a bad idea. Diapers do not have an expiration date but they do have sizes so stock up on some newborn diapers and small ones first.  Research on how often you need to change the baby and how fat they grow on average to get a rough computation of how many pieces you might need. If you want to use cloth diapers, you will need about 2-3 dozen of the small to medium ones first.  You will need some baby friendly soap and a good washing machine and dryer as well.  Have a basin with some water mixed with detergent handy so you can soak soiled diapers immediately.  This makes them easier to wash and prevents staining.

5. Diaper bag

You can have two to three of these ion different sizes.  You will need a variety as the amount of things you will bring around will change depending on where you are headed. make sure to have bottle holders, a changing mat, other dividers and an insulated area.  It would be great to have an outside or other pocket for your personal things so you don’t have to carry a handbag but this is optional.

These are the most basic things you will need to have before you welcome your new baby. Of course, there is a whole novel full of other things you will want to have but those you can stress less about.  Having these basics will at least get you through the first couple of weeks.

What are your favorite tools for caring for your baby?

Choosing a Crib for Your Baby

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A crib is one of the things you need to buy when expecting a baby

Photo on CAPL

There are many baby items that are perfectly safe to buy second hand. Unfortunately there are a couple of items, such as a car seat and a crib, that are safer for baby if bought brand new. New cribs can be very pricey but you do not need to spend a fortune to keep your baby safe during sleep time. The least expensive crib on the market can be perfectly safe for baby as long as it meets the government safety requirements and is assembled correctly.

If you do purchase secondhand, make sure it is from someone you know and trust. Regardless of where you purchase, it is important, for the safety of your baby, to always keep an eye on current baby product recalls at www.recalls.gov (in the United States) and http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/home-accueil-eng.jsp (in Canada). In my experience, most of these recalls are easily fixable and often the company ships you a small repair kit, free of charge to you, complete with instructions. It is only in more drastic cases where you would actually have to discontinue use of the product you have purchased. When buying new, many baby items come with a registration card that you mail to the company and they will mail information concerning recalls directly to your home.

Statistics show that although 4 million babies are born in the United States each year, only 1 million cribs are purchased. In the United States, 26 infants die each year and another 11,500 are hospitalized in crib related accidents. Unfortunately, many of these accidents occurred in older-style cribs that do not meet current government safety regulations. In the United States, the Consumer Product Safety Commission states that only cribs made after 1991 are likely to meet all current safety standards. In Canada, all cribs made after September 1986 are likely to meet all current safety standards. Health Canada states, “Using a crib manufactured before September 1986 poses potential hazards that may result in serious injuries, including death.”

Crib Safety Standards

Crib safety standards in both the United States and Canada include:

  • Crib slats must not be more than 2 3/8 inches apart so as to prevent baby from slipping through them. You should not be able to pass a pop can through the slats. If you can, then the slats are not properly spaced.
  • There should be no broken or missing crib slats or any other missing or broken parts of the crib.
  • Hardware should be properly installed on both the crib and the mattress support, according to instructions. Only use original hardware for both. Hardware should not be loose or damaged.
  • The crib mattress must fit snugly inside the crib with no more 1 3/16” (two fingers) width between the mattress and the sides of the crib. If the mattress is not a tight fit, the baby could become wedged into this space and become trapped.
  • There should be no decorative cutouts in any part of the crib, including the headboard and footboard, where your baby’s head or body become trapped.
  • Corner posts should be no higher than 1/16” (US), 1/8” (Canada) above the end panels of the crib. Your baby’s clothing can hang off of them if they are any higher. This includes decorative knobs and posts.
  • The crib mattress support should always be set so that your baby cannot climb out of the crib. You can use the highest setting for newborns but as soon as your baby is able to push himself to his knees you need to set it to the middle setting (usually around 4 – 6 months) and when she is able to pull herself to standing, the crib setting should be at its lowest setting (usually between 8 – 12 months).

For more detailed safety standards please visit http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/regsumcrib.pdf (USA) and http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/H46-2-03-332E.pdf (Canada).

Crib Types

The standard crib is by far the most popular type of crib. It features stationary sides, dual drop sides or single drop sides. For the safety of your baby, however, it is recommended to always keep the sides of the crib to the highest setting. In fact, many crib manufacturers are now doing away with drop down sides. So if you are buying a new crib, it is best to buy one with stationary sides, even though drop down sides are very convenient. If you are buying or using an older crib that has drop down sides, it is best to leave the sides up at their highest setting at all times.

Convertible cribs offer all the features of a standard crib but convert into a toddler bed. Some even then convert into a double bed. This means that you pay one time for a bed that will last your baby well into his or her adulthood!

Other types of cribs available on the market include round cribs, canopy cribs and portable cribs. Round cribs are fairly new to the market. Canopy cribs are available in standard rectangular shapes or as a round crib. Portable cribs are about one-third smaller than a standard crib and fold up easily for travel.

Whatever crib you choose for your baby, just remember to keep safety at the top of your list!

What type of crib did you use for your baby? Where did you get yours?