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making your own "learning tower"

post #1 of 34
2/2/09 at 4:41pm
Thread Starter 
as much as the learning tower looks like a good investment, I still can't justify the expense! Not to mention the fact that in no way shape or form can we afford it, not even if it was half off.

We've been using a chair and letting dd stand on it, but I'm terrified the whole time she'll fall off. And can't focus on cooking or doing the dishes. So that defeats the purpose.

So, I was thinking about making my own "learning tower". Just out of things I have lying around the house and hoping to spend no more than 25-30$ at the most. Has anyone done this? Have any of you seen a homemade learning tower?

tia

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post #2 of 34
2/2/09 at 5:03pm
my dad made two learning towers (one for our house and one for theirs) with a total investment of about $75 (a sheet of birch, and green (not color, but safe) paint.
he has thousands of tools, though, including a skill saw, which he used. he made it pretty close to exactly like the real learning towers, and we're very happy with them!

if you want a picture you can PM me
post #3 of 34
2/2/09 at 6:26pm
My DS stands on a chair. It works fine. We've been doing this for over a year now (since he was one) and he's only fallen off twice in all that time. Neither fall hurt him much...
post #4 of 34
2/2/09 at 7:06pm
DH built a learning tower type thing out of a few pieces of lumber and plywood. We've been using it for about a year and a half and it's fantastic. I think it probably cost about $25 in materials.
post #5 of 34
2/2/09 at 7:06pm


Lurking because DS (13mo) loves to be part of the action when we're cooking and washing dishes, but doesn't like being worn on my back or my hip. We can't afford a Learning Tower and DS fell off the chair twice today. He doesn't seem to understand the connection between stepping into thin air and landing on the floor
post #6 of 34
2/2/09 at 7:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayaking Mama View Post
DH built a learning tower type thing out of a few pieces of lumber and plywood. We've been using it for about a year and a half and it's fantastic. I think it probably cost about $25 in materials.
would you mind if you get a chance posting what he used and how he built it? but only if you have a spare minute. Which I know is nearly impossible to come by
post #7 of 34
2/2/09 at 8:58pm
a friend of mine traced ours and made herself one. it was lovely! i think she used some nice thick plywood and a table router.
post #8 of 34
2/2/09 at 11:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danielle13 View Post
would you mind if you get a chance posting what he used and how he built it? but only if you have a spare minute. Which I know is nearly impossible to come by
I think the best bet is for me to try to post a picture of it. And then you'll get to see my dirty kitchen too! Can't do it tonight but I'll try tomorrow.
post #9 of 34
2/2/09 at 11:53pm
oooh, i am also very excited to learn how to do this!
post #10 of 34
2/3/09 at 2:02am
My parents jury-rigged one from an old chair and some boards that they used to create kind of a box around the chair - it opens on a hinge and cab be latched shut. It looks a little clunky, but my niece loves to use it at their house to help my mom cook! I thought it was a very cool thing for them to do...

The one downside other than aesthetics is that it does not adjust height-wise like the Learning Tower does. We went ahead and bought one for that reason - figure we'll use it with lots of kids for many years and at many heights! And my DD (18mos then) couldn't use my parents' chair yet b/c it wasn't high enough...
post #11 of 34
2/3/09 at 3:38pm
OK, I took a few pictures and will try to link to them. It's definitely not as aesthetically pleasing as the Learning Tower, but is very sturdy and has met our needs well. The platform DS stands on is attached with screws, so it can be lowered as he grows--although he's been using it since about 18 months and we haven't needed to change the height yet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30906910@N03/3251277412/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3090691...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3090691...n/photostream/
post #12 of 34
2/4/09 at 12:45am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayaking Mama View Post
OK, I took a few pictures and will try to link to them. It's definitely not as aesthetically pleasing as the Learning Tower, but is very sturdy and has met our needs well. The platform DS stands on is attached with screws, so it can be lowered as he grows--although he's been using it since about 18 months and we haven't needed to change the height yet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30906910@N03/3251277412/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3090691...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3090691...n/photostream/
Thank you so much!!! I'm off to home depot to buy some wood for this tomorrow!!!

yah!!

ps, I like yours better than the learning tower!!
post #13 of 34
2/4/09 at 9:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayaking Mama View Post
OK, I took a few pictures and will try to link to them. It's definitely not as aesthetically pleasing as the Learning Tower, but is very sturdy and has met our needs well. The platform DS stands on is attached with screws, so it can be lowered as he grows--although he's been using it since about 18 months and we haven't needed to change the height yet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30906910@N03/3251277412/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3090691...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3090691...n/photostream/
Wow! That looks great! And i think it's funny that I have a similar layout in my kitchen with the stove, a little counter space, then sink with big windows over it. And we have the same baby monitor!
post #14 of 34
2/4/09 at 8:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ecoteat View Post
Wow! That looks great! And i think it's funny that I have a similar layout in my kitchen with the stove, a little counter space, then sink with big windows over it. And we have the same baby monitor!
And we're both in Maine...weird...
post #15 of 34
2/5/09 at 12:45am
Thread Starter 
we just went and bought/had the wood cut for ours!! Its going to be a tad different. But still very similar!! : thank you so much for the idea!!
post #16 of 34
2/5/09 at 8:46am
DH thanks everyone for their compliments on his handiwork! Glad we could help!
post #17 of 34
2/8/09 at 11:51pm
Thread Starter 
YAH!!! Heres ours!

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...o/IMG_3610.jpg

we LOVE it!!!!!
post #18 of 34
2/9/09 at 9:05am
Looks great! And what a little cutie!
post #19 of 34
2/20/09 at 7:55pm

I was in your position recently!

Here's the one we made...

http://livinglearninglovingandgrowin...ith-daddy.html

There are just a few shots of it, its huge and hubby is about to try a hinged folding version for his brother and his kiddo, something like the offbrand one at walmart.com.
post #20 of 34
3/7/09 at 3:36pm
I am trying to have DH make one of these and this thread is great!! I hope mine comes out as cute as yours!! Any hints or secrets not to do?
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