Loving the Learning Tower

A month of fun.....in the Learning Tower!

2009-11-17T17:03:00.001-08:00

The Learning Tower by Little Partners is one of the best things we have purchased for our children so far. It gets used every day here without exception! Here is a new activity for each day of the month all using the Learning Tower. You can see that my twins really enjoyed this project and got to try some new recipes and new games. Check out Kiddinaround.com for a great sale on this fabulous product! Enjoy!

Day 30: Apple Slices

2009-11-17T16:05:00.000-08:00

We had a surplus of apples so I let the girls try coring them with this handy little device we have. I was standing right there, of course, to make sure they were extra careful. It's not only fun to peel, cut and core them this way, but then you can eat pretty little curlicues of apple! Next time maybe we will try baking an entire apple pie with the help of the Learning Tower!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 29: Beating Eggs for Omelettes

2009-11-16T18:35:00.000-08:00

We were running a little late with dinner this afternoon, so I decided to go for an easy meal. Omelettes are another great way to use up leftover veggies and make a quick and easy dinner. I wasn't feeling particularly courageous tonight so I didn't actually allow the twins to crack the eggs themselves, but I did let them whisk them up. They loved it, and dinner was done!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 28: Brushing Teeth

2009-11-16T18:32:00.001-08:00

Learning to brush your own teeth is tricky, and learning to spit into the sink is downright difficult. The Learning Tower gets my kids up to the big kitchen sink where they have a much better chance at success! They actually like brushing their own teeth and this way I won't catch them running with the toothbrushes in their mouths!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 27: Grating Cheese

2009-11-16T18:24:00.001-08:00

Cheese is possibly my children's favorite food. Today I let them try using the cheese grater so I could make my Grandmother's Macaroni & Cheese recipe. They were very careful to hold the grater the way I instructed but they couldn't seem to stop eating the finished product. I really think the Learning Tower and all these recipes could tempt one of them to become a chef one day!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 26: Cookies Galore

2009-11-15T16:53:00.001-08:00

Tonight we mixed up a double batch of Oatmeal Cookies and a double batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies. The girls were fascinated to watch the stand mixer going for the first time up close thanks to the Learning Tower. Besides just measuring and mixing, there are lots of cookie jobs that the girls can help with, like: cutting out Sugar Cookies, sprinkling cinnamon on top of Snickerdoodles, or "criss-crossing" Peanut Butter Cookies with a fork. They are really going to love making Gingerbread Men too. The Learning Tower helps us make the house smell yummy with fresh baked cookies!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 25: Playtable

2009-11-14T16:38:00.000-08:00

Tonight while I was straightening up the kitchen the girls used the Learning Tower as a play table of sorts. The height is perfect and there is a slight edge to keep the blocks from falling. Children seem to enjoy standing while they play and I enjoy that the blocks were not all over the floor under my feet! Having the Learning Tower as a special spot designated for them makes the kitchen a much more welcoming place for the kids.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 24: Appetizers

2009-11-14T16:27:00.001-08:00

With the holidays coming up, we will be entertaining more often and doing even more cooking. I'm looking forward to the girls helping a lot in the kitchen now that we have the Learning Tower to boost them up. I'm already planning all the recipes we can try together this year. Tonight we let them make a simple appetizer and I realized that the finished product looked just as good as when I make them myself! Again, the Learning Tower lets the children be right where the action is.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 23: Puppet Show

2009-11-14T16:12:00.000-08:00

Today after the girls watched Tinkerbell they put on a fairy puppet show. They haven't quite mastered the concept of being invisible to the audience but they do like to dance the dolls across the stage. There is a puppet show attachment in the Playhouse Kit, or you could just use the cloth that comes with the Learning Tower, as we did. Either way, every child needs a spot for dramatic play!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 22: Pizza Party

2009-11-14T16:00:00.000-08:00

We love pizza, and prefer to make it ourselves so we can load it up with veggies and cut back on the grease. It's a great easy meal to make with the kids, since they can easily put on the toppings themselves from the Learning Tower. Again, my kiddos tend to be especially ravenous for the meals they prepare themselves. So, if you have picky eaters, you might try letting them help with the meal preparation. You'll definitely need the Learning Tower so they can step up to the task!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 21: Art Easels

2009-11-13T17:51:00.000-08:00

First thing this morning, the girls ran to check out the new Art Easels for the Learning Tower. They have never had any kind of easel, so they were really excited. They got right to work with some chalk, then later experimented with their crayons. The Art Easel gets four thumbs up from my twins! They love them!

Buy your own Learning Tower and Art Easel today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 20: Washing the Dishes

2009-11-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

Only a three year old sees washing dishes as an adventure. Now, I'll admit that my twins' method of doing the dishes tends to overflow the sink a little. However, they really get the dishes clean! Only the Learning Tower would get them at the perfect height to dunk those bowls in the sudsy water. Now, if I could just get them to wash and fold all the laundry we'd really be getting somewhere.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 19: Cooking Just like Mommy

2009-11-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

I had soup on the stove tonight, so I let the girls pretend to cook with me. We used their play stovetop and pots, but it would work just fine with stove "eyes" drawn on paper and a real pot. Just hand them some spices and some dry beans or pasta and they will "cook" away. I love that the Learning Tower lets them play relatively close to the stove, but still safely out of reach.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 18: Water Play

2009-11-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

We had a rainy day today and were stuck inside trying to find something fun to do. I realized that with the Learning Tower, the kitchen sink and a couple of toys you can have all the fun of a water table. I just turned the faucet on a little trickle and let them play with cups and boats. The girls were surprisingly enthralled and spent quite some time pouring and floating. We will definitely play this game again!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 17: PB & J Day

2009-11-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

Today the girls asked for Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches so I let them make them themselves for the first time ever! You can see that they took some culinary liberties by eating some of the ingredients before they even made it to the sandwich. They were so proud. They always particularly enjoy the food they prepare themselves and ate every crumb of those misshapen sandwiches!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 16: Tea Party Time

2009-11-10T06:17:00.001-08:00

Today Belle and Cinderella had a tea party in the Learning Tower. The girls asked that their "doll house" be purple so we used a purple sheet. They also asked for windows, but I didn't quite figure that one out! We will probably put the Playhouse Kit on their Christmas List. It actually comes with a "Doll House" sign to customize it. We love the Learning Tower and it's endless uses!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 15: Playdough Fun

2009-11-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

I found a super easy recipe for homemade PlayDough so we decided to try it out today. Here it is if you'd like to try it, too:

1/4 cup salt
1 1/4 cup flour
1 package FlavorAid (Koolaid)
1 1/2 Tbsp oil
1 cup boiling water

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil. Add water and knead. If sticky, add more flour. Put in plastic zip lock bag and refrigerate.

The girls loved that the flour, salt and Koolaid looked white until we added the water and then it turned a lovely lavender. It took five minutes to mix together and a couple minutes to cool, then it was ready to go! I really like that the girls can play with it in our Learning Tower at the counter, rather than the kitchen table. It is much easier to clean our counter than the wood table! They tend to spill less this way, too.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Adjusting the Learning Tower

2009-11-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

This is a quick video to show you how to raise, lower or remove the platform on the Learning Tower. The Learning Tower is recommended for ages 2 to 6 and there are four different heights that you can use. It's really easy and quick for an adult to adjust, so I just wanted to demonstrate that.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 14: Breakfast & Multi-tasking!

2009-11-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

One of the best features of the Learning Tower is that it works so well for two children. With siblings, obviously, that is crucial; but even if you only have one child it's nice to know that they can share with friends. This morning as we tried to get eggs, sausage, grits and pancakes on the table, I was trying to do three things at once. Then I realized we could push the Learning Tower into the corner so that both kids could work on different sides of the counter. One of my daughters mixed the pancake batter while the other buttered the frying pan. Perfect! We just keep finding more ways the Learning Tower helps us.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 13: Learning Letters

2009-11-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

When I am working at the stove, the girls swing up into the Learning Tower and play with their magnetic letters. It works great because I know they are safely up and out of the reach of the stove, and they practice recognizing the alphabet and singing the ABC's. You might not have a metal door for this activity, but you can buy a great Art Easel for the Learning Tower that includes a chalkboard on one side and a magnetic white board on the other that would be even better for this!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 12: Going Shopping

2009-11-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

The Learning Tower isn't just about helping mom work, it's about play, too. Since shopping is a hobby of sorts to me, it's not surprising my children like to play store! The Learning Tower makes a great little store front for all their play food. They take turns being shopper and check-out clerk. Don't you wish you could shop in your pajamas?

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 11: Cleaning Team

2009-11-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

I've noticed that at this age, my three-year-olds are very eager to work around the house with me. I try to take advantage of this stage to give them opportunities to help as much as possible. It's a great chance for them to learn how to do various tasks and build good habits of helping around the house. Today they were very cheerfully cleaning the pantry in the Learning Tower. We like to use baby wipes with a little spritz of vinegar for totally safe and effective cleaning. Look at them smile as they work!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 10: Doing the Dishes!

2009-11-06T05:48:00.000-08:00

Some days the girls are just playing around in the Learning Tower. Other days they are really helping me get some of my chores done around the house. I wash most of my dishes in the dishwasher, but they still come out really wet. It is so cute to watch the twins dry dishes, they are so careful to get every drop. It takes awhile, but the dishes are perfectly dry when they are done. It's great because it gives me a few minutes to put the rest of the dishes away while their little hands are busy.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 9: Delicious Wraps

2009-11-06T05:31:00.000-08:00

Sometimes sandwiches get boring, and my kids really like wraps. It's also a good way to use up leftover meat or veggies from the night before. Just sprinkle a little cheese on top and you have meal! Interestingly, I've noticed that when the girls make their own food, they seem a little less picky. For instance, today one of my daughters added lettuce even though she said she doesn't like it. I suppose it's just too tempting to keep adding more ingredients! Toddlers love doing everything themselves and the Learning Tower really makes that possible for us.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 8: Cutting Fruit

2009-11-06T05:20:00.001-08:00

All you need for safe cutting and chopping is a plastic spreader, like a mayo knife (available at Amazon). They are great for spreading peanut butter or condiments and even better for kid-safe cutting. You might be surprised how many things they actually will work on: cooked veggies, bananas, avocados, peaches, oranges. The girls love strawberries and love getting the chance to cut them just like a grown-up thanks to the Learning Tower.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 7: Sprouting Beans

2009-11-06T05:09:00.001-08:00

This is one of our favorite projects so far, sprouting beans in old 2 liter bottles. Just have a parent cut the 2 liter bottle horizontally across the middle and discard the cap. Flip the top over and thread a paper towel through the neck of the bottle, leaving two or three paper towels crumpled in the top. Pour a few inches of water in the bottom and the towel "wicks" it up to the top. Then, just let the little ones place seeds or beans around the edge so they will be visible. They sprout quickly and are lots of fun to water and watch. The girls run to the Learning Tower every day to check the progress of their plants!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 6: Cinnamon Toast

2009-11-06T04:56:00.000-08:00

This morning the girls wanted Cinnamon Toast, so they climbed up and made it themselves. It's a good thing they don't have this every morning because they are quite generous with the sugar! Of course they enjoyed "cooking", but it's also good practice for them to get a spoonful of sugar and slowly sprinkle it out over the toast. It helps their coordination and control. And a little extra sugar won't hurt just this once....

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 5: Shucking Corn

2009-11-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the kids "help" me with dinner. They are great at washing fruits or veggies at the sink in the Learning Tower. Tonight while I was preparing the main course, they shucked the corn for me. It's great to have their help and even better to know that they are in the Learning Tower and safely out of reach of the hot stove. Just another way our lives are easier since we bought it!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 4: Ice Cream Shop

2009-11-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

Today the girls played "Ice Cream Drive-Thru" in the Learning Tower. You can pull the platform right out to make the Learning Tower into a fort, a playhouse or a lemonade stand. There is actually a great Playhouse Kit that would be tons of fun but until we get one we use a tablecloth. They really enjoy those pretend ice cream cones!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Getting up in the Learning Tower

2009-11-05T07:59:00.000-08:00

Before we got our Learning Tower, I had never seen one in person and wasn't quite sure how they worked. I had no idea it would be so sturdy and safe for my kids, and that they could use it so easily. I just wanted to make a quick movie of how simple it is for toddlers to get in the Learning Tower by themselves.

You can find out more about the Learning Tower and buy your own at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 3: Coffee Break

2009-11-05T05:15:00.000-08:00

Some mornings, I let the girls climb up in the Learning Tower and help make the coffee. They know it's a very special job, because Mama needs her coffee! The two of them are getting better at taking turns with the scoop and counting each spoonful. Sometimes there is a minor altercation but in general all the coffee ends up in the pot. I always say that the coffee they make is the perfect strength. One day maybe I'll let them pour me a cup.

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 2: Baking Bread

2009-11-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

I realized at the last minute this morning we were running short on bread. So I quickly pulled out the ingredients to make a loaf of Golden Egg Bread, a really simple recipe. It usually doesn't take much time to pour the ingredients into the bread machine but is slightly more complicated when your assistants are two three-year-olds. The girls were excited to hop up into the Learning Tower and pour in the flour, sugar, eggs and oil. When the bread was ready they were even more eager to try it knowing they helped prepare it!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!

Day 1: Washing Hands

2009-11-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

As a mom, one of my favorite uses for the Learning Tower is a very practical one: fighting germs and sickness by washing our hands. Holding a squirmy and awkward toddler up to the faucet is a pain in the neck, and the Learning Tower makes it unbelievably easy.
In fact, the girls actually enjoy washing their hands now and run to the Learning Tower the moment we walk through the front door. They like to sing the Alphabet Song or Happy Birthday while scrubbing to be thorough. Now that flu season is here, it's great to take extra precautions and, once again, the Learning Tower makes it easy for us all!

Buy your own Learning Tower today at Kiddinaround.com!