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Oct 14, 2024

Best Toddler Table And Chairs 2024 - Forbes Vetted

The best toddler table and chairs are well-made and sized just right for littles, providing the perfect place for kids to color, create, eat, “read” and play all by themselves—or with others. Some

The best toddler table and chairs are well-made and sized just right for littles, providing the perfect place for kids to color, create, eat, “read” and play all by themselves—or with others. Some sets have storage to help contain toys and arts and crafts supplies, while others are more simple in structure but super sturdy and aesthetically pleasing for parents. The benefits for kids are plenty too. “Smaller tables make children feel more in control and capable, which can help develop problem-solving skills,” says Amanda Vierheller, cofounder of Playgarden preschools in New York.

The best toddler table and chairs are the perfect place for kids to color, create, eat, “read” and ... [+] play.

Sally Macaluso, a special education preschool teacher, agrees. “Young children love a sense of autonomy so the first, and most important, thing is how they promote independence. These tables also provide an area to cultivate creativity for drawing, painting, or arts and crafts,” she says. “Finally, they are great for kids to sit together and engage in social-emotional experiences like playtime and mealtime.”

When purchasing a toddler table and chair set, you’ll want to consider factors like safety, ease of cleaning (a biggie), durability, size, age-appropriateness, and comfort for kiddos. “Parents and caregivers should also consider where the table and chair set will be used,” recommends Vierheller. “Wooden tables and chairs are best suited for indoors, while sturdy plastic sets are designed for outdoor play. Tables and chairs must be sturdy and made of high-quality materials with smooth surfaces and safe corners. They should not be able to easily tip over or to easily be moved by children to avoid accidents.” Because toddlers can be quite rough and messy, a table set that’s easy to wipe down and durable enough to stand up to banging toys and lots of activity is key.

From classic and space-saving to cool and contemporary, we’ve rounded up the best toddler table and chairs for every style and space.

Lalo

This is the modern toddler table you’ll wish came in your size. It’s beautiful to look at and beautifully made using non-toxic materials and sustainably sourced FSC Certified beech wood, making it our top all-around choice. Parents praise its sturdiness, ease of assembly and ease of cleaning too—it’s simple to wipe off crumbs, spills and crayon marks. The set comes with two comfortable and hard-to-tip bucket-style chairs, available in five delicious colors, and two additional chairs can be purchased for even more seating options. It’s big enough for kids to be comfortable, but still suitable for small spaces. Did we mention it’s gorgeous?

Amazon

They’ll love pulling up a seat to this versatile Melissa & Doug table, made for playing, creating, dining and whatever else the kids can dream up. It’s sized just right for toddlers (ages 3 and up) and compact enough to fit small spaces, plus it comes in three neutral colors to complement any home décor style. Most importantly, it’s super sturdy so if your toddler is the type to climb on top of tables, jump off them or use the chairs to reach things they shouldn’t, well, you can stress a littles less that this set will break. Cleaning up messes is no sweat either, as the solid wood surface easily wipes clean. At just over $100, you really can’t beat the price for the quality.

Amazon

If you have an animal lover, you can’t go wrong with this stylish and sustainable Tender Leaf Toys table. “This charming table set encourages imagination and includes a deep storage bin with compartments to hold little ones’ favorite things,” says Vierheller. “I love Tender Leaf toys because they are beautiful, hand painted and inspire early learning. They are also made from sustainable materials, such as reclaimed rubberwood, and for every tree used they plant a new one.” The middle chalkboard panel serves as the perfect place to doodle, and is removable to reveal organized storage for your toddler’s stuff. The set comes with a bunny and bear chair, but you can add on more animals, including a fox and deer.

Amazon

“This multi-use table and chair set works overtime as it can also be converted to a storage shelf, sofa or double desk,” says Vierheller. “The smooth, durable plastic makes it easy to clean, and the unique construction keeps toddlers feeling safe and cozy.” While it comes in a more parent-friendly neutral gray, which we love, it’s also available in green and pink for those looking to add a little splash of color to their playroom. The lightweight design does make it easy for toddlers to move, however it also makes it easy for parents to move around the house or even outside for an impromptu picnic or messy sensory play. Assembly is simple (15 minutes or less), and it’s great that it can grow and adapt with toddlers as they go from pretend tea parties and puzzle play to actually sitting down to do homework in early elementary school.

Lily and River

For toddlers who are big into arts and crafts or love building with Duplos, this sleek and chic versatile table is a no-brainer. They can draw all over the stain-resistant dry erase surface without sending parents into a full-on panic—just wipe clean and it’s as good as new. Lego-obsessed littles will have a blast constructing tall towers and knocking them down afterward with the included topper that’s compatible with Lego bricks on one side and Duplo bricks on the other. The table also comes with different-sized storage pouch bags, which attach directly under the table to contain toys and supplies, and can be easily accessed by removing the wooden center lid. We had this table for several years in our own home, and it held up really well to daily use by two not-so-gentle kiddos.

Amazon

Set up a shady toddler-sized chill zone for summer with this well-priced outdoor picnic table that comes with a large, removable UPF 40+ umbrella to keep them cool, comfortable and protected while they eat or play. It’s big enough to fit your toddler and all their friends (up to six kids), making play dates even more exciting. We like that you can hose it down quickly to remove any dirt and grime from sitting outside or messy play. Some reviewers do find it difficult to assemble, but say it’s sturdy and durable once put together.

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn is known for delivering quality furniture in classic styles. This bestselling toddler play table is built to last, no matter what your toddler throws at it (literally). It’s made from engineered wood and oak veneer with solid oak legs for extra sturdiness and stability. All the wood is kiln-dried too so it’s unlikely to split, warp, crack or get mildew. While the set only comes with two chairs, this table can comfortably seat four if you want to add on more. We recommend purchasing the Toddler Play Table Mat for little artists who tend to make a big mess when they’re in the zone, as well as to help protect the table from scratches and spills and make cleanup less of a headache.

Amazon

Vierheller is a big fan of this table because it’s versatile, durable and has so much storage space. “The chair height is perfect for toddlers and they’re easy for little ones to tuck in themselves,” she says. “The tabletop is reversible to offer play and eating on one side, and chalkboard drawing and writing on the other. It can also be lifted off for toddlers to engage in sensory play, art projects, block building and more.” We love the additional storage boxes that tuck right under the chairs for hiding paper, pencils, paint, markers, toys and more supplies totally out of sight.

Our team is comprised of expert parenting writers and editors, many of whom are moms or dads themselves, with a background in all things baby gear. Over the years, we’ve put plenty of toddler tables and chairs to the test in our own homes and spent countless hours researching and reading reviews to narrow down the best options. We’re committed to keeping children safe and enriching their development by recommending only the best-quality products for kids and their parents.

For every piece, we consult industry experts. For this article, we interviewed Amanda Vierheller, COO and Co-Founder of Playgarden preschools, and Sally Macaluso, a special education preschool teacher and educational writer at Tenderhearted Teacher. They are both early educators who regularly work with toddler-aged children in preschool classroom, and they helped us curate our product picks.

For this story, we leaned into the recommendations of our experts, as well as real parent reviews. Every table set included comes either personally or expert recommended, or from a brand we know and can count on for quality and good craftsmanship. We also tried to ensure that, in addition to being safe, comfortable and kid-friendly, the tables were aesthetically-pleasing for parents, as we know this is a key factor in any furniture-buying decision.