What Is a Learning Tower and What Is It For?
Children love to learn to do chores on their own, but due to the size of some furniture and fixtures, they need something to lift them up. One of the most useful and easiest tools to use is the learning tower.
This is a kind of platform with safety rails so that the child can access countertops, sinks, or tables in a more safeguarded way. It’s a stable and solid object, which you can buy or make on your own if you like to DIY.
But why use these types of elements? What benefits does the learning tower offer? Read the following article to find out all the details.
What is a learning tower for?
A learning tower is a technical support so that children can perform certain tasks in unreachable places, autonomously and safely.
When we were kids, our grandmothers would pull up a chair for us to help them bake a chocolate cake. But this was unstable and dangerous and we could never go without supervision.
The learning tower fulfills the same function but also takes care of the safety of children. Thanks to its design with side rails, it allows the child to go up and down by themself as many times as they want, without the risk of falling.
In addition to stability and security, the tower offers autonomy to your little ones and to you, as it allows you to fully enjoy the tasks you share with your children.
What’s the best age to start using a learning tower?
Once your child can stand up, climb steps, and is strong enough to stand on their own, you can start using a learning tower. In general, this occurs between 16 and 18 months.
At first, little ones experiment with the tower by dragging it or using it as a support element on which to stand. But, one day, the climbing begins!
According to the size of the child, its use can be extended to 4 or 5 years. It’s important to check that the height of your child’s waist doesn’t exceed the measurement of the upper rail. When it does, the tower’s no longer a safe element for them to use.
The advantages of the learning tower
With a learning tower at home, you’ll allow your child to experiment, learn, and participate in the different tasks of the home. Among them cooking, preparing juice, washing their hands, or brushing their teeth, etc.
For adults, one of the main advantages is being able to share activities with their little ones without carrying them all the time. As the child grows, it’s also possible to delegate simple and safe tasks to them, so they take on their first household responsibilities. This makes them feel involved and improves their self-esteem.
At school, the tower’s also very useful. It allows little ones to reach for books on shelves or place toys on higher furniture.
A Montessori element at home
A learning tower is a resource based on Montessori pedagogy, which sustains that a good educational space is one that’s physically adapted to the needs of children. The Montessori environment can be put together at school and also at home.
Other objectives of the Montessori educational method that can be strengthened with the use of a learning tower are the following:
- Learning through experience
- Respect for the developmental rhythm of each child
- Freedom of movement
- Children’s participation in their own learning
- Choice of activities
- The creation of environments adapted for children
- Sensory experiences
- The promotion of independence and autonomy
“No one can be free unless he is independent. Therefore, the first active manifestations of the child’s individual liberty must be so guided that through this activity he may arrive at independence.“
-María Montessori-
Why buy a Montessori learning tower?
A Montessori tower is a support element to facilitate learning. However, the reasons for deciding to purchase one are very personal and depend on several factors, which are economic, spatial, and parental.
However, it’s good to think about acquiring one of these if you meet any of the following conditions:
- You like the Montessori method and its ideas.
- You want your child to function independently, especially in the bathroom.
- Your little one is curious and asks to see what you’re doing on the counter or table.
- Your toddler loves to climb in order to gain access to unreachable objects and you need a secure platform for them to do this (and thus avoid tantrums).
As in the story of Alice in Wonderland, your house is disproportionate to the size of the children who inhabit it. With a learning tower, you get around this problem and, at the same time, you gain security, family interaction, and peace of mind.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- National Institute of Health. [Internet] Medline Plus (s.f.). Desarrollo de los niños que comienzan a caminar. Disponible en https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/002010.htm
- Fundación Argentina María Montessori (2018) El Método Montessori. Disponible en: https://www.fundacionmontessori.org/metodo-montessori.htm
- Santerini, M. (2013) Grandes de la Educación: María Montessori. Revista Padres y Maestros Universidad Pontificia Comillas. Disponible en: https://revistas.comillas.edu/index.php/padresymaestros/article/view/959/814
