MOST adults want to train toddlers to be helpful in the kitchen, but it's not easy to do so while making sure they are safe.
Once my son, Murshid, turned 2 and began venturing into the kitchen, my husband and I got ourselves the Ikea Bekvam step stool so he could wash his hands at the sink, or help make coffee using the Nespresso machine.
He loved doing both, but the stool isn't meant for toddlers. There's a chance of it sliding if the child leaned forward. So we made sure that he was fully supervised every time he climbed on it.
Children's premium furniture brand Lou Lou James has now made the Alta, and it's exactly what I wanted — a sturdy high chair. A made-for-toddler stool called Learning Tower gives a little human the height he needs to do simple kitchen tasks without compromising on safety.
Founder Esty James says parents can build their children's self-confidence and self-esteem when they enable their kids to complete tasks at just the right level of challenge, especially now that preschools aren't open and learning has gone virtual.
"A lot of children are now stuck at home with their parents, leading to families having to adjust their routine and come up with various activities to make sure that their children stay engaged.
"From doing fun arts and crafts, to placing plates in the dishwasher and brushing their own teeth, children thrive when they have the opportunity to practise life skills," she says.
STRONG AND SAFE
The Alta's main plus point is its sturdiness and safety. It's light enough to be carried by an adult, but at 15kg, it's too heavy for a child to move it himself. So it is unlikely that he or she will use it unsupervised.
The weight also renders the piece of furniture absolutely stable, not to mention the tower's broad legs to keep it firmly on the floor.
Murshid likes the tower because there is no chance of him toppling over and he has permanently chosen this over the stool whenever he is in the kitchen.
The tower is high enough for him to reach the sink so he can wash his own hands or do his own dishes. He can also help me put the pot and steamer inside the rice cooker once they are clean and dry. Making coffee is also easier for him because the tower is sturdy and he feels stable standing on it.
There's a bar on both the front and back of the stool so a child doesn't slide down and a beam on both sides for a small towel for kid-friendly kitchen projects.
The Alta Edition 3.0 Signature is made of engineered wood (MDF) and features redeveloped steps' insert grooves, handcrafted to prevent wood shrinkage or expansion due to heat and moisture.
It also has lower and wider ground level fixed for convenient self-climbing flexibility.
GET IT EARLY
The Alta is safe for use by children as early as 18 months, and up to 6 or 7 years old. The earlier you buy this for a child, the more value it will yield, and the earlier parents can introduce him or her to age-appropriate chores.
Since Murshid will turn 4 in January, the furniture did not give him the longevity it was meant to, although it may be repurposed as a small book shelf, or as a stepper for him to reach a high tier in the kitchen.
Apart from the Alta, Lou Lou James has also been actively expanding the brand's offerings and services to include child-friendly kitchen and baking utensils, pouffe cushions, in-house apparel and a colourful flashcard set from the Mini School collection.
I find the Learning Tower useful when introduced at an early age. It's a furniture that helps to train children in helping around the house, and to get him or her to be more hands-on.
Please note, however, that the safety design of the furniture will not negate parents' responsibility to monitor their children who use the chair.
This is because as much as the height makes doing chores easier, children must be watched at all times to avoid them touching sharp objects and hot items in the kitchen.
Shop on marketplaces and get toddler essentials at discounted costs by using Shopee Discount Code.