Play Tray Activity Table for Kids Review
DISCLOSURE -THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Deborah Banasko
Whilst I have always had a writing table for the kids, I haven’t ever seen the need for a dedicated activity table; we can manage with a cloth over the kitchen table and the cleaning up afterwards, or just muddle through the best we can with any outdoor messy play, right? I have three children, the eldest being 13, and it has taken me this long to realise how wrong I have been. This table has only been with us for a week, but I think every one of us would tackle anyone who tried to take it away. Who would have thought, from “just a table”?
The play tray activity table arrived well packed in a compact box. I must add that it arrived in the manufacturers packaging, so just a note of caution if this was a gift for anyone in your home.
Assembly was easy, and it was clear from the start that this product is really sturdy and well made.
It comes in four colours: black, blue, pink and red. Each table has finger grips for ease of carrying, and an angled corner which allows you to pour away water after messy play or cleaning. The table is waterproof, easy to wipe clean and safe to use with baking and cooking as the plastic is food-grade standard.
It is really solid, so I’m not concerned that my two younger boys will topple it over. Plus, you have the rubber feet at bottom to protect floors and help to prevent any slips.
The tray itself is 63 by 95cm which is more than large enough for my two, and you could easily entertain two children at the opposite side at the same time. The table can still be carried through a doorway without having to lean it to one side, which is particularly helpful when dealing with mess that you don’t want to spill.
What I love is the adjustable leg height feature (48, 55 or 63 cm), which is really easy to do and handy as it can grow with your child as well as accommodate for potential standing, kneeling or sitting activities. Whilst it is a little short for my older boy when standing, he can happily kneel down when playing so this table is going to last them a while.
In terms of water play, the tray is deep enough to fit plenty water for a good splash around but not so deep that you will flood your room. It is designed for indoor and outdoor use, and for messy play, sensory play… any type of play really. We loved using it for painting as they could go wild, yet the mess stayed pretty much within the tray and much less was down their apron due to the edging. This applied with Play-Doh as well, which was actually a huge plus for me as generally we have it all over the floor.
The tray can actually be removed from the legs should you wish to use it on a kitchen table to contain the mess, or perhaps place it on the floor. The boys want to do this and fill it with sand in the garden which is the plan for next weekend, then it’s a simply hose down afterwards.
Baking cakes is a breeze, as again everything is contained within one area in terms of mess, but it’s much easier for children to be able to stand and move around whilst they mix, measure and eat most of the mixture.
Fun messy activities aside, my boys actually love it to simply draw pictures, play cars and build their Lego on. In my head it was going to be a table kept to one side and brought out when we needed to make a mess. However it seems to now be a permanent fixture in the play-room, and as I type it is covered in action figures who like to slide down the table legs before leaping into battle, apparently. Perhaps the novelty will wear off… but I really don’t see that happening.
If I were to be really picky, I would prefer that the legs folded down rather than detached for slightly speedier storage, but perhaps this would affect the stability.
Initially I thought that the RRP of £49.99 sounded steep, but now that I have used it and felt the quality, and realise how much we really are going to get from this product, then the price is fully justifiable.
From my perspective, cleaning up is so much easier and I have a product with so much versatility. For the kids, this is their new favourite thing and has meant that their mum lets them get the messy stuff out more often. It seems to be a win-win for everyone. This activity table is an easy 5/5 stars.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £49.99
You can purchase this product from Amazon here