When to use the Montessori learning tower and how to choose it

How great is it to cook as a family and let the kids do their first experiments by getting a little messy? It is one of our favourite parts of the day. 

 We know that children don't like to be on the sidelines while the grown-ups are doing the daily chores; and on the other hand, as parents we are happy not to leave them to their own devices, perhaps glued to the TV or a screen. Much better to let them participate in our activities. 

But how to share the kitchen worktop safely? You may have realised that using an ordinary chair or stepladder is not safe. In this way, the Montessori Tower has been a solution since many years: it is a protected ladder that allows the child to climb up and down independently and, thanks to the belly and back protectors, avoids any danger of falling.

By the time our own children were almost one year old, we also were prompted to look, for our house, for a Montessori tower (also known as a learning tower). We were faced with many alternatives. However, none of them convinced us 🙂 and so that was the time to design La Taue, our Montessori tower, which, we can proudly say, has an extra edge.

Let's take a step back and start from the beginning.

• Autonomy and self-esteem: by observing the world from their learning tower, children become active players in their own lives. They feel more independent and can do many things on their own, increasing their self-confidence.
• Motor skills: climbing the tower and using it to handle kitchen utensils or other objects helps children improve coordination and balance.
• Cognitive skills: being able to participate in activities from a privileged point of view encourages them to learn through observation, achieving a better understanding of the world around them.
• Social and emotional skills: sharing experiences with siblings and parents fosters a stronger sense of belonging and enables the little ones to learn to communicate their needs, interacting with others in a positive and constructive manner.
• Sense of responsibility: Montessori towers, as Maria Montessori herself suggested, help children to choose activities, explore the environment and make autonomous decisions, developing a greater sense of responsibility.
• Curiosity and spirit of exploration: being at adult height and watching what other family members are doing allows children to experiment with new possibilities, stimulating their imagination and creativity. A tower can become a stand, a desk, an enchanted tower and a small stage where they can act out their imagination.

The choice of a Montessori tower is important because it must both ensure maximum safety for your child and guarantee practicality for you in its daily use. There are many different models on the market, and, as usual in such cases, finding your way around the choice can be really difficult.  

Here are some factors you need to take into consideration:

• Size: the learning tower must be the right height for your child. Generally, it is recommended to buy a learning tower that has a base of at least 30 cm and a foot height of 50 cm.
• Safety: the tower must be stable and be equipped with a handlebar to ensure the child's protection.
• Materials: it is important to make sure that the product has been made with durable and quality raw materials, without substances that are a health hazard. We also suggest choosing a painted product (with certified paints) to keep it looking good for a long time... because it will be used a lot, and it will go through all sort of “adventures”!
• Functionality: the Montessori tower should be easy to use and store, without unnecessary clutter: we know how important it is to manage space in the house, that's why we suggest choosing a product that is space-saving, or it’s even better if can be folded and stored.

As parents, we at 'ettomio are keen to create products designed for our children's well-being. But not only that. We also want their future to be as bright as possible. That's why for our Montessori towers, as for our other products, we only use natural, environmentally sustainable materials that are free from harmful substances. 

La Taue is really a very special learning tower. It is the only Montessori tower with a folding mechanism. It allows you to fold and store the tower easily, for maximum storage convenience. And that's not all, here are the other features that make it unique:

• Made by our trusted craftsmen using only FSC-certified birch wood.
• Finished with UNI EN-71 water-based paint, which certifies its safety for children and makes it beautiful for a long time and easy to maintain.
• Sturdy but with a stylish and modern design, so stylish that it was awarded the A' Design Award in the Kids category.
• It arrives already assembled to perfection by our “super”-carpenter who assembles and tests the towers one by one to guarantee maximum safety.
• Easy to clean, just wipe it with a cloth moistened with a mild neutral detergent.
• Adjustable in height. This means that the tower can be used both by toddlers, up to 4 years of age, and by older children. And it will also last a very long time. You might say: “Eh? but how long is it supposed to last? Children grow up at a certain age.”  Well... yes, but our tower has a folding bar: with just a flick of the wrist, it turns into a ladder with a load capacity of up to 100 kg so that it can also be used by adults if necessary. 

In short, a learning tower is an essential piece of furniture to help the little ones become more independent, participating in daily activities and quickly developing many skills that will be useful to them throughout their lives. But above all, it is something that will allow the whole family to spend quality time together, involving even the youngest children, who are always curious to experience the world around them.