Mom & Toddler Review The Little Partners Learning Tower (Pros & Cons Of This Solid Wood Learning Tower)

My son is now 18 months old, and he always wants to be in the thick of whatever I am doing.

As a stay-at-home mom, the housework and meals are endless — so it’s fair to say I spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

My son is always right there at my feet too — emptying the kitchen cupboards of all the pots, pans, and other items that I forgot I had!

He also likes to stand, reach up to the counter, and try to figure out what I’m doing while grasping at anything his little monkey hands can reach.

I knew it was time get him closer to the action at the kitchen counters — but I didn’t feel comfortable using just a chair for him to stand on.

I recently came across a used Little Partners learning tower for sale.

I didn’t even know something like this existed!

Even without having any prior knowledge of such an item, I knew it would be the perfect solution to get my toddler up to the kitchen counter.

So I contacted the seller, purchased the tower, and brought it home. After giving it a thorough clean, I let my son have a look and investigate.

My Son Loves This Learning Tower!

He was instantly drawn to the new perch in the kitchen and was immediately trying figure out how to crawl up in it.

After he and I inspected and approved the cleverly designed tower, I enjoyed watching his face light up with excitement — because he could finally touch the counter surface fully!

I am so grateful to have come across this tower because it provides a secure platform which raises my son to our counter.

I really wanted him using his legs more too while at the kitchen counter — because he’s still not fully walking.

This learning tower gives me a great alternative to have him at the counter using his legs instead of just seated in his Keekaroo.

And since he needs to climb in it, he is less likely to fall out of it. But, of course, adult supervision is always recommended.

PROs: The Features I Like Best

Personally, I’m always looking for tools to keep up with my developing toddler.

The Little Partners Learning Tower could not have come at a better time to nurture my son’s desire to be fiercely independent and also participate alongside whatever his Mama is doing in the kitchen.

I even managed to clean and organize some neglected cupboards and drawers the other day. And I decided to consolidate some of the random plastic kitchen utensils into one drawer — which he can access from the tower.

He really enjoyed playing with all of the grown-up kitchen tools! Yes, I will obviously have to wash everything from this particular drawer prior to use, but I feel it’s worth it — especially since it keeps an energetic toddler entertained.

Here are some of the specific features that I love:

My son will play in the tower for hours while I’m busy in the kitchen. Yes, you read it right… hours! I don’t know if it’s the novelty of having a new climbing tower or what, but he seems to really enjoy playing at the counter now.

The Little Partners learning tower is built to last — because it’s made of solid wood (“the highest quality layers of birch and poplar”).

The tower is completely stable and provides safety with the 4-sided railings. The railings provide support for my toddler as he climbs in and also prevent him from falling out while inside the tower.

This learning tower is so versatile, due to its awesome design. For one, it’s super easy to adjust the platform height for a custom fit for my son and our counter height. Plus, the platform is nice and wide — so he can move around without slipping off.

The tower immediately fulfilled our specific needs — and since it can be adjusted to 4 different heights, it will continue to grow with my son from 18 months up to 6 years. (It’s been tested to support up to 500 lbs!)

The Little Partners tower comes in a variety of colors. We got the dark cherry one — it matches our dark kitchen cabinets and furniture. But no matter the finish, the Little Partners learning tower has a durable, non-toxic, and lead-free finish.

The tower fits flush against any countertop.

It wipes clean easily with a damp cloth.

The Little Partners learning tower has some nice add-on accessories. We might add a couple of the playhouse kits later — to help him explore his imagination. These are my favorites:

• Popcorn stand and puppet show kit — this one-piece slipcover turns the learning tower into a playhouse with a popcorn stand on one side and puppet show on the other side.
• Learn and Share Easel — the easel has an oversized chalkboard surface, a slide-out board for more workspace, a magnetic whiteboard, a felt activity board, a magnetic paper holder, 2 no-spill paint cups, an eraser, and a mesh basket.
• Lemonade and ice cream stand kit — this one-piece slipcover features an ice cream shop on one side and a lemonade stand on the other side.

The tower slides along our hardwood floors relatively easily, after I added some felt pads to the base to keep it from scratching the floor. The extra mobility allows me to position the learning tower wherever I feel is most convenient, while providing an engaging way to have my son join me in the kitchen.

The Little Partners learning tower also makes it easier for me to get him near the sink to wash his own hands.

Cons: The Features I’m Not So Crazy About

It’s pretty hard to find anything I dislike about the Little Partners learning tower — but if I had to find something, it would be these couple things:

• The tower, because it’s solid and sturdy, does not come apart or fold up for storage. It’s a pretty good size — making it a noticeable piece of furniture in the kitchen. In theory, the size of the tower could make it incompatible in a small kitchen. Fortunately, we have a good size kitchen, so we have plenty of room for such a useful tool.
• The lady who I bought it from advised me to be mindful of the base — because she had stubbed her toe (on more than one occasion) on the protruding base stands. However, I’m not really sure they could improve the design any better — since those protrusions are more than likely necessary to keep the learning tower stable.
• The price could be considered a downside — because it’s expensive when purchased new. But if you can find a used one that’s in good shape, you can’t beat the stability and quality of this learning tower for toddlers.

The Bottom Line…

I can only imagine my toddler thinks his world is a curious place full of wonder and new experiences.

Because I’m a new mom, I sometimes forget how “BIG” this world probably seems to my son. He will learn almost everything he knows by watching his Dada and I — day after day. I can see his fiery independence emerging, and he already wants to do most things on his own without any help.

I think Little Partners learning tower is a great tool and it was a smart addition for us — because it allows my little guy to feel like an active member of our family.

Here is my video showing some of the features and how much my son likes this learning tower:

Let me know what you think of the Little Partners tower — if you’ve tried it!

Here’s my review of the Step 2 Push Car, a toddler ride-on toy car that can be used as a stroller.