If you find your toddler has turned into your shadow, and little pair of hands are trying to muscle in on meal prep, sink duties, and even brushing teeth (both yours and their own), the best toddler learning towers can help kids get involved with daily chores in a safe way.
Essentially a set of steps with a frame that helps to negate potential slips and tumbles, toddler learning towers are also known as ‘kitchen helpers’ and can aid pre-school discovery.
While you should never leave your toddler unattended with a learning tower, they do provide a far safer alternative to wobbly stools or dining chairs if you want to bring children up to counter height in the kitchen. A staple for the Montessori approach, toddler learning towers have been around for more than three decades, with the “original” learning tower created in 1992 by Carol Gamble, a Montessori teacher.
From safety to style and practicality, I’ve reviewed a wide range of toddler learning towers, to bring you my honest verdict. Keep scrolling for everything you need to know.
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The best toddler learning towers for 2026 are:
- Best overall – The Learning Tower Company original convertible learning tower: £109.97, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Dunelm Arlo kids learning tower: £47.20, Dunelm.com
- Best for easy access – Hauck learn n explore Montessori learning tower: £100, Argos.co.uk
- Best for safety – FunPod toddler tower natural: £99.95, Littlehelper.co.uk
- Best for folding – Learning Tower Co the original height adjustable folding learning tower: £159.99, Learningtowers.co.uk
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The Learning Tower Company original convertible learning tower
Best: toddler learning tower overall
Why we love it
- Seamless conversion
- Lightweight
- Easy to wipe
Take note
- One height setting
- Small seat
I love products with multiple uses but they’re not always straightforward – when you have to rebuild something to make use of different functions, it soon loses its appeal. This is where the The Learning Tower Company’s original convertible model shines, as the best toddler learning tower I tested. By unclipping two toggle catches, folding the top part of the tower, and clipping the side catches, it’s ready to go as a table – taking minimal strength and mere seconds to transform.
For my toddler tester, it handles both the tower aspect and the table-and-chair combo well. However, there’s no height adjustment, giving it a more limited shelf life as a kitchen helper, as the footplate sits high and the seat width would only suit preschool-sized kids.
That being said, the fact that you’re able to use this design for two tasks (without a screwdriver in sight) trumps any issues. It’s also wonderfully lightweight, making it easy to manoeuver around the house.
Key specifications
Buy now £109.97, Amazon.co.uk
Dunelm Arlo kids' learning tower
Best: budget toddler learning tower
Why we love it
- Budget-friendly
- Good range of colour choices
- Three height settings give it a good lifespan
Take note
- On the heavy side
With a choice of four colours to suit your home’s palate, the wooden design of the Dunelm Arlo is super sleek, with a wide curved footplate that gives plenty of room for toddlers. There’s cut-out side detailing that looks stylish while keeping curious children contained, while safety feet provide extra peace of mind.
There are three height settings, giving the design a generous lifespan, too. I didn’t find it the easiest to move around, as it felt a little cumbersome, and weighs more than some other options. But if you’re only likely to use it in one room, it’s a great bit of kit and the best budget toddler learning tower I tested.
Key specifications
Buy now £47.2, Dunelm.com
Hauck learn n explore Montessori learning tower
Best: toddler learning tower for easy access
Why we love it
- Relatively lightweight
- Smooth finish
- Wipe-clean surface
- Adjustable
Take note
- Exposed sides
Taking about 10 minutes to build, this Hauck toddler learning tower is the simplest of all those tested. Weighing less than 8kg, it’s relatively easy to move it around the kitchen – which I did a lot – and this is aided by the handles at the side.
Our two-and-a half-year-old found it a doddle to enter and exit the tower, too. There’s an adjustable footplate to step on, and three height adjustments for the platform, giving it greater longevity. The footplate feels roomy, and my toddler loved the smooth finish, while I appreciated the wipe-clean aspect. However, any child less than two years of age would need constant shadowing, as the sides are very exposed.
Key specifications
Buy now £100, Argos.co.uk
FunPod toddler tower
Best: toddler learning tower for safety
Why we love it
- Multiple uses
- Enclosed design for extra safety
- Five height settings
- Anti-tip base
Take note
- Heavy
- Child needs to be lifted into it
UK designed since 2004, the FunPod has been well-loved for more than 20 years, and it’s easy to see why. It’s exceptionally well crafted, which is made obvious by the sheer weight of the tower (15kg). This is double the weight of some other designs I tested but don’t let you put that off – as long as you’re keeping it in one room, it glides across the floor with ease and there are two curved handles to help you move it around.
While safety takes centre stage with the solid enclosed design, I often found my mini tester utilising the blackboard side panels – be it sticking his magnets or creating mini chalk masterpieces.
Depending on the design of your kitchen’s kickboards, you can pull this tower right up to the work surface, and I found it helpful that you can fully slide out the footplate, for those moments when kitchen creations get extra messy. The only frustration I have is the physical lifting required due to the enclosed design.
Key specifications
Buy now £99.95, Littlehelper.co.uk
Learning Tower Co the original height adjustable folding learning tower
Best: folding toddler learning tower
Why we love it
- Folds
- Relatively lightweight
- Choice of colours
- Wipes clean with ease
Take note
- Fiddly fold
My kitchen is bijou, so I welcomed the folding feature of this learning tower. Plus, other than attaching the stabilisers at the bottom, this product comes assembled, which is always a bonus.
For a lightweight piece of kit – it weighs less than 4.5kg – it’s really well made and feels sturdy. The favourable weight also means that moving it from the sink to the chopping station and back to the sink isn’t too much of a workout, and my toddler could do a lot of manoeuvring himself. There’s also two height settings, for extra longevity.
It comes with a safety bar, which creates the frame around the top. You fold and unfold this using the pins on either side. While the feature is smart, the process isn’t my favourite, as you have to pull each side simultaneously then flick the bar over, and it can be a bit of a stretch.
The feet also add peace of mind, helping to ensure the product doesn’t tip over, but I did find that they require a wiggle to ensure they’re in the correct position.
This learning tower wipes clean effortlessly, is easy to get in and out of, has a gorgeous Scandinavian look and stores away oh so beautifully.
Key specifications
Buy now £159.99, Learningtowers.co.uk
Tutti Bambini helping hands Montessori toddler learning tower
Best: toddler learning tower for sturdiness
Why we love it
- Great price
- Secure
- Sturdy
Take note
- Height adjustment requires reassembly
This Tutti Bambini design stands out for its longevity, as it’s suitable for children up to about six years, taking a max weight of 30kg, making it a useful option well beyond the toddler stage. That also makes it a good choice for families with siblings of different ages. Just bear in mind that you have to take the whole product apart to change the height setting.
It feels sturdy in use, with extended safety feet at the base helping to keep the tower stable. Available in three colours, it’s a simple, well-designed option that gives little ones a secure boost at the worktop.
Key specifications
Buy now £99, Boots.com
Maxi-Cosi toucan 3-in-1 learning tower
Best: multi-use toddler learning tower
Why we love it
- Multipurpose with two height settings
- Anti-slip step
- Easy to build
Take note
- Check measurements before you purchase
A clever three-in-one design, the Maxi-Cosi toucan grows from toddler tower to table and chair combo, and graduates as a step (with a little reassembling). Overall, there’s a lot to like about this tower. It’s easy to build, has two height settings, safety panels and a grooved anti-slip step. It also includes a blackboard that can be used in both tower and table mode, which my young artist enjoyed.
Switching functions is simple, as you simply rotate the tower onto its side. It looks a little clumsy, as there’s only a slight height difference between the chair and table, but it does the job.
The added step stool extends the product’s lifespan, too, while the curved, water-resistant lacquered surfaces make it surprisingly easy to wipe clean. The only true sticking point was the curved top bar, as it sits a little higher (91cm) and therefore wasn’t flush with my worktop. This meant my mini tester had to stretch a little more to reach what was in front of him.
Key specifications
Buy now £119.95, Amazon.co.uk
Cybex lemo 3-in-1
Best: toddler learning tower for style
Why we love it
- Multi-use product
- Modern design
- Anti-slip mats
Take note
- Expensive
- Limited height adjustments
A little different to other designs tested, the Cybex lemo starts life as a high chair but can be adapted with a bouncer attachment for newborns and a training tower add-on for toddles. However, once you factor in the cost of the chair and the attachments, it becomes a pricier option.
That said, the chair is designed to grow with your child from newborn through to adulthood, and I found it to be a brilliant option for moving on from a traditional highchair.
The learning tower attachment itself is super smart, clipping onto the chair in just two clicks. It creates a supportive safety ring around your child while keeping the design sleek and minimal. Plus, anti-slip silicone mats on the seat and footrest help with grip.
The footrest adjusts easily as your child grows, although the tower attachment limits some of the lower height settings for younger children. Discreet castor wheels on the rear legs make the tower easier to move, too. My only real gripe is that the extended legs stop you getting quite as close to the worktop, compared with some other models but, overall, I loved the modern design.
Key specifications
Buy now £249.95, Cybexonline.com
Your questions about toddler learning towers answered
What is the best toddler learning tower?
I love a product that truly serves more than one purpose, and the original convertible learning tower does just that; providing a safe space for children to join worktop activities, but also somewhere they can enjoy drawing, painting or eating – and it converts quick as a flash. It’s well priced, lightweight and a great all-rounder. If you’re looking for something enclosed, I must also applaud the FunPod toddler tower, which is not only sturdy but brings the fun factor with its magnetic sides. While if you’re on a budget, the Dunelm Arlo has a good lifespan with three height settings.
How I tested toddler learning towers
I employed my two-and-a-half year old as a sous chef for a month, to help me put a variety of toddler learning towers through their paces. Most of the testing took place in the kitchen, while considering the following criteria.
What age can a toddler use a learning tower?
Age ranges can differ by design. While most toddler learning towers are recommended for use from 18 months, make sure to check the age rating provided by the manufacturers of individual towers, to ensure they work with your family’s needs.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Rebecca Moore is a writer specialising in the parenting sector and she will only recommend products that she thinks you’ll love and that she would use herself. From the best cot mattresses to the best baby monitors she’s rigorously tested products in her own home, to bring you reliable insights and helpful advice.
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