Water Table Recs?

[August Mom]

MIL/FIL want to get DD a water table for her 1st b-day. DS has a sand/water table so this would be a water-only table. I was planning to recommend the Step 2 table. Is that the one everyone likes? I was at TRU the other day and notcied that LT now has one. Are there others? Which one should I tell them to get?

Step 2 table: http://www.step2.com/product.cfm?product_id=1338

Little Tikes table: http://www.littletikes.com/toys/island-adventure-water-table.aspx?Ne=1&N=26+120

TIA

Also, what do you use to cover the table?

[MommyAllison]

We have the Step 2 table you linked to - got it last May - and we've been really happy with it. I think that is probably the one you were thinking of - I saw lots of recs for it on this board last year (which is how we decided on it). It is sturdy enough that DD can sit in it without it tipping or feeling unstable. There isn't a drain, you have to tip it upside down to empty it, but that doesn't really bother me at all...honestly, by the time DD is done playing, there is very little water left in the table anyway! :) It's much easier to empty than the baby pool. Oh, speaking of which, after dumping the water out at the end of the day, I put all the toys back into the table, then turn the pool upside down over the top of the table. The upside down baby pool has worked well to keep the table clean, and it still has enough air circulation that everything is dry when we open it up the next day. HTH

[jenmcadams]

We have this one:

http://www.step2.com/product.cfm?product_id=1304

We've had it for almost 5 years now and it still gets played with by my almost 6 year old and almost 3 year old. We rarely put sand in it, but have in the past. Mostly we do just water. I love the cover and the umbrella was great too (we lost it in a move somewhere). I know this one is more expensive, but I think it would last you longer, has more places for kids to play and is just overall a better deal. Ours has been moved three times and is still in great shape. Might be too similar to what she already has if you already have a sand/water table.

[August Mom]

We have this one:

http://www.step2.com/product.cfm?product_id=1304

We've had it for almost 5 years now and it still gets played with by my almost 6 year old and almost 3 year old. We rarely put sand in it, but have in the past. Mostly we do just water. I love the cover and the umbrella was great too (we lost it in a move somewhere). I know this one is more expensive, but I think it would last you longer, has more places for kids to play and is just overall a better deal. Ours has been moved three times and is still in great shape. Might be too similar to what she already has if you already have a sand/water table.

That's the one we have! :) I was hoping that DS could do the sand/water thing at that table while DD played with just water at a new table. Maybe that's wishful thinking, though...

[o_mom]

We have the waterwheel table and it has been great. TRU had it on sale for $19.99 when we got it two years ago.