Train table vs craft table

[williams44]

I only have space for one for my 2 little girls (age 2 and 5 weeks old). Which one do you think would be more useful? I would like it to last for a while as they grow.

By craft table, I mean something like the PBK Carolina table and chairs. http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/carolina-craft-table/?pkey=rromplyart

By train table, I mean something like the PBK activity table and carts: http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/activity-table-and-carts/?pkey=dplay-table-chairs or the Land of Nod low activity table: http://www.landofnod.com/kids-play-tables/kids-furniture/white-low-activity-table/f666

And any specific brands or models that you recommend?

Thanks!

[abh5e8]

craft - we had a train table from costco that fell apart...but even worse, mine dont' like to build trains on the table...they much prefer the floor. the table was too small and the trains were always falling off.

i love PBK but that land of nod with the adjustable legs is awesome! i would start with the short legs, and then get the longer legs for when they are preschool age and want to sit and play (or work).

[lhafer]

We have a Nilo activity table (http://www.nilotoys.com/at.htm)and love it. There are 2 different sizes. We have the larger one (N51).

One measures 50.5"L x 34.5"W x 20"H and the play surface is 48.25"L x 32"W

The other one is half the size if space is an issue: measures 34"L x 26"W x 20"H and the play surface is 32"L x 24"W.

It's made of hardwood, and very very durable. Nilo has leg extenders so the table can be raised up as your kids grow.

My kids also have a table and chair set. They use the table/chair set to eat at and color. The Nilo table was moved to the play room and they do dolls, legos, make believe with dinosaurs, play with cars, etc on it (they are both girls). When the Nilo table was in the living room, they ate on it. It was nice because it has a lip around the edge, so anything that spilled was contained. We also have the Nilo Theasle, which is a puppet theater/felt board/paper roller all in one.

I got the stools from Nilo recently as well - and they are very sturdy. Love them. And I got a smaller Ikea toy chest (that looks exactly like the Nilo one) to hold trains, cars, etc. It fits under the table easily.

[Simon]

I would say the craft table, hands down, but we don't actually have one ourselves. We do use them all.the.time at our friend's home.

We do have a train/activity table. It is good quality, we've owned it for nearly 4 years and I bet it has been used less than 10 hours total, whether for trains, for the marble run, or blocks, etc. Disclaimer: Ds1 was not big into trains or building things and when he did, he prefered the floor.

I think the biggest down side of the train/activity tables are the lip around the edge which is really uncomfortable for little arms to lean on.

We have Stokke chairs so the boys just use our regular dining table for art, playdought, etc and that has been OK. I still will be getting a craft table next and ditching the train table unless Ds2 shows big love for it soon.

[lele]

I ordered one of those train type tables and it was HUGE! And we have big rooms. It went back right away. I think the craft table would be better. I have just a small kids table with 2 chairs from Ikea. We use it for crafts and for eating. It lives in our kitchen.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

wow that Nilo one looks really nice, thanks for posting lhafer!!

i love PBK, but i wouldn't get the PBK one you linked to...i read the reviews and it seems like it really chips/scratches easily...thats not acceptable IMO for a $400 piece of furniture!!

i like the Nilo one because later they can use it for other stuff (legos, crafts) and you can put chairs up to it so kids can sit at it, and either eat at it, or color or do crafts, kinda like a desk. we currently have an imagniarium train table (from CL) that is kinda low and has drawers underneath, and while it's nice, the height and drawers underneath prohibit it from being used as another type of table of any sort later (kid can't pull up a chair to it)

[pakin]

We have that PBK Carolina Craft table and 2 chairs for 6 years and still going strong. They do have lots of scratches on them but that didn't bother me at all. We've never had a train table. Our DC stopped playing with wooden trains long time ago.

Pakin

DS 4/2001
DD 6/2005

[reneed]

I have the land of nod one and the nilo and I like the nilo one hands down. It is made so much better. The table from land of nod is scratched, chipping and falling apart. The quality of the LON table is awful considering the price

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i just saw the LON one at the link. it does look really nice, but note it probably wouldn't be very good for playing with trains, bc there is no lip on the outer edge, so trains, cars etc would just roll off the edge.

come to think of it, the lack of a raised lip may be a downside as a craft table too, bc things like crayons, markers could easily roll off. this may not be a big deal to some, but for me this kind of thing is already annoying (i hate dealing with crayons at a regular table, like at a restaurant, bc they are constantly rolling off the edge).

[liamsmom]

OP, I covet those PBK and LON tables too. I found this (http://www.hayneedle.com/sale/classicplaytimeespressodeluxeactivitytablewithfree paperroll.cfm?source=tellapart) at Hayneedle for a bit less money and it includes the different-sized legs and paper roll! Chairs and the storage bins are extra. It doesn't have much of a lip, but there are grooves at the ends of the table to catch rolling crayons.