Tray on legs for eating/messy play for 1-3 year olds

**KatieFS** · 03-02-2013, 08:47 AM

Hi all!!!

I've just taken on 2x 2 year olds twins and trying to find a solution to where they eat their meals and indoor 'messy' play/interest table...

I have tried lap trays, but they are quite big for them and keep sliding off their laps. Tried lap tray on floor but they find it hard to lean over tray to eat and end up with food on floor or on themselves. Ive also noticed they have a limited attention span, Partly age and partly i think at home they are allowed to wonder around the house with food. i do not allow them to do that at my setting. We're working on this.....!

Tried sitting them at my kitchen table, they are too little to sit directly on chair and haven't mastered kneeling yet. Also have the issue of them conditionally wanting to get down! I have one booster seat, so could get another but then what could I use for interest table as not practical to use this method each time they want to look at something!

At home parents feed them on floor with tray with legs. I can't find these... Only ones I've found are the posh wooden ones you might find in hotel, start about £20 each. I don't really want to spend that much as ill only have them until July and I'm unlikely to need them again or use them at home.

Any suggestions!!!!!!!?!?!? Thank you x

**vikkit** · 03-02-2013, 08:50 AM

I have my little ones both in boosters at the table to ear and I also use this for messy play too as they can't run around or get distracted.

**blue bear** · 03-02-2013, 09:00 AM

I have little plastic tables from the garden centre, so they stand for messy play and sit down on early learning centre chairs to eat, if they get up I take the food away, they soon learn to sit and eat.

**Mouse** · 03-02-2013, 10:06 AM

I have child sized tables and chairs. Ikea do some nice, reasonably priced ones. The children sit to eat ( they don't get up and wander around because I don let them). For craft, interest tables they can either sit or stand, whatever suits them.

**moggy** · 03-02-2013, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Mouse

I have child sized tables and chairs. Ikea do some nice, reasonably priced ones. The children sit to eat ( they don't get up and wander around because I don let them). For craft, interest tables they can either sit or stand, whatever suits them.

I have the little wooden Ikea table + 2 chairs (from eBay) and also a little wooden chair with a T-bar across the lap (which was the top half of a highchair that splits into table and chair) so even a little one can sit at the table with the 2yr olds.
Those trays on legs are nice but if they try to stand up with their legs still underneath the whole thing spills over.
For meals we always sit at the dining table with boosters and Stokke chairs.
Messy play they sometimes stand at the little table, or strapped into boosters at the dining table so no one runs off with filthy hands!

**lisa1968** · 03-02-2013, 03:07 PM

I've got a couple of metal trays on legs-my mums friend gave them to me-and they are handy, for drawing/threading/jigsaws/crafting etc as well as eating.And they're easy to store.
Have you tried ebay?

**KatieFS** · 03-02-2013, 03:40 PM

Thank you all! Yes I've looked on eBay couldn't see what I was looking for. Ill have a look for table and chairs. That sounds the best idea for me and the littlies I have.

**Wheelybug** · 03-02-2013, 06:36 PM

I use Ikea side tables for eating and messy play. They are only about £7 each (wood effect) so it doesn't matter if they get ruined. I used them with plastic chairs for meals and Painting activities. I generally use them without the chairs for sensory play so the children have a bit more freedom to come and go. Mine are all under 2 so I tend to put the bean bags from our book corner behind their chairs at meal times, should they decide to tip on them. They have a lovely wooden table and chairs one one of the nursery catalogues, cost about £200 though, just waiting till nearer the end of the tax year to see if I can afford it!

**jackie 7** · 03-02-2013, 08:56 PM

I replaced my bashed up ikea white table withe a bigger one but wood effect so doesn't look too bad at night. I kept the old table on the balcony for craft work. The children learn to sit still and really enjoy their table. When I have one learning to sit I put them close to me so I can grab them. I started them at 16 months. I would reccomd the ikea ones.

**happyhome** · 03-02-2013, 09:01 PM

You can buy the plastic trays on legs from Ikea for about £4

**TAZ** · 03-02-2013, 10:07 PM

We normally all sit at the dining/kitchen table using highchairs / boosters as required. However we also have a low height (ikea)table which we use with ikea & garden children's chairs, we use this both indoors & out.