height of table for kids

[jared herbert]

A neighbor has asked me to make a table for his kids. It will be a Lego table, there will be lego pads attached to the table top, so they can build lego creations. Anyway the kids are 4 and 5 years old, so I want the table to be the right height so they can use it now and into the future probably 3 to 4 more years. I am thinking that the table top should be 18 inches high then they can stand by it and work on it. They are active, I don't think chairs are in the picture. Any input on the height? Any guidance would be a help. Thanks Jared

[John K Jordan]

A neighbor has asked me to make a table for his kids. It will be a Lego table, there will be lego pads attached to the table top, so they can build lego creations. Anyway the kids are 4 and 5 years old, so I want the table to be the right height so they can use it now and into the future probably 3 to 4 more years. I am thinking that the table top should be 18 inches high then they can stand by it and work on it. They are active, I don't think chairs are in the picture. Any input on the height? Any guidance would be a help. Thanks Jared


Jared, I don't have the measurements with me but I can tell you kids love to stand at tables for activities. I've had a kindergarten SS class for the past 24 years and I almost always put things on tables like that. 5-6 year olds will sit but most usually prefer to move around. I'd make the table at standing height then find or make a couple of chairs to use as desired. Often young kids need help with legos so a chair an adult can use would also be good.

I could measure the tables in my classroom but not in the next few days. I'm wondering if 18" is too short. Any chance of adjustable height legs? That might extend the use as they get older. (All of our classroom tables have adjustable legs since identical tables are used in other classrooms for older kids.)

My grandsons and I play with legos a lot. When you say "lego pads" do you mean the lego bases you can attach blocks to? If so, I personally would not want a table with lego bases built in, if that means the bases used for buildings and things. They would be too confining and limiting. When we build architectural things we are constantly moving and rotating the base to work on the sides and back. When assembling a kit, a base, if needed, comes with it, and it needs to be movable as well.

If building a vehicle with wheels, a boat or plane, or a creature, a fixed base would just get in the way of playing.

Also, a masterpiece needs to be built on its own base so it can be moved and displayed for a while in a place of honor!

We keep a shallow container of just bases of different sizes and colors and pull out different ones for different things. (This is just one container of dozens on the lego shelves, all sorted, everything imaginable - yes, we may be obsessed. BTW, this sort of creative play is probably a contributing reason our middle son is a successful architect now! You can guess I highly encourage lego play, especially "free" play, beyond the kit.)

If your neighbor wants bases attached to the table top maybe you could make a frame with a reversible table, smooth on one side. Or build shelves below the table to keep a variety of bases at hand.

A smooth top table could also serve multiple purposes, such as for crafts, coloring, even a kids dining table when all the relatives are there for the holidays!



JKJ

[jared herbert]

Hello John: I guess we were all reading each others mind. I intend to make the table top so that it can be flipped over, the other side will be just a smooth surface. The Dad requested that the there be Lego pads affixed to one side, yes the pads that the blocks lock on to. I just had an inspiration, I think I will go into the local grade school when they have their early holiday dismissal today and measure the tables they have there. The adjustable legs are a good idea, I think I will just make them fixed length and then if need be I can make an extension in a year or two. thanks Jared

[Steve Eure]

John, I recently made a lego table for my grandkids. I wanted the height to be 24" and the table to be movable for them. I made the legs 20 1/4"s, the top was made of 3/4 baltic birch ply, and mounted 3" casters on each leg, for a 24" total. Worked great for them and seems to be a perfect height for the two.

[Mason Truelove]

ours we used to have 24-26" for the kids.

[Steve Kohn]

I built a children's table and chairs for my grandchildren. There are 6 grandkids between 3 and 7. The table is 24 inches high, and the chair seats are 13 inches. It seems to work for all the kids.