Lego Play Centers and Tables for Kids

LEGO Education Three Seat Playtable

Lego Play Tables for Kids are Great Gifts!

LEGO play tables and centers are fairly common now, but the first time I ever saw a Lego play table was in my doctor's waiting room many years ago. He had a small square table with a mesh pocket full of Lego blocks that my son loved playing with.

After that, I never had trouble with my son when it was time to go to the doctor, as long as he got to play with the table and LEGOs. He loved the table, which gave him a place to build the cars, trucks, and buildings in his imagination.

I never had the money to purchase one of those tables for him, and would not have known where to find one, if I did have. Fortunately, the price is more reasonable, now.

These days, almost anything anyone could want is available through the Internet. That makes shopping easier, too. Now you don't have to get in the car and drive an hour or more to the area toy store:

You can buy unusual toys such as Lego tables for kids online. There are several styles, such as the LEGO Education Three Seat Playtable pictured above, and there are Lego compatible tables for children made by other companies, too!

Warning: Supervise Young Children!

LEGOs should only be used

with supervision around young children!

 

These play tables are great for homeschool families for learning activities. The one at the right has a huge bin in the middle in which to store the building blocks, with a cover that provides a smooth surface for card games or coloring book pages.

Tot Tutors Round Plastic
Construction Table and Chairs

The bright primary colors of most of the tables available through this lens fit well with almost any kid's or family room. Most have two to four chairs, giving room for more than one child to play at a time.

It should be pointed out, though, that those with round seats are easier for children to fall out of, so you would need to instruct children to sit appropriately.

If it became a problem, you could do what some schools do in computer labs for small children--remove the chairs and let them stand up.

LEGO Train Sets-Kids Love LEGOs

LEGO Make & Create Holiday Train

 

Kids Love LEGO Train Sets

Legos were not around when I was a child, so I don't have any personal childhood memories of Legos. However, my son (who now has a son of his own) was an enthusiastic Lego collector and builder. Unfortunately, when my son was small, I don't think there were any LEGO train sets available.

Even so, birthdays and holidays almost invariably resulted in new Lego sets to play with. I spent hours playing with him, helping him build the sets by the instructions until he got beyond needing that help.

We built the sets, then disassembled them and let our imaginations run wild with space ships, moon colonies, airplanes, cars, buildings--anything we could think of, we tried to build with Legos.

So, even though I do not have memories of Legos from my childhood, I have many wonderful memories from my son's childhood.

Now, my grandson loves Legos. I love to watch his imagination to soar, so that I can see what wonderful things he will build.

I think this year, holidays and birthdays will begin a long and lasting relationship with one of the world's most educational toys.

The The Lone Ranger Constitution Train Chase may be in his future. It looks like fun, and if he needs help with it, I am sure his dad will be happy to play with Legos again!

It is possible that I will be able to keep his dad away long enough to help my grandson build it, but I will probably be watching while they build it. Future memories for three generations. I can't wait!

Photo: Gracey

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SAFETY INFORMATION!

WARNING: LEGOs trains may contain (a) small magnet(s). Swallowed magnets can stick together across intestines causing serious infections and death. Seek medical attention if magnet(s) are swallowed or inhaled. Lego kits contain small parts.

Not suitable for children under 3 years.

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LEGO Holiday Train and Christmas Village

The LEGO Holiday Train Set

The LEGO Make & Create Holiday Train Set measures over 45" long and includes a locomotive, tender, passenger car with removable roof, 7 minifigures (including 2 engineers, 1 railroad worker and 4 passengers), and loads of special elements for a total of 965 pieces. When motorized with a Lego Speed Regulator 4548 and a Lego My Own Train 10153 9V Train Motor, this train becomes a memorable part of future holidays--a family tradition. The speed regulator and tracks are sold separately.

LEGO Train Sets

Lego consistently provides hours of fun and adventure with their building sets. The LEGO train sets, like this LEGO Creator Emerald Night Train (10194), are not only fun to build, but can be motorized to run on a track.

According to one reviewer, the engine Emerald Night most closely approximates is a British Pacific Class A3. Whether you are into model trains or just enjoy Legos, these kits are just plain fun.

These kits do come with tiny pieces that are not recommended for children under three due to choking hazards. That said, these trains are a wonderful addition to a train table, a bedroom shelf, or even setting on an office desk. Just make sure you aren't playing with it when the boss walks by!

Lego has a wide assortment of train kits, from the Emerald Night Train (10194), to the Harry Potter Hogwart's Express (4841) set, to the Monster Fighters The Ghost Train (9467) set. There is a set for almost anyone to enjoy!

Trains are more fun when

they run around a track!

 

LEGO Trains in the Garden

 

 

 

Do your kids like LEGOS as much as my son did?

Kids Bed Tents and Play Tents for Boys and Girls

Pacific Play Tents
Tree House Bed Tent

Bed Tents Make Sleeping Fun

Kids bed tents for boys and girls are fun bed toppers that kids will love to play in and sleep in, too. They provide a cozy nest to hide away in, and give some children a feeling of comfort. Play tents can provide hours of fun, imaginative play.

I had trouble getting my son into bed sometimes when he was little. It was too much fun to keep playing. However, when we purchased him a bed top tent, bedtime became fun time, too. He would zip himself up inside the tent and feel snug and safe, though on occasion, he would get fingers pinched or clothing caught in the zipper.

That's not an issue with the tree house bed tent pictured above, because there are no zippers, only Velcro closures. It works well for boys or girls, and lets kids 'sleep' in the trees every night. It features a removable poly-cotton washable twin sheet, Velcro tabs to secure the tent to the included bed sheet, mesh windows, and a curtain door.

The tent is constructed of 70 denier, 190T polyester taffeta and has a PU coating. To clean the tent, just use a damp cloth with mild soap. It fits all standard size twin beds. And it is so easy to put together, kids can do it.

How to Set Up a Bed Tent

 

 

Camping in a Bed Tent!

Electric LightCamping Play Set

For a bit of added fun, give your children an electric camping lantern or a flashlight, so that they can play like they are camping in the woods. A playtime sleeping bag would be a hit, too.

Some parents report that having a bed tenthelps kids transition to their own beds more easily. Others report that in the summer, it can get a little hot inside. A stand fan blowing into the roll-up window would help with that.

These cute tents are a far cry from those we had when I was a kid. We had to make our own using sheets, twine, and clothes pins. It was fun, but I think this one would be even more fun.

It is so important to give kids a feeling of safety and the fun aspect doesn't hurt a bit.

Both boys and girls enjoy having a tent for their beds.

Popular Bed Tents

 

Our Daughter's Bed Tent

Our daughter had a bed play tent, too. Hers had Disney Princesses on the tent fabric. Instead of having adventures in her tent, though, she took her books, dolls, and a flashlight inside it and read to her dolls. She enjoyed spending hours reading the 'bed-time' stories to her dolls.

The tent was also her go-to place when having a little brother became more bother than she wanted to deal with.

Bed Tents

made of sheets are fun to put up,

but not so fun to take back down.

 

Photo: ikatbag

Earlier Versions of Kid's Tents

Bed tents can be built using sheets, twine, and clothespins, if you don't have a store-bought bed tent. When my siblings and I were children, we often used chairs and bed frames as the 'bones' of our tents. Sometimes, we would make entire room tents.

We would tie corners of sheets to various stationary objects around the room, then find something that stood tall to be the center tent post. The hall hat rack or a broom propped between two chairs worked great.

It was always lots of fun to build them and play in them. It wasn't as much fun to take them back down when the chairs were needed for a meal or Mom needed the broom to sweep the floor.

When my children were small, before we purchased their bed tents. we would occasionally drape a sheet over a card table for them to have a small tent to play in.

My daughter would play house in the tent. My son would play fort in the tent. Or they would make play money and have a store. They both enjoyed it!

Photo: Menchie
 

 

How to Make Play Tents for Kids

If you prefer not to have a bed tent for your children, you can easily make a card table tent. All you need is some fabric, a sewing machine, and a little inspiration. Check out these blog articles:

• Card Table Playhouses
• Card Table Playhouse
• Play Tents for Dramatic Play

Play tents can also be created using hoola-hoops, pvc pipe, and long dowels as the 'bones':

• Classic TeePee
• Hoola-Hoop Tent
• PVC Frame Playhouse Tent

Did you build play tents when you were little?

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