Sand and Water Table Review from One Step Ahead

• Stands 17-and-a-half inches high, just the right height for kids ages one-year-old through preschool years.
• Detachable legs let kids sit and easily reach in to play with the sand or water.
• Consists of two separate play bins so you can fill one with sand, one with water and/or let two children play in their own space at the same time.
• Includes an interlocking lid so you can store the toys in the bin and use the set as a play table when it’s not filled with sand and water.
• Allows for quick clean up with drain plugs on the bottom and an easy-to-wipe-down surface.

So, if toddlers can turn any old thing into fun, why bother investing in a sand and water table anyway? A good table works both to inspire a child’s imagination and store all those playthings.

If it's going to do those things well, it also means you want a table that can stand up to the force of toddlers dropping and pushing things around. There are some lower priced models, but they may not be as sturdy. Thus, a toddler could accidently tip the table while playing and leave a mess of mud (which might still be fun for him, but maybe not so much for mom). Other models don’t necessarily offer an easy storage option like the One Step Ahead version either. I found this model very easy to drain and wipe down. After it was cleaned up, we occasionally left the table in the living room with the lid on so the kids could use it as a play space. Other times, we removed the legs and stored it easily in a closet.

The removable legs were a big plus in my family. In fact, we often used the table without the legs so the kids could get comfortable; they would then play for over an hour. They end of the game was usually when one or both would climb into the play bins. As a three-year-old, my long-legged daughter could still fold herself into one side. Although most of the water would spill out when she did so, it was giggley fun for her.

Eventually, we used the table just for water and the kids got a Step 2 Covered Sandbox (compare prices) for sand play.