My boy has been a Velcro baby since the day he was born. Well he’s still like Velcro to me, but now he’s a toddler and if I’m lucky, I can get some moments here and there. As long as he’s not teething or going through a developmental leap.

So I’m always trying out things that can give me at least a few moments freedom, as well as allowing him to learn some independence.

One of my biggest issues was cooking. I love to cook and bake, but with my son’s clinginess, I’d often have to resort to oven meals or have my husband cook. But I loved to cook and was eager to find a way to do it.

I tried having him in a ring sling while I Cooke, but he was constantly reaching out and demanding to grab things. Then cue the meltdown when he couldn’t touch the stove or hold the knife. That and my toddler is around 99% in percentile for his height, meaning he’s getting heavy and my back was suffering.

I then tried to get him to play with toys on the floor, but soon enough he’d grow bored and be pulling at my legs to pick him up.

I noticed sometimes he’d be reaching up to the counter and trying to look at what I was doing. He always tries to help me with chores and I wondered if part of the issue was he was getting fomo.

I tried putting a dining table chair in the corner of the L-Shaped counters. I’d cover the floor around the other exposed two sides of the chair with cushions, just in case. But the trouble with the set up was I’d have to constantly stand beside him, especially in the early days as he had a tendency to let a foot slip off the edge and I’d have to catch him before he fell. There was no way I could concentrate on cooking and as he was right by me, he was within reaching distance of the stove and knives.

He did love being able to see what Mummy was doing and trying to help, but frustratingly it was proving unsafe.

My next thought was a stool. However, although my boy was tall for his age, the step stool was too short for him to be able to see over the counter. Plus the smaller surface area made him more likely to fall off than the chair.

I hadn’t ever heard of toddler towers, which was surprising since I was around my sister’s house every week and watching my three nephews and nieces grow up, and never did I see one. It was actually a Reddit post that told me about them; it was a post I stumbled upon about products parents have found useful for their toddlers.

I went onto Amazon and I knew once I saw this toddler tower (please be aware this link is an affiliate link, so if you buy it via this link, I will get a commission), it was exactly what I needed. It was basically a chair but with added safety. I was a bit skeptical since on a wide chair, he still managed to step off and there was the gap on the toddler tower where they get in. But there were thousands of good reviews and I didn’t see anyone complaining about this.

I was also impressed that it said it can be used up to three years, then you can remove the top to use it for 3+, meaning I’d get some good use out of it. And also that I could choose a range of colours including wooden, which I opted for, instead of some of the less glamorous white plastic ones I’d seen from other brands.

So I bought it and we put it together relatively quickly; well my husband put it together and I handed over the correct part when requested.

I was impressed with how solid it was. The wood was strong and not at all flimsy like some furniture you buy. We gave it a little wiggle on the ground and it didn’t feel like it would easily overbalance.

My son was just over 14 months at the time, so he couldn’t climb into the tower yet and I’d have to plonk him in. But when I did, he was content to play with whatever I put in front of him. I’d give him things that were similar to what I was doing, like a bowl and a spoon and some fake foods (you can get play sets like this set or this, both of which are affiliate links so I will get a commission if you purchase it via this link).

And the whole time he’d be playing, he didn’t once fall out. He even gave it a wiggle a few times and although I nearly had a heart attack, it barely moved. I felt so confident with it, I could move him slightly along the counter from me, so he couldn’t touch anything dangerous while I cooked.

Eventually he did learn to climb in and out of it, which took a bit of getting used to as he liked to go out forward first and he’d had to learn to duck under the bar to get out. But now at 2 and a half years old, he gets in and out no problem.

But if you are nervous about slips, which I was when he was learning to climb in and out, you can add some grip strips like I did. Here (please be aware this link is an affiliate link, so if you buy it via this link, I will get a commission) is what I used. You just cut it with some scissors and stick it down.

He regularly uses it to help me cook or play with toys in the sink. He’s even started moving it to the fridge, but luckily he can’t open it yet and cause any surprise messes for me.

But I think it’s really helps boost him confidence, as he feels like he can help and be a grown up like Mummy. While it’s also helped him gain a little independence and show him he can play by himself, even if it’s only briefly some days. And, of course, it’s helped my sanity being able to have some freedom and cook.

It’s also proven it’s robust, as we’ve used multiple times a day for well over a year and it still looks good. Its wooden design made it look nice and blended in nicely by our wood table, although I did end up varnishing it to match the table (so if you wanted to change the colour, that’s an option).

It’s also worth noting you can buy folding versions, which I had considered, but the wood on them ones looked rather flimsy and I didn’t trust them.

So in conclusion, I would say I’m impressed with the toddler tower (please be aware this link is an affiliate link, so if you buy it via this link, I will get a commission) and definitely don’t regret buying it. It’s strong, sturdy and has given both my son and me a good bit of independence.