Infant Picnic Table or Table and Chairs?

I am wanting to get either a picnic table or table and chair set for my little one's birthday or Christmas. I'm just wondering which you prefer and why? I think the picnic table might be easier as far as them pulling up and not flipping it over, but think the chairs might be easier for them to get in and out of. Thanks for your help!

 

We tried tables and chairs this week end and I ended up putting them away for a couple more months, as all they were doing was climbing on them and using the chairs as a stool to reach things out of their range (especially after putting the chairs on the table). They're 19 months. I think a picnic table is a safer bet if you have the room for it!

 

We have both. I just got a picnic table a few weeks ago and the problem I'm having is when they sit on it, they will take their legs and push against the floor and it will go across the room with them still on it. They also try to climb on it.

Not very good during mealtime. They are now back to eating in their booster chairs at the dining room table.

The table and chairs are hit & miss. Some days they will sit at the table and play, other days they want to climb on it and flip over the chairs.

 

I got both a table and chairs and a picnic table for my boys last christmas when they were about the same age as your LOs. The table and chairs was a complete bust for us, they just wanted to flip it over and never sat at it. The picnic table held a little more interest but only because they liked to get under it and use it like a fort. When they started pushing it around the room and climbing on it to get to stuff that was out of reach, we removed it and it hasn't come back. I know some people have great success with them and love them but for us, we are going to wait until they are more interested in sitting at it than playing with it - that might be next year some time. I think this is one of those things that depends on the personality of your kids.

 

I agree with waiting! I think it would be more appropriate at 2.

 

I know mine are just getting better with sitting at picnic tables, we had decided to hold off until 2. I think it really depends on the children, mine were definitely not ready for it!

 

Mine do great with the table and chairs. We use them for coloring and for snack time. They get up and down quite a bit, but like to have their table. We got it for them when they were around 15 months. They sit at a table and eat at daycare and we were hoping it would help with the not wanting to eat dinner phase (it didn't).

I do have one of the fold up picnic tables, but it's in the garage. Logan couldn't sit at it without falling out of it backwards. I'm sure he would be fine now, but after two head bumps (wall and floor) in half an hour I put it up.

 

We have a picnic table that we use for the twins to eat at. They do really well. It got to the point when they were in their highchairs that they would just throw all their food on the floor. Using the table has helped a lot. Food still falls to the floor, but because they miss their mouth. There are times they stand on it, but not often. We have been using the picnic table since August and it has been just awesome. They now like to sit and color there too. Good luck with your decision!!

 

We have had both and we've definitely had better luck with the picnic table.