When your baby starts learning to stand and is becoming increasingly excited about the world around them, you might want to consider buying an activity table for them.
Activity tables encourage a baby to stand for longer periods of time through play and gives them that independence to learn and develop. For toddlers, infant activity tables or toddler tables are a great way to improve on their motor skills by doing things like figuring out puzzles.
Similar to kids sand tables, the best activity tables for babies and toddlers will be interactive and have lots of toys, knobs, and buttons for your little one to explore. These types of play tables are a lot of fun and come in all different sizes. Features will vary from table to table, with most having moveable parts, but some also having light and sound activities.
Best baby activity tables
Activity tables are a great item for keeping little ones entertained, with it being a bonus that they're also considered educational toys and supportive in practicing standing or taking their first steps.
There are lots of baby activity tables available to buy, but which ones are the best? We've considered all options, thinking about the best for small nursery spaces and the best value for money.
The best baby activity tables 2024
Best overall activity table
Image: Mother&Babywww.stokke.com
This incredibly versatile infant play table is packed with endless possibilities. The Stokke® MuTable™ Play Table offers activities for each stage of development.
Crafted from sturdy wood with softly curved edges, the table is designed to grow with your child, making it a worthwhile investment.
It comes with three engaging, double-sided activity boards and inspires hours of both independent and social play.
Our parent testers gave positive feedback for its multifunctionality, smart design, comfort, and solid construction, though we were a little disappointed in the additional cost of the table storage bag.
While this activity table stands out as the most visually appealing option on our list, it does come with a slightly more luxurious price tag to match. Nevertheless, considering its usability until your child is eight years old, we view it as a worthwhile investment in the long run.
You can read our full review of Stoke Mu Table here.
Pros
- Suitable for ages up to eight years
- Includes three double-sided activity boards
- It's aesthetically pleasing to have in your home
Cons
- Accessories need to be bought separately
| Dimensions: | 82 cm x 49 cm x 87 cm |
| Weight: | 10.8 kg |
| Suitable from: | 18 months |
| Materials: | MDF, solid beechwood, plywood, ABS, PS, TPU, Manganese Steel |
- Suitable for kids from 18 months to 8 years
- Colorful, tactile play and activity boards for developing fine motor skill
- Inspires hours of both independent and social play
- Includes 3 double-sided boards for hours of activities: wooden cover & blackboard, landscape board, bricks board
- Safe with softly curved edges and sturdy wooden legs
- Leg extensions included
- Easy tool-free assembly
- Made with high quality, natural wood
- 3-year warranty
Best neutral activity table
Image: MOTHER&BABYwww.very.co.uk
The Smoby Little Activity Table is designed to help develop children's fine motor skills, balance and more. Our parent tester, Charlotte, found that it kept her son focused, and he loved exploring the different elements.
While some baby activity tables can be garish, this one is great. It has soft colours and a gender-neutral design that focuses on interactive elements rather than clashing with everything else in your home.
Our tester mentioned that it was a bit tricky to build, but she found her little one loved it and couldn't fault the product once it was built
Pros
- It's a gender-neutral design
- It can help develop children's fine motor and balance skills
- There's lots of interactive elements that keep little ones engaged
Cons
- Our tester found it tricky to assemble
| Suitable for: | 12+ months |
| Dimensions: | 47 x 47 x 53cm |
| Material: | Plastic |
Best interactive baby activity table
Vtech/AmazonWith more than 600 ratings on Amazon and an average of 4.7 stars out of 5, the Vtech Play And Learn Activity Table comes highly recommended by real mums, who have described the table as "brilliant."
With phrases, numbers, colours, animals, and music, there are all sorts of developmental opportunities for your baby while they learn to stand and balance holding on to the table. Our parenting tester was impressed by how long it kept their little one occupied.
There’s also a mobile phone so your little one can role-play while you’re on the phone, too.
And whilst admittedly it isn't the most appealing design for parents, kids seem to love it.
Pros
- Legs can be removed to use the tray on the floor
- Great for numerical and communication development
- It can help with motor skills
Cons
- It's quite light, so it's important to supervise your little one to ensure they don't pull it over
| Dimensions: | 13.5 x 49 x 41 cm |
| Batteries: | 2x AA batteries required |
- Phone with ten numbers buttons encourages role-play
- Four piano keys introduce musical notes and colours
- Five sing-along songs and eight fun melodies
- Removable legs allow for easy storage and sit-down play
- Suitable from six months to three years
Best engaging activity table
AmazonEncourage your baby’s development, creativity and imagination with this brilliant activity table featuring cogs, gears, 65 melodies, and removable legs for extra home flexibility.
The Baby Einstein Curiosity Table brings out the little scientists in your baby and grows with them.
Whether your baby is sitting or standing, they can play with this activity table, and we liked that even beyond the toddler years, they can enjoy the dry-erase whiteboard.
This is another activity that is good for larger families as there are removable aspects and plenty for little hands to investigate.
Pros
- Easy to store away with the removable legs
- It has multiple ways to play
- It can be used as a play tray or activity table
Cons
- Shouldn't be used for young children to pull themselves up on
| Dimensions: | 59.69 x 44.45 x 70.1 cm |
| Batteries: | 3x AA batteries required |
- Multiple activities
- Two-sided design
- Removable legs for different modes of play
- Includes dry-erase board
- 65 melodies and sounds, gears, colour circuits, lights and more
Best personalised activity table
Image: My1stYearswww.my1styears.com
This wonderful Personalised Pink Wooden Children's Activity Table features a functioning xylophone, shape sorter, turning cogs, animal sliders and a bead puzzle.
It's a great way to encourage exploration through play! It's also designed to grow with your little one, as it has detachable legs so they can play with it on the floor when they can sit up, to then transition to a standing table when they can walk.
It also has a removable top, with a fun play space underneath.
Pros
- There's the option to personalise with a name
- It includes a range of different engaging and stimulating activities
- It's a stylish design, with muted colours
Cons
- The more letters in the name, the smaller the name appears
| Suitable for: | 12+ months |
| Dimensions: | 29.5 x 46.5 x 45cm |
| Material: | Wood |
Are activity tables good for a baby?
As baby starts to develop strength in their legs and shows a willingness to stand up and walk around, an activity table is a great way to keep them engaged and entertained and is useful for many baby milestones. They are an excellent support tool because the baby can lean on the table and start to grow in confidence by standing independently.
They stimulate your baby's curiosity and in turn, develop their cognitive andmotor skills, and by making sure your chosen table has plenty of exciting toddler toys, they will begin to understand different ways objects work. Activity tables also give your baby freedom to move around while feeling secure with the table as their base.
Are activity tables good for a toddler?
Don't worry, an activity table can continue being a useful addition to your little one's playtime into their toddler years. This makes them a great investment product. Not only do toddlers still need to evolve their motor skills, but activity tables can help with their new curiosities when it comes to problem solving.
The music, lights, and activities are still great enrichment for a toddler, keeping them easily entertained. Just remember, everything is a toddler's world is pretty big, so it's an activity table at their height level will always be a nice addition to any family home.
What should you consider when buying an activity table?
The size - Will it fit in your space? Is it an appropriate size for your little one?
The design - What features does it have? Will the colours and elements appeal to your child? Is it a good sensory toy?
The price - Is it good value for money? Does it fit within your budget?
Age range - Is it suitable for your baby's age and will it grow with your little one? Does it support toddler development?
How we test and chose the best activity tables
Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.
For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.
More about activity tables for babies and toddlers
Should an activity table have a seat?
When considering what style of activity table to buy for your child, you'll find that some include a seat.
Some activity tables can be converted into a seated position, or have the legs removed so little one can play with it on the floor. This is to help your youngster and offer the option to rest in between play. An activity table with a seat is recommended for younger kids discovering their ability to stand unaided and who can already sit upright unaided.
What age are activity tables designed for?
This depends entirely on the development of your baby. Most activity tables are recommended for tots between the ages of six months and three years old and they are great educational toys for one year olds and beyond.
If you feel your baby is confident and ready to stand and play, activity tables are encouraged from as young as four months, but with a seat.
Sophie Knight is a journalist and mum of two, and previously edited motherandbaby.com before moving on to write about family cars for Parkers.co.uk - now Sophie is Commercial Content Editor for M&B, Closer, Heat, Empire, Yours, Garden News, and WhatsTheBest.co.uk