Motherhood (or parenting, really) requires a lot of different skills.
Patience, tolerance and eyes in the back of your head are all well and good, but it is the ability to do things with one hand that will come in most handy, I think. Seriously; this skill is one that will ensure you actually anything done.
Let me assure you, I have managed some amount of tasks with just one hand free since becoming a mama. With one hand holding onto a baby (or, even trickier, a squirming toddler) I have applied a full face of makeup, done phone interviews, cleaned the bathroom and cooked countless meals – all with just one hand free.
Which is why, when I came across this really genius Ikea hack recently, I was amazed – and also sort of annoyed I never knew about it sooner.
Say hello to the learning tower – cleverly DIY-ed using the popular Ikea Bekväm stool – all courtesy of one of our favourite bloggers, HappyGreyLucky.
This device lets your toddlers and young kids reach up to kitchen counter level (which a lot of other stools and chairs won’t do), meaning they can see what you are doing, help out and generally just stop whining that you are not holding them on your hip.
And if you have ever tried to prepare dinner with a clingy toddler in tow (and we bet you have, mamas!) you will realise just how genius this really is.
And the best part? Not only does this project cost very little to copy – it is also fairly easy to do.
Fancy making your own learning tower, here is what you need:
- 1 Ikea Bekväm stool
- 6′ long 1×2 (¾ x 1½”) piece of wood (*) cut into four 15½” lengths (**)
- 6′ long 1×3 (¾” x 2½”) piece of wood cut into four 6″ lengths and two 12½” lengths (**)
- ½” dowel rod (shortest length you can find) cut to 12½” (**)
- 16 x 2¼” #6-8 wood screws (***)
- 14 x 1½” #6-8 wood screws (***)
- wood filler
- spray primer
- spray paint – if your primer is the same colour as your stool, one can should be enough for the entire stool, otherwise, you’ll need 2 (****)
For full instructions on how to build your own learning tower, head on over to HappyGreyLucky.
Happy DIY-ing!
