Do you have a toddler tower? Here’s what you need to know

The latest parent helper Toddler Towers come with safety concerns. CTV's Pat Foran reprots.

Over the years, new products have come to market to help families with small children, and now “toddler towers” are a must-have item in many homes.

Also known as kitchen helpers or learning towers, toddler towers raise a child to the same height as a table or countertop. The idea is to give kids a boost so they can play, learn and cook alongside their parents.

Joie Golomb’s daughters love making dinner with their mom thanks to a little boost from a toddler tower.

“I think having access to cooking with me at my level and again learning some of those chopping skills, tasting food with me, seeing what I’m doing, mixing things—that was such a special thing for us to share and be able to cook in the kitchen,” said Golomb.

With guardrails and other safety features designed to prevent falls, toddler towers are marketed as a safer alternative to a chair or step stool, but they have also come with some safety concerns.

In Canada, two toddler tower products were recalled in 2023 and 2024 due to fall and entrapment hazards.

Reports of kids falling out or tipping over in the towers have also surfaced both to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and in online reviews.

“There’s a really wide range of quality in toddler towers on the market, and safety standards have not been established yet for how they’re made or tested,” said Lauren Kirchner with Consumer Reports.

It conducted its own independent tests of 16 popular models, and the results were troubling.

“Thirteen of the 16 towers we looked at failed our stability test,” said Kirchner.

Consumer Reports’ stability test simulates what happens when a child leans to one side of a tower or climbs up one side. Researchers reached out to the manufacturers—the six who responded said their products passed internal safety tests.

The test results may sound alarming, but it’s important to follow basic safety precautions when using a toddler tower.

If you’re shopping for one, look for a strong, wide base and a heavy frame with a low centre of gravity and movable parts you can’t adjust without tools.

Avoid large cutouts or wide rails, as kids can get stuck in them and make sure the top guardrail is above your child’s belly button while they’re standing on the tower.

“Don’t let them give you a false sense of security that you can walk away,” said Kirchner.

Only use the towers on level floors and regularly check the screws and fasteners to ensure they’re tight.

Keep in mind that when your children can reach the kitchen counter, there’s a whole new level of issues to worry about, such as knives, glassware, or even a hot stove.

If you use a toddler tower, make sure the area around it is safe and free of any hazards.