Shelf for a Table

[mamamanda]

What are your thoughts on this? I'm considering doing something like this in the kitchen to use during meal time and arts and crafts. Pros: it would save space as my kitchen is very small, we wouldn't need the bulky booster seats anymore, I could easily separate the kids that pick at each other, and it's cute. My one concern is the social aspect of it. Would sitting in a straight line instead of gathered around a table take away the "family" feel of the meal? Also, it would be on a wall instead of a window. Would the kids feel too closed in? What about putting a long mirror along the wall above the table so the kids can still see each other while eating? Any other pros/cons I'm missing?

[jgcp]

I think about doing this all the time but my main concern are the ones that dont know how to sit still... they would never eat/ participate. So ive held off but i love the idea!!

[NoMoreJuice!]

I LOVE the mirror idea! That is a cute idea all around! I think the mirror would help a lot to give them a sense of eating as a group. They could still glance right or left and see most of their friends.

[NoMoreJuice!]

My only concern is if you've spaced out the studs to see where you'll have to have brackets? The brackets will get in the way of chairs for sure. Definitely has to be sturdy enough to hold the weight of several toddlers climbing on top of it. Another option would be to screw a 2x4 into the wall lengthwise and screw the shelf onto it for added stability, then only one bracket at each end would suffice. Be sure to send us a finished pic!

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Could you make the shelf wide enough to have a kid on each end? That would make it a bit more social. I also love your mirror idea. My kids eat at 2 fold-up tables mounted on the wall, 3 or 4 kids per table, sitting around three sides. Sometimes, I regret that we aren't all sitting together facing each other for conversation. Mostly, though, it works for us; it fits my kitchen and the kids don't seem to mind being up against the wall.

[mim]

I love it! I've had that same thing pinned forever, but I also wondered about the social part too.

[Thriftylady]

We had one of these in the kitchen in the house I grew up in. It also made a great counter space. We didn't really eat at it much since we also had a table in the dining room. I agree that the social aspect would be my concern. Also how it would be anchored, the one in the house I grew up in was built in, but I don't remember seeing any brackets or anything.

[MamaB'sKidz]

I have a shelf table in my kitchen. The kids love it! It is against a set of windows so the kids can see everything going on outside. It's the perfect height for the little ones and saves space. I still use my kitchen table for crafts and the older kids. It works great for me and my kiddo's! :-)

[bklsmum]

I love this! I am going to ask my handyman to make and hang one for me!

[Thriftylady]

I am thinking a person could save some money if they just got a long short table and shoved it against the wall or windows. I did that in my last house because we were never sitting on that side, only our adult sized table, but I could move it to clean I liked that. Possibly would save the space that brackets would take?

[Alwaysgreener]

My church did something similar for Sunday school. They hinged a table to the wall so the could fold it down when they are not using it. The legs fold under and top is painted to match the mural on the wall. Most do not even notice it.

[originalkat]

I have a shelf table in my kitchen. The kids love it! It is against a set of windows so the kids can see everything going on outside. It's the perfect height for the little ones and saves space. I still use my kitchen table for crafts and the older kids. It works great for me and my kiddo's! :-)

That is adorable!

[Fjordbak]

They hinged a table to the wall so the could fold it down when they are not using it.

Ikea has a table to hang on the wall that folds down. I don't know if they use the same product names worldwide but here in Denmark it is called NORBO. We had it in our apartment once and it works well.

Rikke

[daycare]

BTDT..

at my old house before moving to the new I had this exact set up thanks pinterest.

pros

saves tons of space
great size for the kids
cleaned up well


I had mine against the wall no window or mirror, i had tons of letters number etc

cons- kids wiped their hands on the wall all during meal time, drove me nuts

they keep putting their body weight on it and it did eventually after a year start to part from the wall on one side

they have their backs to you, so no eye contact,

kids constantly turned around in chairs to get your attention or talk to you

and the spilling.....once the shelf slanted due to the weight being put on it. the spills occurred almost every meal.

that is when I was done with it and went to ikea and bought the round tables.


all in all, I did not put it back up at the new place.

to each their own....