Review: Step 2 Naturally Playful Activity Center

When you have children, you want to find toys that will keep them entertained and safe. Most of us parents also try to encourage our children to spend some time outdoors, soaking up the fresh air and sunshine.

The company Step 2 designs products with your child’s imagination and fun in mind. Your child is sure to love the Step 2 Naturally Playful Activity Center during their outdoor playtime.

What is an Activity Center?

Activity tables are a convenient way to allow your children to play with certain things without making a mess or put them in danger. Art activity tables allow your child to explore their artistic side with paints, markers, stickers, glitter, glue – basically, all the things you DON’T want them using on your walls, floors, or furniture.

Outdoor activity tables allow your children to engage in outdoor activities such as playing in the sand and water, without making a mess. These tables are usually low enough to the ground that younger children can access them. Toddlers enjoy them up through the primary ages.

Some people might not have a large backyard where they can put up a sandbox or a pool. Activity tables are small enough that they don’t take up much room. And they usually have lids so you can keep whatever is inside safe from the elements, such as your sand. You don’t want a stray cat, thinking it’s a litter box or the rain to wash it out of the box and have sand all over your pristine yard. It makes a huge mess – speaking from personal experiences.

Read next: The Top 8 Best Sand & Water Tables

Step 2 Naturally Playful Activity Center

If you’re looking for an activity table for your children to enjoy while they’re outside, allow us to present a great option – The Step 2 Naturally Playful Sand and Water Activity Center. This table is divided into two sides – a section for water and a section for sand. It’s like a day at the beach without the traveling and mess!

Let your children spend hours making sandcastles and digging for buried treasure in the sandbox. Load up the boats and pass them through the ramps so they can sail through the water and dock to unload their cargo (using their imagination, of course. There is no dock or unloading section.)

When your child is tired of playing, pull the plug to drain the water and attach the included lid, so nothing gets into the sand until your next playdate. The top even has handy attached straps so you can be sure the lid stays on tight during high winds or noisy critters.

This product is made out of thick plastic, so it is durable enough to withstand exposure to the elements. It will also hold up against rambunctious climbers, but it’s not recommended to allow your children to get on top, as it can cause damage to the lid and table, as well as put your child in danger. It won’t withstand a large amount of weight.

What’s Included?

When you buy this activity center, you don’t just get the two-sectioned table and lid. It also comes with a 60-inch umbrella, which you attach in the middle of the table, so your children are safe from the harmful UV rays while they’re enjoying time outdoors.

The hunter green table and faux wood color scheme allow this activity center to fit right in with your backyard landscaping. The lid is also a light faux wood-design. The umbrella is a light tan with different colored dots and dark brown trim.

In addition, this set also comes with an eight-piece accessory kit that includes:

  • Two bridges
  • Two boats
  • Two pots
  • One shovel
  • One umbrella

The product does require adult assembly when you first purchase it, so be sure you have someone who can put it together. The instructions are easy to follow, and it doesn’t take long to set up. Once it’s done, you don’t unassemble it again.

Overall, the table weighs 25.8 pounds, meaning it is light enough for most people, and some older children, to move around without assistance. The dimensions once put together are 26 inches” x 46.5” x 20.8”. It is low enough to the ground to suit younger children, including toddlers.

Get Your Step 2 Activity Table Today

If you have young children, they’re sure to have hours of fun with this water and sand activity table. It’s like a trip to the beach without the costs. And with the strap-down lid, you can be sure your child’s sand stays pristine and clean. If you have a child who’s 24 months up to 9 years old, they’re sure to love this Step 2 Sand and Water Activity Table.

Brett Gordon
 

The brains behind The Toy Report. Having clocked tons of time in toys research and online resource development, today, Brett is dedicated to making The Toy Report a trusted space in the world of toy reviews and recommendations.