Back in January, a building irritation with my girl’s workbooks being kept all over the house coupled with my zeal of home learning going strong – it was the start of the year after all – I felt that it was time to get a proper working space for her. Besides, writing at the coffee table just didn’t seem right or good for her eyesight. That’s how I got started in my search for a table with preferably enough storage space for her workbooks and her math curriculum and manipulatives which had been sitting on my piano-top for way too long.
I dreamt of getting an ergonomic table for her. That’s all the rage these days, right? Ah, unfortunately my dreams were smashed to a gazillion bits the moment I googled and saw the cost of such tables. No way was I gonna fork out more than $1k for just ONE child.
But I kept that little glimmer of hope that I’d find something more affordable with reasonable quality so I continued to look around.
And I turned to Qoo10. It sells everything and we buy quite a wide range of stuff from there and … I wasn’t disappointed!
We bought the table and chair set from Gracious Treasures at Qoo10. It was nearing Chinese New Year so delivery wasn’t possible but that didn’t stop us from picking the tables up and assembling them on our own. Ok, my hubby did everything. I merely wiped them down. (Oh and note that delivery and assembly is free of charge so you needn’t worry if you’re not into assembling furniture. There’s a $10 discount if you pick the items up yourself.)
The tables and chairs were so much sturdier than we expected and we were all mighty pleased! Definitely a good buy, considering it’s a mere fraction of the cost of ergonomic tables at stores.
I had many enquiries about the tables and chairs after I posted this photo of my kids at their tables (and that was after I’d recommended the products to my close friends who bought and loved the product so much that they recommended it to their friends). And so I decided that since we love the tables in our home so much, here’s a review so that those interested in getting an ergonomic table for preschoolers and don’t want to burn a hole in their pockets can consider this option.
One of the most commonly asked question I got was “until what age can the child use the table”. It isn’t age that determines when the kid will outgrow the table. It’s height that matters (and the need for table space of course). The picture below shows the minimum and maximum height of the tables and chairs. (My kids are using it at the minimum height).
This is the guide found at the side of the table so you’d know which height to adjust the table to, based on the person’s height.
Numbers on the left are the height of the person while numbers on the right show the corresponding height of the table.
As you can see, it can be used for even people taller than 1.7m. Hence, you needn’t worry that your child will outgrow the table any time soon (table space is a separate issue!). There’s a similar guide on the chair and there are clear demarcations of the corresponding height of the table/chair for adjustments to be made easily:
The table top can be adjusted to 3 pre-determined angles and this is the second angle:
The 1st angle is about 7-8 degrees (the ergonomic angle for writing).
The 2nd angle is about 28 – 30 deg (for reading). The book can be supported by the book rest at the edge of the table as shown in the next picture).
The last angle is for drawing where the table can be tilted to act like an easel board.
There’s a little ledge so the book doesn’t fall off the table while the table top is tilted at an angle.
I wanted a table with some storage space and I was not disappointed with the space even though I was initially worried it won’t be enough, just based on looking at the picture in Qoo10. Here’s what I managed to fit in to give you an idea:
Yay! No more clutter all around the house! And I can easily access what we need without having to waste time moving around the house to look for the books/ materials
There’s also a nifty magnetic whiteboard which comes with two magnets, a ledge to store any whiteboard markers, a stationery tray (with cover) and a hole for placing a cup/ bottle on the right (See photo below). You can purchase a table lamp separately from Gracious Treasures as well and this will be placed on the left of the table.
Here’s some other FAQ that you might be interested in, which I have asked Paul, the owner of Gracious Treasures:
(A) What’s the maximum weight that the chair can withstand?
Ans: It can withstand 90kg (with safety margin). Thus it can support an adult’s weight.
B) Will the metal parts rust ?
Ans: No. The metal will not rust as it is powder coated steel.
(C) Will the adjustment mechanism spoil easily, especially if the table is adjusted very often?
Ans: The adjustment mechanism has a very simple design hence it is very robust and reliable. And there is a 1 year warranty covering that. After 1 year you will have to approach after-sales service for any repairs.
Hopefully this review has been useful for those who are looking for an affordable alternative to ergonomic tables for young children! You can get the tables from Gracious Treasures on Qoo10.
Important Note: I do NOT earn commission from any tables sold! 🙂
Disclosure: We were eventually gifted with the tables out of goodwill for our genuine recommendation, both on and offline. I still can’t believe how nice the boss is to take the trouble to contact me through one of his customers! Despite my heartfelt gratitude, note that all opinions expressed in the review are 100% mine, as usual.
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