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Toddler learning towers. Handmade in Northcote.
About Us
I’ve always been good at building things -
He’s very good at building things” - Ms. Appleblossom, my kindergarten teacher, 1989
“Looks he’ll be a good builder!” - my grandmother (legally blind), 1987
“Good at building things? Yes he is!” - John Trumbleson, a fictitious character I created when I needed website copy, 2021
I wish I had a Mister Gepetto style story to tell you - that I was the son of a fourth generation carpenter, spending my early years in an old workshop, my grandfathers wizened, weather beaten hands guiding mine on his worn down No.4 Stanley plane, smoothing the edges on a piece of ironbark. Another dolls’ house completed for the local orphanage. Oh, how their little faces light up!
Truth is, I’m a chef by trade. I began woodworking as a hobby a while ago; the catalyst was the lack of well-made and well-priced timber furniture, and a house that needed things in it. When coronavirus crippled my hospitality industry I found myself with plenty of time on my hands - and plenty of bills to pay; so I began to monetise another of my passions.
Fast forward a year or two and here we are. Building custom furniture, solving problems, filling the single-car garage with sawdust, the odd swear word, and very, very essential tools.
I’m a dad to two incredible boys, a husband to a very patient wife, and a chef in a busy venue - your furniture won’t be built in a day, but it will be handcrafted with passion and attention to detail.
Why learning towers?
We designed and built our first toddler learning tower, or kitchen helper stool, for our eldest son in 2017. He was 15 months old and naturally inquisitive - a fascinating but dangerous combination of needing to be involved in everything but not necessarily having the motor skills or coordination to back it up. We needed a solution that would mean we could satiate his curiosity while keeping him safe, as well as freeing up our hands (and our backs) while we were cooking.
We started exploring the learning tower market, and were unimpressed with the range available - most of the units were made of the cheapest timber or MDF, there were “Ikea hack” versions going for a premium, and a ton of units that are built by the lowest bidder overseas. None of this appealed to us, so we began designing our own. Fast forward a couple of years, and here we are.
Custom built, safe, and sturdy; our toddler learning towers are hand made right here in Thornbury, Melbourne. We use only premium quality FSC certified, sustainably managed timber, the adjustable platform has different height settings so you can move it down as your toddler grows, and the slimline design makes it functional without taking up precious floor space.
Learning Tower Reviews
This learning tower is FANTASTIC! Customer service was brilliant and turnaround was much faster than I had expected. My 2 year old loves that he can stand at the kitchen bench with me now and with the different levels I know I'll get many years use from it. Thank you so much!
We bought this product recently and were really happy with the quality and finish. Well priced and great turnaround time. Highly recommend
The learning tower is fantastic! My 2 year old son loves standing up at the bench helping to prepare food or do the dishes. Trumble was very prompt to respond to messages and he made the learning tower within a reasonable timeframe. Overall, wonderful customer service and a beautiful product that will shape a lot of special memories.
Hi Trumble, the tower has been amazingly sturdy so far, very happy with it thank you!!
Gina | Gumtree
I purchased a learning tower in early May and couldn't be happier. Easy communication, great product that is well made and more than fair price.
My little one loves the learning tower so much it's really empowered her when it comes to actively engaging in day to day tasks as well as arts and crafts.
Great customer service and answered all of my questions before I made up my mind to purchase the learning tower. Turnaround time was efficient and I believe great value for money. The product is very good! Great quality and attention to detail with finishes.
I stained mine using oil and it has a nice finish.
Thank you! My son (1year old) loves it and it makes dinner prep time so much easier!
Fast turnaround, excellent customer service and wonderful product. Our son loves his learning tower and we love having him at our level.
Thanks again it has been a great gift for my daughter and we all love it!
She is in it every day! Cheers.
Elizabeth | Gumtree
I wanted a learning tower for my daughter and thought if I could shop local I would. In my search I found Trumble & Sons and I am SO glad I did! The tower is beautifully and safely made and we use it everyday!
If anyone needs a learning tower for their little munchkin I highly recommend this.
Local, hand made, excellent quality build. They've even got some kind of fancy internal screw system, so there is no way the minis can cut themselves.
The learning tower is excellent. We are very happy with it, and use it for so many activities around the house. Trumble & Sons had it ready for us in a couple of days and even customised it to the right height for us. The communication was also great. I’d recommend them!