On one of my rare trips to IKEA this past weekend, I saw something brand new I'd never seen before. Next to the Duktig Play Kitchen was its cousin, the Duktig Work Bench.
Like the play kitchen, the work bench is well-made with nice details. This one wasn't kitted out with any of the IKEA hand tools but it did have an attached vice that interested my son. Although I couldn't locate it on IKEA's website, the Duktig work bench is available at IKEA for $79.99.
(Images: Janie Lee)
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As someone who was looking for a decent workbench for the last couple of weeks, I must say that I really did not find the one at IKEA to be very nice. the tools are really cheap looking and made from plastic and the whole thing was just somehow instable. I found a really great one made from solid wood with a lot of sturdy tools for the same price in a toystore. I would recommend to look around a little before buying this piece at ikea. and I say this altoug I normally love most kids-stuff from ikea.
(the one I bought, but mine was only 79euro:
http://www.yatego.com/kaufhaus321/p,4c86579278b93,4bdad70a4b0462_9,kinder-werkbank-holz-kinderschreibtisch?sid=12Y1296578357Y1016a8037594293594 )
I would love to see a feature on kid workbenches. My daughter loves her tools, but her little tikes workbench doesn't really DO much and could use more storage.
There must be some good hacks for kid workbenches just like all of the kitchens!
Thanks, Selma, for the review.
I'd love to see a review on play tools. I've been rather unimpressed on my searches so far. Thankfully my parents kept a few good ones from my childhood... perhaps they don't make current safety standards, but it's nice to have sturdy, working tools.
Melissa and Doug make a workbench with sturdy tools and booklet of projects. Pretty cool.
I'd love to see more about the Duktig bench and for a feature on workbenches in general. My 2 yr old son has a hand me down Black Decker plastic one from his cousins which I have never liked but kept for want of an alternative worth buying.
I did look loveingly at the Viola Large Work Bench for a while, but at AUD$199 couldn't justify the cost: http://www.peanutgallery.com.au/catalogue/blocks_and_building/voila_large_workbench
When i was a little girl, my dad was a carpenter.
I remember being shown how to hold a hammer the right way (at the end, not near the top!), then being given a hundred nails and a board to pass the time with! Lots of good similar memories.
i hope my future girls and boys will have that experience as well - a play workbench first, then the real ones
My dad put a small bench vice on a big wooden box for us when we were kids. Tool box and work bench in one! If you were doing this for your kids you could easily add peg board....
peachpear - I've been researching play tools for a few weeks so look for an upcoming roundup post!
Carrie