Now that summer is here and school is out, we are constantly looking for ways to get the kids away from screens and outside. When KidKraft reached out to us about their new outdoor offerings, we jumped at the chance to make the outdoors more inviting!
When our Outdoor Table and Bench set arrived, not only was I excited to get it built, but so were the kids – we used to have an outdoor eating spot at our old house and the idea of having one again, had them ripping open the box before I could even get my camera ready.
Just like with the KidKraft Study Desk we reviewed a few months ago, all of the components are made of high quality materials, clearly labeled with part numbers, and include all the hardware you need (plus extras) in a blister pack. I really appreciate the hardware being packaged this way versus in bags so you only need to open the section you need and not worry as much about parts getting lost during your build process.
While the actual assembly of the table, benches, and umbrella were easier than the Study Desk, the build time took a little longer, but only because the kids were so excited that they actually did a bunch of the work themselves – that’s how easy it is to assemble! The table top, bench tops, and A-frame legs for the benches are all pre-assembled as well, so a lot of what would be harder and more tedious is done for you.
Our daughter is easily distracted, so before everything was built, she decided to go dress up in her Miles Morales Spider-Man costume while her big brother and I finished assembling everything. Unfortunately, the day we built everything, the weather was a little rainy, so we set everything up in the living room, and she demanded a photo of her posed as Miles on the table.
On the bright side, the next day was clear and sunny (that’s weather in the Pacific Northwest for you), so we brought the table, benches, and umbrella outside and the kids had a nice summer dinner on their new table – success!
Our back patio is pretty small, and while the table did fit, it felt cramped and took up almost the entire patio, so to make the backyard even MORE enticing for the kids, we decided to expand the patio with pavers to give the kids plenty of space to play, eat, and hang out. Since we took this photo, we also used the left over pavers and paver sand to make a small sandbox for the kids to play in. Without the KidKraft table and bench set, we’d never have taken all of these steps to make our backyard into a small oasis for the summer.
The final verdict – the wood, umbrella, and cushions are all-weather and have been through icy rain, and record breaking heat all in just the past month or so and still look brand new. The kids have used the table and bench and played in the backyard more since we set it up than they did the entire year before setting it up, so we’re calling it a win! While the benches and table are a bit too low for my wife and I to use normally, they are comfortable and sturdy enough that we’ve both used the benches to sit and even lay and take in the outdoors. The bench even makes a great makeshift outside weight bench! We can’t recommend one of the table and bench sets enough as a great centerpiece for your kids’ outdoor space.
Disclosure: This desk set was provided free of charge for review purposes from KidKraft, but all opinions remain our own.
