Calico Critters Playtable
Update: A reader has brought our attention to a smell/odour issue with some of the tables. Apparently some of the more recent versions of the table off-gas a terrible paint odour. I’ll keep you up to date if we hear anything from the manufacturers but at present we can’t recommend the table in it’s present state.
Original Post…
The Official Calico Critters Playtable from International Playthings is a beautiful wooden table, decorated with images of the cute critters as well as love hearts and flowers.
The play table allows kids to play with the Critters at arm height without bending over all the time and gives them greater access to the inside of the houses and all the details that the Calico Critters range offers.
The table is designed to place one of the Calico Critters houses on the top, and seems well suited to the highly popular Deluxe Village House, Cozy Cottage or the Townhouse. The Manor and the Treehouse are a little too big and won’t leave too much room to play around the house.
Calico Critters Playtable Details
The table measures 24 inches wide by 24 inches long and is 24 inches high. Made of wood it is of a sturdy construction and installation requires you put it together with 64 individual screws, so plan ahead if it is for a gift or get a handy partner or neighbor to give you a hand (a power screwdriver would also help).
The table comes with a pull out drawer so you can sore all the little bits and pieces that come with the Critter sets when they are not being used.
We would also recommend buying a plastic storage/sewing box with lots of little compartments so your child can store the pieces and then slip that into the drawer so things don’t get messy inside.
The table is beautifully decorated with cartoon images of a number of familiar Calico Critters characters that span across the sides and down the legs of the white table. The table top surface is decorated with a floor plan of a home so your child can place their own house design on top, simply arrange furniture sets on there or fit one of the existing Calico Critter houses on top.
Around the outside of the table top there is a slightly raised ridge so things don’t fall off the edge easily.
You can tell that International Playthings have put a lot of thought into the table and its the perfect size for young children to play by themselves or with another friend.
What Others Are Saying
- “The drawer is large and the edges keep things from ending up on the floor. We have the large house with the green roof and it just fits with a little room all around. You could also just use the table to play without a house as there is a scene painted on the table.”
- “A must have for all Calico Critters lovers…just the right height for your little ones…well made…lots of screws 64 to be exact…it won’t fall apart that’s for sure!”
“The table is a must have for calico critter fans. A dollhouse at table level is easier to play with. Plus with all of the teenie tiny pieces, they are much less likely to get lost since they will not end up on the floor.”- “My tall 3 year old and gigantic 4.5 year old can easily play with it and there is plenty of room to grow.”
Calico Critters Playtable Overall Rating
Our Rating: 
Highly Recommended
Size: Small enought to fit in just about any area to ensure kids have a space of their own but can house alot of Critters and their things.
Style: Gorgeous printed decorations on white paint. Simple and elegant sytle that won’t date like so many other garish pink plastic toys.
Durability: Wood construction with 64 screws. It will last.
The table is beautiful, functional and durable. What else could you ask for? If you have the space then it would be a wonderful addition to any little girl’s room.
Where To Find It: We recommend purchasing from Amazon because they offer a great price, service and free shipping on this item.
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Rating
We got this table for my 3 year old to accompany her brand new Deluxe Village House. My Mom and I assembled the table all by ourselves. The directions for assembly were only pictures – no words. They were still pretty easy to figure out. It went together pretty easily except for one finicky screw and Bolt (well, I’m not sure if the thing is actually called a bolt…so you see – I really am not gifted witha ssembly). My arms were sore by the end (this table requires tons of screws – 64!) but no major mishaps. All the holes were properly aligned. Once completed the table was sturdy and looked strong. The drawer is very spacious. As others mentioned, there are no compartments but we put the little pieces in a small tupperware container without the cover.
The table is a must have for calico critter fans. A dollhouse at table level is easier to play with. Plus with all of the teenie tiny pieces, they are much less likely to get lost since they will not end up on the floor. The wall around the edge of the table keeps the piecs from sliding off. The table is a great height. My tall 3 year old and gigantic 4.5 year old can easily play with it and there is plenty of room to grow. The designs on the table are cute and the top has nice scenery too. Overall, it was worth the money and tired forearms.
Rating
We bought this for my daughter’s 3rd birthday. It’s just the right height. My 5-year-old likes to play with her and her Critter families on the table. It’s great to get the house and everything else off the floor. There’s a drawer that can hold stuff. Ideally, dividers in the drawer would be nice, not to mention an additional drawer underneath, but then it would get more expensive. I also wish it were a little less heavy so it could be toted up and down the stairs, but it’s weight contributes to its sturdiness and I’m over it.
This is cute and holds enough stuff to keep my little ones occupied.
Rating
A must have for all Calico Critters lovers…just the right height for your little ones…welll made…lots of screws 64 to be exact…it won’t fall apart thats for sure!
Rating
I bought this for my peace of mind. So many peices with this collection!But this is a great way to store all the Critter stuff. The drawer is large and the edges keep things from ending up on the floor. We have the large house with the green roof and it just fits with a little room all around. You could also just use the table to play without a house as there is a scene painted on the table.
I used a power screw driver and put it together in about 20 minutes (I’m pretty good at assembling things). It is very sturdy and has lots of bracing at all the corners. I have one visable chip on a corner but since I got this at a crazy low Amazon price I’ll just get out some white paint and deal with it. FYI Ships in original packaging.
Rating
This table is the greatest. For little hands that love exploring this table gives the ultimate Calico Critters experience. The price I paid was very low for the table, but it did arrive cracked, however a little epoxy glue and we were back in business!
Rating
This table looks great with the Calico Critter House. It is very sturdy and places the house at my daughter’s eye level which makes play more enjoyable. There were some drawbacks:
Takes a long time to put together. My husband worked on this for several hours and he was quite exasperated by the time he was finished. There were two pieces missing so we were not able to put the drawer in. My daughter can play with it,but there is no drawer to put anything in. I contacted customer service but was unable to reach anyone. I finally sent them an email, but had not heard anything back. Hopefully, I will hear something soon so we can finish putting it together.
I do recommend this table for anyone with the Calico Critter House, but make sure to check for all the pieces before putting it together.
Update: I was informed by International Playthings that this table is manufactured in China and they do not have any replacement parts for it. The only option I was given was to return it for a refund. Amazon is crediting me 20% because I do not want to return it but this is a big disappointment because my table is not complete. I do not think I would order anything made by them again.