25 Kid-Friendly Coffee Tables That are Stylish and Safe
Shopping for a kid-friendly coffee table is basically a parenting right of passage. It’s akin to getting peed on during a diaper change: It’s inevitable and it happens to everyone.
One day you have a coffee table; a convenient place to set your wine glass between sips, and a nice spot to display the collection of beautiful hardcover books you’ve never read … and the next, your have an evil death trap just waiting to gouge your toddler in the forehead.
So what are wine-loving bibliophiles like us to do when our current coffee table is no longer safe? Stash it in a closet, stick it in storage, or sell that thing on Facebook marketplace and buy one of these child-friendly / baby safe coffee tables, instead.
I’ve rounded up 25 of my favorites, chosen based on style, price (I wanted to include a range of prices, so these coffee tables fall somewhere between $99-$2500), and the likelihood of inflicting injury on, or being destroyed by, a person under 36″. The latter considerations are based solely on my personal judgement as a mom of three kids, two of whom are very energetic boys, and the third of which is a girl who likes to doodle on anything that’s not paper. I evaluated each table through the lenses of “do I think my boys would break this?” “If my daughter colored on it, would it come off?” “Will a faceplant into the side of this table cause an E.R. visit, or just a few tears?”.
I will say that some of these tables met most, but not all of those criteria, so think about your own children when shopping.
Also, if you’re looking for all the advice on buying a kid-friendly or baby safe coffee table, scroll to the bottom!
Just want to shop? Scroll some of my favorite options:
My Favorite Kid-Friendly Coffee Tables
1. Crate & Barrel Light Wood Round Coffee Table, $899
This is one of my favorite light wood round coffee tables, and it also happens to be child safe thanks to its shape. I’d put storage baskets with overflow toys or art supplies on the bottom shelf.
2. CB2 Zeppa Round Black Wood Coffee Table, $899
This coffee table checks all the kid-friendly boxes: is huge, it looks sturdy, and it’s round. BUT! It’s also low, which means it’s not face-level with your child. It does make it easier to climb on, but it’s also a shorter distance for them to fall down from, so I’m still calling this one a winner.
3. West Elm Upholstered Base Storage Ottoman, $399+
This coffee table is actually an ottoman, but it will function well as a coffee table thanks to its wooden top. It might be the ultimate kid and baby-friendly coffee table because it’s round, it can hold all sorts of toys inside, it’s padded around the base, and made from performance fabric. Plus, unlike lots of other storage ottomans, you can actually put a drink on the top. Sold!
4. Anthropologie Sonali Oval Coffee Table, $1498
This kid-friendly coffee table proves that you can have the latest home trends and your children, too. This organic, oval-shaped coffee table is contemporary and spot-on-trend, but its round edges, dark finish, and oak construction make it family-friendly. (If you’re local to Connecticut, I’ve seen this table at Retail 101!)
5. West Elm Marble Topped Coffee Table, $799
If you want to jump in on the light wood furniture trend but are afraid of the top of the table getting ruined, try this marble version. Though marble is treated like a precious material, I’ve actually found it to be durable, and have had a marble kitchen table since my oldest, who is now 8, was just a year old. My advice is to embrace the patina, all natural materials do it.
6. The Citizenry Sanjay Ottoman, $399
This soft, upholstered ottoman comes in a kid-friendly marled upholstery that’ll easily mask stains. It also comes in two diameters, 24″, and 30″. This is a great option if you’re looking for a spot to put your feet up and round out the decor scheme in a room, but perhaps not a great choice if you need a spot to actually hold a drink or where kids can work on art while they watch TV.
7. Room & Board Nova Coffee Table, $449
The best part about this cute white coffee table? It’s actually an outdoor table made of high-density recycled plastic, which means it’s meant to withstand rain, wind, sun, and dirt. I.E., it’s practically designed for small children. And you can probably power-wash it. It also comes in navy, black, and a few different shades of gray, and can be custom ordered in other colors.
8. West Elm Andes Ottoman, $559+
Looking for something that’ll minimize the risk of injury and still look like a decent piece of furniture? This modern West Elm ottoman is it. If you’re worried about staining, you’ll be happy to know it comes in a range of performance fabrics (get a dark shade for double stain protection). My sister has had this as a coffee table stand in in her living room for that past few years, and it’s held up great.
9. Crate & Barrel Drum Coffee Table, $899
The main reason I love this table? It’s made of iron, and it already has a bunch of dents, so should be pretty indestructible. If your children are still at the face-planting stage, you may want to pass this one up since the edge still looks pretty unforgiving.
10. Noir Graff Coffee Table, $2332
I spotted this table in the home of a mom I follow on Instagram, @DanielleMoss, and immediately loved in for its exaggerated turned legs, but also because it looks like the designer made it explicitly with toddlers in mind, because there’s not a rough edge to be found. It also comes in black. And someday, there will be plenty of room for coffee table books.
11. CB2 Acrylic Coffee Table, $399
CB2 has been selling this coffee table for probably 15 years, and I think its the parents who are keeping this table afloat. It’s made of durable acrylic, which makes it supremely wipeable (I’ve had acrylic chairs in my kitchen since my first son was born, so I know firsthand), and the rounded-edges mean a faceplant won’t result in an ER trip. A kid-friendly coffee table classic.
12. Serena & Lily Market Coffee Table, $698
This is a gorgeous table that just so happens to be toddler-friendly. It’s round and fairly lightweight, plus the top comes off so you can store things inside. Also, it looks like if someone spilled a cup of juice, it would be neatly contained in the little white tray.
We actually had a similar table (but a vintage version) when my son was about 1-2.5 and it worked great.
13. Threshold by Studio McGee Ottoman, $100
Want something similar to the above pick but a little cheaper? Here ya go! This Studio McGee x Target storage ottoman is lightweight, easy to move (you know, if your kids need more space to wrestle each other in the middle of the family room) and welp, it has STORAGE! At $99, I’d get two and put them side-by-side. If your kids are climbers, though, I’d skip this one since it doesn’t look to be the sturdiest.
14. Wayfair Channel Tufted Velvet Bench, $199
Give me anything with caramel velvet! It’s a chic and soft coffee table stand-in, and velvet is actually incredibly kid-friendly in my experience because you can scrub it. I’ve also seen Open Box version of this bench for around $125.
15. West Elm Rounded Edge Coffee Table, $799
If you need a kid-friendly coffee table that’s rectangular, I love this option because it has rounded edges. Plus, the light wood tone and modern form would work well with contemporary, transitional or even traditional spaces.
16. Article Tablet Square Blonde Ottoman, $1199
This brass-and-leather coffee table might have some edges, but they’re covered in layers of foam. Tufted ottomans, especially durable leather versions, make a great option for spaces that require a square table.
17. Wayfair Round Oak Coffee Table, $649
First of all, I love the minimal, but warm look of this table. But also, it’s round, and it looks like it could withstand a few small people standing on top of it.
18. Joss & Main Leather Ottoman, $590
This soft leather ottoman is made from full-aniline Italian leather, and high resiliency foam, but it’s also gorgeous and would be perfect in a contemporary space. I love the tan color, but it also comes in gray.
19. Crate & Barrel Tom Three Legged Coffee Table, $1799
This coffee table was designed by Leann Ford, a mom herself, which is probably why it makes so much sense for a kid-friendly home. It’s round, and the legs are wide, which means it’d be hard for a small leg to get trapped inside. The table comes in black and natural, but black seems like the safest choice in the world of crayons and markers.
20. Tiered Coffee Table
One last thing I want to mention. Most of these coffee tables are round. But round can be tricky if you need a long coffee table. So here’s the solution: Put two round coffee tables together. It’ll fill the space like a rectangular table without all those edges. This is actually what we did in our living room.
21. Target Brass Tray Coffee Table, $199
This table is very similar to the one I bought from Target for our living room (though that one has since been discontinued – ours has brass-colored legs). I liked that it was an inexpensive version of a table I loved that was about 10x the price because, you know, kids ruin things.
I bought two of the tray-style coffee tabled living room and put them side-by-side as an alternative to buying a large, rectangular coffee table and it’s been a great solution!
22. Pottery Barn Tamsen Round Upholstered Storage Ottoman, $899
Another storage piece! This ottoman just screams “put me in the family room.” I personally love the stripes, but if you’re worried about the white getting dirty, you can also order this ottoman in solid-colored Sunbrella fabric so it will basically be indestructible.
23. Round Natural Wood Turned Drum Coffee Table
Here’s the thing about this coffee table: It’s round, It’s got a unique, contemporary feel, it’s dark enough to hide the occasional stain, and it’s cheap enough that if it gets ruined, you can toss it or donate it without feeling like you wasted a fortune.
24. All Modern Kacy Upholstered Ottoman, $400
This large, upholstered ottoman is topped with a durable, antimicrobial fabric, and if that isn’t something every house with kids need, then I don’t know what it.
25. Cb2 Black marble coffee table, $1199
This table looks like it’s almost too stylish for a home with kids, but don’t be fooled. Among it’s kid-proof qualities: it’s made of black marble, so it’ll hide stains, it’s round, and it’s heavy, so it’s practically tip-proof.
So what makes kid-friendly coffee tables actually kid-friendly, you ask? A few things.
First and foremost, there are a few reasons that would lead someone to look for a kid-friendly or baby proof coffee table.
- Because they want a coffee table that will be safe for their child (i.e. something without sharp edges).
- Because they want a coffee table that will be safe from their child (i.e. something indestructible).
These two goals can coincide, but they don’t always. If you’re child is young, you’re probably looking for options #1. If your kids are older, you’re probably looking for #2.
But, here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when shopping for either.
It doesn’t have sharp edges.
Sharp edges, especially ones that are basically level with your child’s face, are persona non grata for families with young kids. But you knew that. It’s pretty much childproofing 101. Instead, choose something round, or with rounded or padded edges (like something with a quilted ottoman-style top) instead.
This coffee table with pointy corners and a marble top, for example, is gorgeous. And one day it can be yours … when your youngest goes to middle school.
It’s durable.
Glass is of course a no-go when shopping for a kid-friendly coffee table, but I’d also suggest staying away from the following materials:
Light-colored lacquer
It chips and stains easily. Ask me how I know. And I will tell you that it’s because I learned this the hard way after attempting to use the white-lacquered CB2 Aqua Virgo dining table for a family. It stained and chipped SO fast, so I sold it on Craigslist even though I loved it dearly.
Glass
In case you’re wondering if glass-topped coffee tables are safe with kids, the answer is no. I know that most are made with tempered glass, but that still doesn’t make them safe. Aside from the possibility of them shattering, I also always think about them chipping. All three of my kids liked to chew on our furniture when they were really little, and I can’t shake the image of a tiny piece of glass coming off in a baby’s mouth.
It doesn’t have a huge mess of legs.
I love a geometric coffee table on a pedestal of angled legs just as much as the next style-savvy mom, but when I see coffee tables that have legs pointing out in different directions, all I think is: Toddler fracture. When my oldest was 16 months, he caught his leg on a toy while running at a friend’s house, and fractured his tibia. Apparently it’s pretty common (hence why it’s called a toddler’s fracture) in young kids, since their bones aren’t all that strong yet. Still, it was fairly traumatic for everyone involved.
Ever since then, anything that looks like a tripping hazard or something that can catch a tiny leg in its crosshairs has been a no-go for me. So you won’t see any coffee tables that look like the ones below on this list either, even if they satisfy the no-edge and durability requirements.
It has storage.
A coffee table with storage isn’t a must-have in my book, since there are lot’s of other ways to create storage around a room for kid-stuff, but if you do need extra space, it is nice to have a place to hide toys, or a table with room to store bins or baskets underneath. This is a bonus, and I’ve included a few coffee tables with storage in case you’re into it.
How to make a coffee table kid-friendly
If you have a coffee table that you want to keep, and you want to make it kid-friendly, you have a few options. The first, and easiest option, is to get bumpers for the corners. Amazon offers a silicone coffee table bumper that is clear, so it doesn’t totally ruin the aesthetics of your room like traditional coffee table bumpers do.
If you have a glass coffee table, you’ll want to protect the edges with a foam barrier. This will prevent your littles from bumping their heads on the table, but it’ll also stop them from chewing on the glass (just make sure they don’t bite off a piece of the bumper!).
What can I use instead of a coffee table for kids?
Aside from a kid-friendly coffee table, there are also a few coffee table alternatives that are great for homes with kids.
Instead of a coffee table, try:
- A large, upholstered ottoman
- A storage bench
- A pair of small, square or round ottomans
- A toy chest (just choose a simply designed one that doesn’t overtly look like a kids piece)
An alternative to rectangular tables
Kid-friendly coffee tables tend to be round, and round doesn’t work for every space. Sometimes you need something a little more rectangular. What I did, and what I’ve seen a lot of people doing lately, actually, is putting two round coffee tables side-by-side. That way, you get the length you need, and maintain the kid-friendliness of the whole thing.
Here’s an example:
Good luck child-proofing!!
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