I ordered this on a whim and so was not expecting much….but I am surprisingly thrilled with this piece! I consider myself a pretty handy gal and it took me about 90 minutes to assemble. When it was done however I was really pleased and excited by the end result. This toddler tower is very sturdy, attractive, and well made. Stick with it and you will be very satisfied with your purchase.So here are the Pros and Cons….Pros: This tower is made of solid wood and is very sturdy. The pieces are all well labeled and the drilled holes lined up perfectly. The finish is lovely…very smooth and clear. I worried about other towers I looked at because it seemed a child could inadvertently step back and fall right out…so I really love the added safety bar that helps avoid this danger. The front of the tower can be either a white board or chalk board which is a fun bonus (be sure to decide which one you want facing out before you assemble it because once it’s together you can’t switch it). Although it does not say this in the product description I think a younger child could actually sit on the step and use the standing platform as a writing surface…creating a small desk.Cons: Anything negative I have to say is about this tower has to do with the assembly process— not the finished product. The directions that come with this are not completely clear and even seem to miss some things. So be sure to watch the video that is on the Amazon product page….it helps a lot. The labels that are stuck on the parts are very tedious to remove…get some Goo-Gone or a magic eraser to help with this and it will save you a lot of time! The wrench and screwdriver that come with this are technically all you need however using a better quality Phillips head screwdriver will make it much easier. Using an electric drill/screwdriver is even better but use it cautiously — drive the screws in very slowly and don’t over tighten. There are 3 pieces that do not have guide holes pre-drilled…the ones labeled “K” (x2) and “K1”. I recommend that you not install these in the order written in the instructions…instead wait until you have the top and bottom boxes of the tower assembled and fit them together to be sure you have the placement of the “K” pieces properly lined up. Do the same with “K1” by putting the step in place and marking where to put the screws.This toddler tower is a super value, very high quality, and would make a great gift (especially if you put it together for them- haha). Good luck…work carefully…and you won’t be disappointed!