Our best solution is whatever you choose have a glass top made for the top. I have a 30 year old table that is very good quality and I painted it. It has a glass top over the wood and has held up well and I never have to worry about it!

Oh or a stainless steal top which he have on our kitchen table (with a wood bottom and chairs). That has also been fantastic.

I don't like glass. I hadn't thought of stainless. Any other comments on stainless? Thanks!

This is ours. If money is no object a zinc top could be fabricated or a granite/marble top

I know these days....even more than in my day of raising kids...it seems parents are always working around kids when it comes to decor...but it is best to start earyly and Teach the children proper manners as they grow older... I know this is hard...but it can be done. But the only thing that will work for the kids is granite or marble...if this persists.

I grew up with a sort of faux butcher block, and it's still going strong 40 years later (getting craft project action from my kid). plus, it's nice looking. meanwhile, down in our diningroom, I'm always working placemats under all of us to keep the wood nice...

Yes children should be taught without a doubt. We had our tables way before kids and the black one has been through 35 years ( my parent bought it when I was five and it is heavy and fantastically made) I had glass put on because unlike my mom I didn't like the padding and table cloth look and glass and stainless are easy to clean. Just so happens it works well with kids also. If I have company and they leave a glass I
don't have to rush over with a coaster. Yes again kids should be taught but even my 97 year old grandma has had her table covered with pads and plastic table "clothed" for ease of care.

Many children and very clumsy, messy adults (I seem to collect the latter) have sat at the industrial iron table I've had for the last 12 years, and it looks as good as when I first bought it. It does get some patina, which I personally like, but it is completely indestructible and I never have to worry. Good luck!

My daughter purchased her dining set from Canadel. Twelve years, 5 kids , thousands of meals and MANY craft projects later, it is just starting to show wear on the top. You can choose everything custom...style, shape, legs, chairs, size, color and finishes. Many options for both tables and chairs. I highly recommend for durability.

We have a tempered glass top with sectional pads that fit on top of that. Most of the time there's a lace table cloth over on it but, sometimes, we put on a plastic picnic table cover for 'game night' or craftwork.

I bought a heavy old-school oilcloth cover for a wood table we use in the kitchen.
Much sturdier than a vinyl one. The only other material I've see "stand up" to the kind of use kids & crafts can do is formica!
https://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/c92_oilcloth-fabric?page=2

Macy's has a dining table called champagne. It has worked out pretty well and the benches clean up easier than many chairs.