It only seems like yesterday that you had a tiny baby on your hands and now they’re smiling, giggling, full of life and ready for the next thing, a high chair. High chairs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with different functions and uses so there’s a lot to think about when choosing the perfect chair. We’re here to tell you everything you need to know about using and choosing a high chair and how to choose the right one for you and your baby.
The best age to use a high chair
The most important thing to remember is that every child is different and ultimately you know them better than anyone. Trust your instincts and go with what you think is best for them. In this section, we have included our guidelines for the best age to use a high chair.
When to start using a high chair
Most babies are ready to use a high chair when they’re around 5-6 months old. Your baby needs to have developed enough strength to support their own head and sit up either unaided or with a little support.
Despite what many parents think, you don’t need to wait until your baby is fully sitting up by themselves to use a high chair, as long as you choose a high chair that is adjustable and can support your baby well. For example, some babies that aren’t yet fully fitting up unaided, they might be more comfortable at a slight recline.
A high chair isn’t only for eating so you don’t need to be weaning your baby to use one. Using a high chair to interact with your baby can be a lovely experience. Face your baby when they’re in their high chair, meet them at eye level and spend some time talking to them, reading to them or playing. A high chair means your baby can sit around the table with you for family time or have a different place to relax and play.
When to use a high chair for weaning
Every baby is different but generally speaking it is recommended to start weaning at 6 months old. The best place to wean your baby is in a high chair because it will have the right support and promote good posture when eating.
Make sure your baby can sit in their high chair with a 90-degree angle at their hips, knees and ankles and that they can sit up straight. Feeding a baby on your lap or on a different type of chair may not support the correct posture for feeding.
When to stop using a high chair
There are no rules when it comes to an age limit for using a high chair. Some recommend transitioning away from a high chair anytime between 18 months and 3 years old, however, every child is different and it also depends on what setup you have at home.
For example, if you have a suitable seating area that your toddler can enjoy, you may be able to make the transition sooner. If you have a breakfast bar set up with high stools and open sides, it may not be suitable to transition them from a highchair to a chair so early.
There are products on the market that you can buy to aid the transition such as booster seats that strap to a chair to give them the height and support needed to be able to sit at a dinner table without a high chair.
What to look for when choosing a high chair
A high chair isn’t just a seat on a stand, some of them do far more than that and have innovative features that make them suitable for other activities and not just feeding. Here are some standout features to look out for when choosing your perfect high chair.
Footrest
A footrest on a high chair isn’t only there for comfort but it provides your little one with the necessary support that they need to sit with the correct posture. You may have noticed that often babies push against something when they’re having milk and they often do this when they’re eating too. Choosing a high chair with a footrest like our Kinderkraft Sienna High Chair, gives your little one something to push against and support their legs and feet.
Support
Look for a high chair that has excellent back support all the way up to your baby’s neck. You may notice that some high chairs only offer back support halfway down, which isn’t suitable for young babies who are being weaned. Our Bumbo High Chair offers excellent support, a high backrest and an adjustable harness to keep them safe and secure.
Tray
Some parents prefer a high chair with a tray because it is easy, convenient and can be used for play too. Not all high chairs come with a tray, like our Moji Yippy High Chair as they’re designed to be pushed up against a table. If you want your high chair to have a table, choose one that has an adjustable tray that folds, unfolds and moves forwards and backwards so you can set it to the right position.
To get the best of both worlds, choose a high chair that has a removable tray table so you can use your chair for multiple uses, like our brilliant Bugaboo Giraffe High Chair.
Easy to store
Cleverly designed high chairs have folding mechanisms so you can collapse them down into a compact parcel to store away easily. If you know you will be storing it away between meals rather than leaving it out all of the time, a compact, folding high chair will be perfect for you. Our Kinderkraft Lastree High Chair is super easy to fold and store and even includes a handle for easy carrying.
Multi-functional
Many high chairs are designed to be multifunctioning and act as play chairs, lounge chairs, low chairs, rocking chairs and so on. Our Bugaboo Giraffe High chair and Rocker is an example of a multi-functioning chair that is perfect for families that don’t have lots of space at home to store multiple different types of chairs.
Easy to clean
Perhaps the most important thing to consider is how easy to handle and clean a high chair is since it’s going to be a piece of equipment that will be used multiple times a day. Our clever Cosatto Noodle High Chair has a fully removable seat and tray for easy cleaning.
To clean a high chair, simply use warm, soapy water with a clean, soft sponge or cloth to wipe down the tray, seat and straps. Try to avoid using harsh chemicals on your high chair, particularly on the fabrics or wood as this can damage the chair and always check the label and manufacturer instructions for full cleaning advice.
Safe
Last but not least, choose a high chair from a reputable brand that uses high-quality materials and craftsmanship. At Kiddies Kingdom we only stock high chairs that we know and love ourselves, with a proven track record for safety. We recommend not buying a second-hand high chair as you don’t know how long it has been in use, how it has been treated and if it is in full working order.
Overall style
With so many different high chairs to choose from it’s perfectly okay to be picky on the style. Ask yourself if you prefer the look of a rustic, wooden high chair, a modern multi-functioning chair or one with an elaborate design. Whichever one you choose, we’re sure your baby will love it and enjoy using it time and time again.
Now you’re experts in using and choosing high chairs we hope you enjoy purchasing your favourite one and introducing it to your little angel.