Curated Experts Can Help You Find the Best High Chair for You and Your Family

In need of a feeding chair or seat for your kiddo? Curated has high chairs, booster seats, and more for securing and elevating your child during meal times. Our Baby & Toddler Experts can help you find the best chair to fit your space and anticipated feeding style, as well as help you build a personalized registry!

High chairs range in size and portability; there are standard, foldable, convertible, grow-along, space-saver, and hook-on high chairs. Unlike high chairs of the past, many modern high chairs are both highly functional and visually appealing, making them a centerpiece rather than an eyesore in a kitchen or dining room. They also take up less space than older models, and many fold away easily for storage when not in use.

Does Your Family Need a High Chair?

While high chairs are popular items among new parents, you may wonder if you really need one. First and foremost, your child’s safety when sitting and eating should be a priority. Babies should not eat in seats that are made for infant activity, such as bouncers and swings. They also shouldn’t eat in an unsecured floor seat on a chair or table.

The best way for your baby or toddler to eat on their own or with your help is by sitting in a sturdy piece of furniture with a broad and stable base, a safety harness with adjustable straps, safe latches and closures, adjustable seat heights, a post between their legs, and wheel locks. By definition, that’s what a high chair is!

But high chairs come in various shapes and sizes. It’s important to determine how much space you have in your home and where you’d like your baby to eat. Will they be sitting with you at the table, or do you want them to sit separately with a feeding tray? Matching their height to yours while you’re eating together is important for interaction and feeding at the table or counter, and a standalone high chair gives them space when they need it.

You also want to consider what cleanup will look like. A high chair with a removable, dishwasher-safe tray can be easier for cleaning. It’s also helpful to pick a high chair that can easily be wiped down and doesn’t have many nooks and crannies that food could get stuck in.

In terms of cost, certain high chairs have the ability to grow with your child from their baby and toddler stages up into their teenage years! Posture is important no matter what age your child is, and even more so for adults, and these types of high chairs do just that—ensuring back support, bringing your child closer to the table, allowing for a 90-degree elbow and knee bend, and supporting feet with a footrest.

What Ages Are Appropriate for a High Chair?

If you’re going crazy thinking about the amount of baby products you need before your little one arrives, here’s some reprieve—you don’t need a high chair until your baby starts eating solid foods, which is usually around six months (always consult with their pediatrician first).

Some high chairs have a recline position that is designed to help bottle feed infants who are at least a few weeks old. You can also use a high chair to hold a baby for short periods while you clean up the kitchen or sit down with the rest of your family for meals, but you should always be close by. And a baby should never be seated in a reclined high chair while eating solid foods—that’s where the upright positioning and good posture comes in.

A baby is ready for a high chair that positions them upright when they can sit up on their own, unsupported, which is usually around seven to nine months. High chairs can generally be used from this age to about three years, or until your child starts trying to wiggle or climb out. At that point, it’s time to transition to a chair at the table, either with a booster seat or a grow-along child seat. High chairs have different weight maximums, which often range from 40 to 60lbs. Grow-along seats, which can be adjusted and converted into chairs for bigger children or adults, can hold well over 100lb up to 300lb, depending on the model!

How to Choose the Right High Chair for Your Family

There’s no shortage of styles and creativity when it comes to high chairs—whether you want something more standard, more contemporary, more portable, or more versatile. So how do you choose?

• Standard high chairs are among the most straightforward, budget-friendly, and easy to use. They’re best for those with plenty of space at home, are typically made of wood or plastic, and can be more comfortable for a child than some lightweight/portable options.
• Foldable high chairs are ideal for those with less space at home and on-the-go families who need something that will pack small in the car. They’re usually found at a lower cost but may lack some frills and the comfort of a standard high chair.
• Convertible high chairs are similar to standard high chairs, except they can be converted into a booster seat for your child to join you at the table. These are a nice two-in-one option for parents who don’t want to buy a high chair and a booster seat. They tend to be more expensive but can be used for up to 10 years by a single child.
• Grow-along high chairs are contemporary chairs—usually without trays—that can grow with your child from their infant and toddler years and later be converted into full-size chairs for older children and sometimes even adults! These chairs are often made with a sturdy wooden frame for eco-conscious parents who want a product their child can use for their entire childhood (and beyond). Without a tray, they allow a child to sit closer to and eat at the table with the rest of the family.
• Space-saver high chairs are high chairs without legs. They must be mounted onto an existing chair to function at the same height as a standard high chair and are taller than booster seats. These are typically low-cost and space-saving alternatives to high chairs, but each chair’s installation instructions must be carefully followed for safety reasons.
• Hook-on high chairs are legless, compact seats that mount onto the edge of a table or countertop. They typically “hook on” without hardware and are easy to take off. Despite the fact that they have no base, these seats are safe when installed and used correctly, but pay attention to weight recommendations (usually around 30-37lb). The compact and lightweight nature of hook-on seats makes them popular among parents with limited space or anyone who doesn’t want a full-size high chair in their home.

Talk With an Expert

When you are ready to begin thinking about which high chair is best for you and your child, speak with one of the Baby & Toddler Experts here on Curated. They are always a message away and are able to help narrow down the choices for you as well as be a sounding board for your questions and ideas. Take the Baby & Toddler quiz now to get matched with one of these Curated Experts, who can also help you build a customized registry!