High Chairs - What to look for
Safety
- Surprisingly over seven thousand children are injured each year in high chair accidents. Many of these injuries occur when babies are not strapped into their high chair.
- Over the shoulder safety straps and not just crotch straps. The cheapest high chairs only have a single strap around the waist. Higher end chairs have five point restraint harness systems for added safety.
- Newer chairs now include a passive restraint – a post under the tray to prevent the baby from falling thru/underneath the high chair.
- Look for the high chair with the widest base you can place in your dining area. Wider bases mean extra stability.
- Check for small parts. Make sure that end caps or plugs are well secured. Small parts are a choking hazard.
- Look for a high chair that is JPMA-certified. Although voluntary, the JPMA requires a slew of safety tests including: stability, anti-folding locking mechanism, secure restraining system, rounded edges (no sharp corners) and more.
- Look for a well padded seat that won’t tear or puncture easily.
- Reclining position for bottle-feeding. Avoid the reclining position when feeding your child solid foods as the reclining position is a choking hazard.
- Look for the right tray height position. The tray height of some high chairs is too high for some smaller babies. Make sure to get a high chair with a tray height that allows your child to see and reach the food on the tray. This is really important when your child is ready to feed him/herself.
- Adjustable seat heights are great for accommodating parents of varying heights and allows the high chair to be used at the level of the dining room table.
- Some high chairs are easier to clean than others. You will want to avoid high chairs with many nooks and crannies as food will eventually finds its way into the smallest of crevices.
- Removable vinyl covers that are machine washable – cloth covers are harder to clean.
- Easy one-handed tray release. Be aware of pull releases that are located underneath the tray. Some children have learned to kick the release thus ejecting the tray across the dining room table or floor.
- Color: darker colors and patters are usually better. White and or lighter patterns are harder to keep looking clean.