How to choose a high chair, and use it safely

You'll use a high chair three or more times a day for a couple of years. Stability, a good harness and easy cleaning matter more than anything else.

When you'll need one

Most babies start solids around six months, once they can sit with little support and hold their head steady. That's when a high chair becomes essential.

Types of high chairs

• Standard high chair: a stand-alone chair with a tray. Many adjust in height and recline.
• Convertible or "grow-with-me" chair: often wooden. Converts to a toddler or youth chair so your child can sit at the table for years.
• Hook-on chair: clamps to a table edge. Small and portable, but only safe on sturdy tables that suit the model.
• Booster seat: straps to a regular chair. Better for toddlers who can sit well.

What to look for

• A wide, stable base that doesn't wobble or tip when pushed.
• A five-point harness, or at minimum a waist and crotch strap. The tray alone doesn't keep a child in.
• A footrest. Feet supported at a 90-degree angle help babies sit steadily and eat more comfortably.
• Easy cleaning: a removable, dishwasher-safe tray and a wipe-clean seat, with few seams for food to hide in.
• Locking wheels, if it has wheels.
• A certification sticker showing it meets current safety standards.
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Safety for every meal

• Always use the harness, every time.
• Push the chair away from tables, counters and walls so your child can't push off and tip it over.
• Stay with your child the entire meal.
• Don't let older children climb on or hang from the high chair.
• Check that the tray is securely locked.
• Register your high chair with the manufacturer, and check for recalls if it's secondhand.

Make mealtimes easier

• A suction plate or bowl that stays put.
• A catch-all bib.
• A washable mat under the chair.
• A small open cup with a little water at meals.