High chairs: how to choose

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The first spoonful of purée is on its way – and with it, the question of where your little foodie is going to sit. Wooden, plastic, grow-with-me, folding, clip-on… The choice can easily turn into a small maze. 🥄

The nice thing is that a good high chair can be spotted by a few simple things you can check without reading a hundred reviews.

The short answer: You usually need one when you start weaning, around 6 months. Look for the EN 14988 standard, a five-point harness, a crotch post and a broad, stable base. Use the harness every time, keep the chair away from tables your child could push off, and never leave your baby alone in it.

First: safety

In Europe there’s a standard for high chairs – EN 14988. It sets out requirements and tests for strength and stability. If the label or the instructions say the chair meets it, that’s a good starting point.

Also look at:

• The harness. Most often it’s a five-point harness – shoulders, waist and between the legs. According to UK consumer testing organisation Which?, shoulder straps help stop children standing up in the chair.
• A crotch post. The firm “bump” between the legs stops your baby sliding down under the harness.
• Stability. A broad, wide base that doesn’t wobble. If the chair folds, check that it’s locked every single time you unfold it.

When is it time for a high chair?

Usually when you start weaning. According to the NHS, the UK’s health service, that’s around 6 months, when your baby shows several signs together: they can stay in a sitting position and hold their head steady, coordinate their eyes, hands and mouth to pick up food, and swallow it rather than pushing it back out.

It’s exactly that ability to sit with a steady head that makes a high chair comfortable and safe for eating. So there’s no need to rush the purchase months in advance.

What do paediatricians advise about using it?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) gives a few practical tips:

• use the harness every time, including the strap between the legs;
• don’t put the chair so close to a table or worktop that your child can push off with their feet and tip it over;
• don’t leave your little one alone in the chair, and don’t let older children climb on it;
• chairs that clip onto the table aren’t a full replacement for a freestanding one. If you use one when you’re away, choose a model that locks onto the table.

After that: what matters to you?

There’s no right answer here – there’s your answer.

• If your kitchen is small → look at folding models or ones with a smaller footprint.
• If you want the chair to last for years → grow-with-me models with an adjustable seat and footrest are a good idea.
• If you want your baby to eat at the family table → check that the chair pulls up close and that the tray comes off.
• If you hate cleaning crevices → look for smooth surfaces, few seams and washable padding.

Which? also checks, for example, whether the footrest is adjustable. Having somewhere to rest their feet makes sitting more comfortable, especially as your child grows.

For the dads

Putting the high chair together? Once it’s built, give it a gentle shake – if it wobbles or creaks suspiciously, better to find out now than in the middle of dinner. 🔧

📖 Read next: Baby thermometers: types and how to choose · Baby bouncers and swings: safety and how long is OK

In short

A stable chair, a good harness and a crotch post – that’s the non-negotiable part. Everything else comes down to your home and your habits. Get the spoon and the bib ready – the fun is about to begin, and you’re completely ready for it.

Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) – 6 Quick High Chair Safety Tips; Which? – How to buy the best high chair; Which? – What to consider when strapping your child into a baby product; NHS – Your baby’s first solid foods; CEN – EN 14988:2017+A2:2024 Children’s high chairs (Genorma listing).