The standard high chair is often included on the list of necessities for new parents.
The high chair promotes comfort and convenience during a baby’s early eating experience after they are six months old and can sit up without assistance.
Additionally, it encourages interaction between infants and their relatives during mealtimes.
Babies can practice their pincer grasps on finger foods in the regular high chair, which features a single height position, a fold-up variant, and/or a detachable tray.
But many parents are unsure about how long do kids use high chairs. But the timing of the change frequently depends on the child’s development and your comfort level.
This guide contains answers to your questions about kids’ age and high chairs when to transition and how to transition smoothly.
How Long Do Kids Use High Chairs?
The answer largely depends on how the baby behaves throughout meals.
There’s a chance they’re trying to tell you they want to fit in better with the family if they start to act fussy at the dinner table.
Certainly, it is necessary to switch to a different high chair if the baby begins to attempt to climb out of it. This is to safeguard your baby.
In the absence of that, deciding when to switch is primarily up to you and the baby.
How To Know How Long Do Kids Use High Chairs?
1. Baby Resist High Chair
It might be time to start moving away from the high chair if your child cries every time you try to put him in it.
Meals should be social gatherings where families may spend time together and not a battleground.
Additionally, a toddler’s high chair could be too constricting as they grow older.
2. They Follow The Rules
When moving, it’s important to follow the fundamental high chair safety guidelines, especially if you’re skipping a booster and going straight to a regular chair.
Make sure your child is aware that chairs are not for standing on, rocking, lying on, or playing on before making the changeover.
Make it clear that all plates, bowls, and utensils are to remain at the table, and that everyone should be seated during meals.
What chair your child sits in shouldn’t matter as long as they can sit still long enough to eat and adhere to some fundamental safety guidelines.
3. Infant gets out of the high chair
Has your kid developed into an escape artist who can unbuckle that five-point harness all of a sudden? Can they climb out of the high chair?
The high chair turns into more of a danger to your child’s safety if they can unbuckle and go.
Some toddlers can remove themselves from the straps and the high chair. It’s possible that they can unbuckle the harness or wriggle free.
It’s advisable to shift your child to a more secure seating arrangement because any of these could pose safety issues.
4. Child Imitates You or Other
This is one of the signs of knowing how long do kids use high chairs.
When a child reaches this stage of development, they start to notice that their older siblings or parents are not seated in a high chair.
Alternately, if they are in a daycare home, they will notice all the older children seated at a table.
Following that, the majority of kids desire to sit in a big kid’s chair.
5. Infant Can Climb
When your child starts to experiment with all the different seats in the house, it might be time to let them sit like a big kid.
Allow them to test it out during meals once they can do so safely in and out of the chairs at the table.
6. Baby Feels Uncomfortable In High Chair
In many high chairs, kids are positioned to lean back and away from the tray. Your child can feel awkward eating in this manner.
Additionally, the high chair may not have a footrest. You can address this by purchasing a toddler high chair with a footrest or by adding a footrest.
A toddler may grow restless, want to move, or want to sit somewhere else when these things happen.
7. Your Little Child Can Safely Eat At The Table
An essential component of preventing choking is seating safely.
Your toddler could be prepared to make the switch to sitting at the table if they can sit comfortably for a few minutes while eating.
It is advisable to have your toddler safely secured into the high chair if they can’t remain still for a few minutes to eat.
You can take your time moving your child to another chair if they aren’t yet trying to get out or aren’t able to sit for a few minutes to eat.
How To Transition Safely Out of a High Chair
1. Take it Step by Step
How long do kids use high chairs for meals?
When it comes to meals, use the high chair until you are certain that your child is old enough to remain still during a complete meal.
Initially, have them sit in a booster chair or ordinary chair for snacks.
For very messy meals, you may also keep the high chair handy.
2. Consider A Booster
Pick a booster seat that has straps for your baby and straps to the chair when making your selection. Avoid boosters used in restaurants because they are prone to tipping over.
Other high chairs that conserve space can be converted into strapped boosters by just removing the tray and pulling them up to the table.
To make the booster more appealing, try to include some stickers with your child’s preferred characters.
3. Get Your Child’s Fit
A kid-sized table and chair set might be a fantastic option if your child won’t sit in a booster but you don’t feel comfortable letting them use the tall kitchen chairs.
They can sit in a chair without being concerned about dropping a few feet to the ground.
Additionally, you could invite their friends over and allow them to have a small dinner party at your table to help your child familiarize themselves with eating on the table.
4. Share Food with Your Kid
When you eat with your child, they can watch you serve as an example of how to eat properly while seated.
Additionally, you might engage them in conversation to get their interest in the food. It also makes kids sit more safely, which can help with picky eaters.
Eventually, your little child will be enjoying being a big kid and sitting at the table!
5. Turn it into a family event
Switch off the TV and gather your family around the table. Instead of just wolfing down food, make family mealtime a time for social interaction.
Spend some time with your child, engage them in conversation, and discuss your day.
They can eat better and are diverted from going in and out of their new, non-restrictive chair.
Baby High Chair Alternatives
1. Booster Seats
When you don’t want to have a large high chair around your house, booster chairs are a great alternative.
This is a tiny seat that you can attach to the table chairs you already have. Thanks to it, your infant or toddler will be able to eat at the table once they are tall enough.
The majority of them, however, will come with trays so that the infant or toddler will eat their meal on the tray rather than the table itself.
Your high chair issue can be resolved in one of the simplest ways possible with this. This will function well if you want to be able to have your infant eat at the table safely without having to purchase an expensive high chair.
It will always be easy to use, and your infant or toddler can utilize it with no problem. You should have no issues as long as you purchase a booster seat that fits them properly.
A booster seat will fit in your car’s trunk with relative ease.
Such choices are practical for on-the-go situations as well. It can therefore be brought along when you take your child to see Grandma.
2. Chairs Boosters
A chair booster is, in some ways, the opposite of the booster. For this to work, the chair booster is fastened to the legs of your table chair.
It will raise the chair a few inches so that your child may sit at the dinner table comfortably. This enables them to have meals with the family normally.
This approach will work well for toddlers who have made some progress. This approach will prove to be ineffective if your toddler is still uncoordinated at mealtime.
Perhaps, you’re still wondering how long do kids use high chairs and may require a chair booster.
There isn’t a set age range for this because it largely relies on your toddler’s motor skills.
3. Hook-On Chairs
This item connects directly to the table you are using. The attachment firmly grasps the table.
Your kid can then sit in the chair and enjoy meals at the table with the rest of the family as usual.
Even a small tray that will keep your table secure is included with this hook-on chair.
Your table won’t be damaged by little spills or other mishaps while your child is eating, so you won’t have to worry about that.
This is practical and ought to keep your kid content as well. Being able to eat with everyone else will be enjoyable for them.
This chair’s ability to attach directly to the table itself is a wonderful touch.
4. Folding High Chair
In essence, a folding high chair is no different from a regular high chair. The difference is that these high chairs can be put away much more conveniently.
The good wooden high chairs’ tendency to be fairly hefty is one of the issues that some people have with them.
They take up a lot of room, so if you live in a small place, figuring out where to keep them might be a hassle.
All of these issues can be resolved for you by a foldable high chair.
The functionality of a typical high chair will be available to your child, and you may store it out of the way when not in use.
When is it okay to Move Out of the High Chair?
Once a child is regularly sitting up and sustaining their body weight on their own, which usually occurs between 9 and 12 months, they can safely switch from the high chair.
The high chair doesn’t necessarily need to go in storage just because your baby is physically competent to sit in a booster seat.
There is no rush to switch if the baby is content and at ease in the high chair.
Which Booster Seat is the Best to Purchase?
When purchasing a booster seat, consumers have a wide range of brand and design options to pick from. Some high chairs can also be used as boosters.
It’s vital to wait to transfer to boosters until you know how long do kids use high chairs and feel your child is ready because boosters lack the security of a five-point harness that high chairs offer.
You can locate a model with a strap for your baby’s body and one that straps to the chair for the baby’s safety, which will stop them from slipping.
As certain seats can only securely attach to dining chairs without cushions, it’s also crucial to make sure the booster is compatible with your dining set.
Finally, the seat should be low enough to the table to enable your baby some freedom to move around; otherwise, you risk dealing with the same tantrums brought on by isolation when your baby feels too far away in their high chair.
Conclusion
Although some toddlers show signs of readiness earlier and others may be satisfied in their highchairs long into their preschool years, the majority of kids switch to a different seating position between 18 and 24 months.
Therefore, how long do kids use high chairs before switching to alternatives?
Most high chairs are made to hold kids up to 50 pounds, unlike many infant products that have tight weight restrictions.
Therefore, it’s likely that your decision over whether to move your baby will be influenced more by their degree of maturity, what your family wants, and how quickly your baby learns table manners.
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