At what age should a child stop using a high chair?

Teaching your child how to eat can be troublesome, and it’s for this reason we use high chairs. Baby high chairs help your child sit properly while introducing them to different foods. But they can’t depend on a high chair forever.

At some point, they’re going to have to step down from the high chair. The question is when? Here are some signs your child might be ready for the dinner table.

What Is a High Chair?

A high chair is an elevated seat upon which parents let their toddlers sit. Since regular chairs are too low for toddlers, the chair is elevated up to three feet so it can be the same height as the dinner table. Some high chair manufacturers even include height adjustment as a feature for baby high chairs.

In addition to being elevated, a high chair also comes with its own table and straps, like a five point harness, to keep a toddler locked in while feeding and avoid falling off.

When Can a Baby Sit on a High Chair?

On average, parents put babies on a high chair at four to six months old, when the child starts showing signs they’re ready for solid foods. Around this time, babies start putting toys in their mouths and shy away from baby food or purees.

Even when your child starts sitting on a high chair and eating solids, they should still be breast or formula-fed until they are a year old.

When Do Kids Stop Using High Chairs, or When Is a Child Too Old for a High Chair?

After using the high chair for a good few months, then you can move on to alternatives because your baby will eventually grow out of it, and the high chair may become more of a burden than a tool to help feed your child.

Ideally, you should stop using the high chair starting at eighteen months old to three years, depending on your child’s development. The time they move on from the high chair can vary from child to child, so it can be hard to determine the right time for your baby.

Here are some signs you should look out for that could mean your baby is ready to step down from the high chair.

Too Small for Your Baby

Your baby could experience growth spurts within eighteen months to three years (or even earlier), and one of the most obvious signs it could be time for your baby to move on from high chairs is when they don’t fit in the chair anymore.

Remember never to force your child into using a high or booster chair. In addition to the discomfort, your child might surpass the high chair’s weight limit, which could be dangerous for them.

If your high chair comes with the features, try readjusting the straps or footrest before ditching the chair entirely.

Your Baby Moves Around a Lot

At times, babies can be very energetic, especially when they have just started learning how to move around on their own. While it’s important to allow your baby to develop their motor skills, constant movement can become a problem at the dinner table.

If your baby moves around too much, they could easily fall off their high chair (if not with it). A dining chair without safety straps might be safer for them in the long run.

Your Baby Knows How to Unbuckle the Seat Harness

Never underestimate your baby’s motor skills; as soon as they’re able to pick things up, they can also open doors and, worse, unbuckle the straps of their high chair’s seat harness.

Once you notice an increased mastery of their motor skills, you should keep them away from high chairs, since they can easily unbuckle themselves without your knowledge and fall.

They Can Sit Upright on Their Own

One of the reasons many parents use high chairs is as a means of support for their developing baby. Not all babies can sit upright on their own, so the high chair’s back becomes their support.

Once your child shows they can sit up on their own, it could be time for them to upgrade to a regular chair and sit with the rest of the family during meal times.

They’re Fussy at the Table

Many children throw tantrums during dinner. However, the reasons for their tantrums could differ each time, and one of them could be that they’re growing tired of the high chair.

Pay attention to your child’s fussiness; letting them have tantrums in their high chair could lead to more than just dropped food and can even be dangerous, even if they’re safely strapped in. Regardless if it’s because they’re uncomfortable or impatient, try placing them in a different seat and see if they like it better.

Your Baby Understands Table Manners

On the other hand, if you notice that your child already knows the basic rules of mealtime, they could be in line for a promotion to a big kid chair. Your child imitating adults at the dinner table could be a sign that they’re ready to leave their high chair and toddler table and finally sit at the table.

Your Baby Says So

Always watch out for what your baby says during mealtime, because they could be telling you exactly what they feel about the high chair.

They could demand to sit with the family or ask to be like mommy or daddy. Whatever the case, just stay calm and give them what they want. If it doesn’t soothe them, then you could always put them back in their high seat.

What To Use After High Chairs

Once you notice your child is on their way to being a grown up, it may be time to think of alternative seating to teach your baby the proper way of eating. Here are a few.

Child-Sized Dining Sets

Child-sized dining sets are a great way to move your child from a high chair to a table with proper utensils. In addition to being smaller than a regular dining table, a child-sized set allows children to simulate dining in an environment suited for them, allowing them to develop table manners naturally.

Booster Seats

A booster seat could be worth considering if your child wants to sit on a regular chair but can’t reach the dining table just yet. Booster seats can be placed in dining chairs to support the learning toddler. They are also safer since they have safety straps and have many space saving qualities.

Ashtonbee’s Wooden High Chair for Babies

A big kid may not need a high chair anymore, but if you’re still looking for one, then maybe you should check out Ashtonbee’s.

We build quality chairs. Our seat and food tray are made of food-grade polypropylene supported by beech tree wood legs, making an extremely sturdy high chair for your baby.

At Ashtonbee, we put your child’s needs first. So come look at our items and see what else we can provide for your precious baby.

Inside: Not sure when to stop using the high chair? Learn when it’s time to transition from the high chair to a booster seat with this guide, plus get tips for making the switch easy for you and your toddler.

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Is your toddler showing signs of being unhappy in their high chair? Are you wondering if it’s time to make the switch to a booster seat? This article can help you determine if your toddler is done with high chairs.

Note: Keeping your toddler in the high chair for as long as possible helps keep them and their mess contained. So, think carefully about when you want to move your toddler to the table. 

Here are five signs your toddler is ready to stop using the high chair. Plus, get three tips to help you and your child make the transition from the high chair to the booster seat. 

When to stop using the high chair

Here are five signs your toddler might be ready to transition out of the high chair.

1. Your toddler doesn’t like the high chair.

Sometimes toddlers or babies don’t like the high chair because it’s connected to a negative mealtime experience for them. 

Here are a few reasons babies may not like their high chair:

• They are pressured to eat at mealtimes.
• They don’t like having their face wiped.
• They had a bad eating experience, like vomiting.
• They don’t like being strapped into the chair.

How to help babies like the high chair again

Eliminating pressure from mealtimes can help babies feel more comfortable in their high chair. It can also help with picky eating if you have a picky eater. 

Also, letting your child get messy during meals can help them like their high chair again. Allowing your toddler to get messy is an important exposure that helps them learn to eat more foods. Plus, messy eating can also prevent picky eating from getting worse. 

Tip for cleaning up after meals: Bring a warm, soft cloth to the table to clean up your baby once the meal is over. For more tips on handling messes, read our blog about dealing with messy eaters. 

Are the straps of your toddler’s high chair causing discomfort? You can try to use the chair without the straps if your child doesn’t like them. 

If none of these solutions work, your toddler may be ready to move from the high chair to a booster seat.

Is your child a picky eater? Download our free picky eater’s guide for strategies to manage mealtimes with a selective child and reduce stress.

2. Your toddler wants to sit at the table like you.

Toddlers want to be like their grown-ups. If your toddler notices you are sitting at the table and they are not, they may not like that at all. 

They don’t want to sit at the table like a baby. They think they are grown-up, after all! 

3. Your toddler is uncomfortable in the high chair.

Many high chairs position children so they are leaning back, away from the tray. Your child may be uncomfortable eating this way.

The high chair may also not have a foot rest. You can fix this by adding a foot rest or getting a toddler high chair with a foot rest.

These things often make a toddler want to wiggle around, get out, and sit somewhere else. 

4. Your child is getting out of the high chair unsafely.

Some toddlers can get out of the high chair and the straps. They may be able to unbuckle the harness or wiggle out of them. 

Your toddler may be climbing in and out of the chair as well. These can all be safety risks, so it’s better to move your child to a safer seating situation.

5. Your toddler can sit at the table safely.

Sitting safely is an important part of choking prevention. If your toddler is able to sit safely for a few minutes to eat, they may be ready to transition to sitting at the table.

However, if your toddler isn’t able to sit for a few minutes to eat, it is better to keep them safely strapped into the high chair.

Transitioning from a high chair to a booster seat

Once you’ve decided that it’s time for your child to move away from the high chair, you can use these three tips to help you make the transition to a booster seat or toddler chair. 

1. Remove the tray and bring the high chair to the table

Booster seats often aren’t high enough for little toddlers. If you move the high chair up to the table, they may be better supported. 

2. Find the right booster seat

Your child will ideally have a footrest and a 90 degree angle at their elbows. You want to find a booster seat that is high enough that they can sit comfortably. 

You may also choose to use a toddler high chair, which can help young children sit comfortably at a table. 

Here are a few booster seats and toddler high chairs that may be helpful:

3. Eat with your child

When you eat with your child, they can see you modeling how to eat safely sitting down. 

Also, you can talk to them and help them be more interested in the meal. This helps them sit better, which is safer and can help with picky eating. 

In the end, your toddler will soon be sitting at the table and enjoying being a big kid! 

Expert advice on feeding toddlers

Feeding toddlers can be tricky! Learn how to help your toddler eat better from our team of experts. Check out our toddler feeding course today! 

Do you struggle with too much screen time at meals? If so, read our blog to learn how to cut back on screen time during meals. 

If your two-year-old doesn’t know how to use a spoon or fork yet, we can teach you how to get your toddler to use utensils. 

Make sure your toddler is getting the right amount of protein in our article about protein for kids. 

Need help coming up with lunch ideas for daycare or home? Discover tons of easy, healthy lunches for toddlers.