What is a travel highchair?
A travel highchair is an essential piece of equipment for families who are busy and on the move. For most parents they will have a standalone highchair at home where their child sits and eats but a travel option is one that is compact, carry friendly and easy to transport.
A travel highchair comes in a variety of formats that include:
Clamp-on seat - A highchair that attaches to a dining table bringing a child to the right level for eating.
Travel seat - a compact highchair that can be attached to dining table chairs with straps. They typically come with a tray or allow your child to come to table height. They fold down compactly and are easy to transport with straps, handles or travel bags.
Booster seat - Similar to a travel seat but are designed more for comfort and to give your child a 'boost' to the main table. Generally they are less compact for travel.
Fabric harness - A piece of material which attaches to most dining chairs securing your baby. They are the most compact of them all but offer little extra support or height for a baby and toddler.
Do I need a travel highchair?
There are many reasons why a travel highchair could be an essential piece of parenting kit for you and your family. The main reason being if you regularly go on holidays, whether that's abroad or in the UK. Plenty of accommodation no longer supply a highchair and most dining spaces only have a limited amount on offer.
As Another reason is if you're a family who enjoys eating out as Lucy Upton, qualified Paediatric Dietician and Feeding Therapist, explains there's so many uncertainties when eating out that a travel highchair will help you feel secure in the fact you have a suitable space for your child to eat.
"Finding a safe, stable and clean space to feed a baby can be difficult when feeding away from home. Restaurants, campsites or travel accommodations may not have a suitable highchair, or the ones available may not be hygienic or safe," she says. "Depending on a baby’s age, size and development, they may be unable to sit securely in the highchairs on offer or on a lap. Some public highchairs might be uncomfortable or unstable, posing a safety risk."
If you spend a lot of time visiting friends and family too, then having a travel highchair in the boot of your car will always come in handy as they'll rarely have somewhere suitable for babies to eat.
Another great reason to invest in a travel highchair is if you're short on space at home too. They are often more budget than a normal highchair and because of their compact nature, they'll take up much less space.
What should I look for when buying a travel highchair?
If you're considering investing in a travel highchair, these are the key things to consider before you purchase:
Age suitability - Make sure your baby or toddler is able to use it safely from the moment of purchase.
Price - The cost should reflect what the product has to offer.
Transport features - It needs to be light and feature a carry handle or strap to make it easy for you to transport when travelling.
Safety points - Perhaps the most obvious but ensure it ticks all the safety requirements for your baby and eating set up. For example, is it suitable for your dining table? Will your baby feel secure enough with a three-point harness?
Easy to clean - Eating is messy business and you want a travel highchair that can be wiped down quickly with no fuss.
Usage - Consider why you're buying the travel highchair and make sure the key features suit that purpose. Always travelling abroad? Then maybe the fabric seat is best. Want something to keep at another family home? Maybe a booster seat will be easier to store.
Longevity - you want a travel highchair that will grow with your child and their eating needs.
Are travel highchairs safe?
When used correctly, and following manufacturer's guidelines, travel highchairs are a great and safe way to eat as a family outside of the home.
Leading children’s nutritionist Lucy Upton explains, “To ensure safety, look for key features such as a secure harness, stable base or chair attachment and elements like non-slip feet. When using travel highchairs, always ensure they are placed on a suitable and stable surface, for example somewhere firm and flat, avoiding uneven ground or less supportive surfaces.”
She adds, "You also want to check the chair is suitable for your baby’s age, weight and size - checking with the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. As always, never leave your baby unattended when eating.”
We also recommend you completely familiarise yourself with the instructions for attachment, as well as practice setting it up at home, so you feel confident and familiar with the highchair when you first head out. It’s important to check if the chair or table is fit for purpose before attaching too.
What is the best highchair for travelling?
Overall we're huge fans of the Inglesina Fast Table Chair and the Chicco Pocket Snack Highchair.
Despite the high price point, the Inglesina Table Chair fits all purposes of a travel seat whether that's abroad, eating out or visiting friends and family. It secures quickly and securely and we love how much it makes a little one feel part of dinner time.
On the opposite end of the price scale is the Chicco Pocket Snack Highchair which is a great budget buy ticking all the boxes for a quality travel highchair. It can be used as an eating seat and booster, making it suitable for all types of dining situations from family meals to picnics.
Both products are compact and easily transported meaning they take up little room in boots or luggage and come with handy travel bags too.
About the author
Zoe Adams is a freelance writer and editor with 15 years experience working for online publications across the women's sector. With plenty of time spent writing, researching and reviewing mum, baby and child products, Zoe loves nothing more than taking the hassle and confusion out of an important purchase. Specialising in SEO (all your Google needs), she loves taking reader's most asked questions and finding out the real and honest answers.
As a mum of two young children, aged three and six, Zoe understands what it takes to make a product great, using her expertise and on-hand experiences to put a product through its paces before giving it the green tick of approval.