Moving from a high chair to a seat at the dining room table, properly, with the other members in their family, is a big thing for a toddler. It’s a big thing for parents too. It’s the start of the baby becoming their own little person and finding their own way. It’s an important to consider how we support our kids in making that transition from high chair to table. We’ve got five key reasons why we think that having booster seats at the table for toddlers is something well worth thinking about when your child reaches this stage.
Firstly though, how do you know when your child is ready?
How to tell your toddler is ready to transition from highchair to table
There are a few signs that help you to work out when your child is ready to move from the high chair to the table, but it is very much an individual thing. It is worth noting:
- Are they able to hold themselves for long periods of time in the seated / standing positions?
- Can they physically getting a bit too big for their high chair?
- Within their highchair, are they safe and much less squirmy than they used to be when they were younger?
- Are they between 18 months to 3 years old – which is the average for this transition?
- Are they letting you know that they are getting bored and fed up in the high chair with fussiness and meal times when you all eat together suggesting that they want to join in?
There really isn’t a specific time (as usual!), but some of these questions will help you to know your child, and see work out whether they are ready to move to the dining room table and get themselves their very own dining room chair!
What makes us think booster seats are best for toddler dining?
There are plenty of chairs our there that are designed specifically for kids to use at the dining table, from the Tripp Trapp, and beyond. So what makes KiddyCharts feel that the booster seat might be a good addition to the parenting arsenal?
1. Your booster is made for your toddler’s transition
It doesn’t matter what dining room furniture you have in your home, you might have the perfect room for toddlers with wipe clean floor, and chairs that don’t stain. You might even have had the foresight to purchase dining room chair design that takes into account that much of your toddler’s food will be on the floor, as well as the table and chairs.
Whatever chairs you have, they were likely designed with adults in mind, and most definitely not toddlers. Even if you had thought about little people in choosing your chairs – they are still designed to cater for the adults and not the children. There is nothing more suitable to help with their transition to the dining table than booster seat made for feeding your toddler. Given then attached to pretty much any dining room chair, they are ideal for any home. Usually booster seats are easy to clean, safe, and at that perfect height (and sometimes even adjustable) to help your toddler feel part of the discussion, and the family at the dining room table.
Having that specific product made to support and help you and your toddler at feeding time is a no brainer. The best solution to supporting that high chair to table transition is something created to help you out specifically with that stage in your toddler’s development. The dining room booster seat is just that solution.
2. Your toddler just wants to be like you
Given that your toddler wants to be like you, or at the very least, learns an awful lot by imitating you, if it is possible for them to sit at the same chair, they will be much happier, and able to develop the necessary skills at mealtimes.
The booster seat enables you to use the usual family chairs at the table, with just a little additional support for your toddler. The sets helps to rise them up, allowing you to strap them in if they need it.
3. Your toddler can take it with them outside the family home
Most booster seats are portable. They can be folded up and removed from the dining room chairs and either put to one side, or taken with the family when they go out.
This is an added bonus for families with toddlers moving from high chair to table because it means that they can continue that transition in other settings, from a cafe or restaurant, to another family member’s home. This can help your toddlers to settle better in different environments too, because they are used to the booster seat they are using. For example, if your toddler suffers a little from separation anxiety, and a family member if looking after them at meal time, having the familiar booster seat will be very helpful.
4. It offers you peace of mind: just in case of your toddler wriggles
When considering transitioning from highchair to table, it is important to understand how fussy your toddler is during mealtimes. If they are still squirmy in their chair, then it is likely that they aren’t quite ready. If you decide that they are, the booster chair typically comes with straps to help with the transition. This means that you can strap your toddler in if you want a little more peace of mind.
It may not be necessary, but sometimes it is helpful for us, as parents, to have a little reassurance.
5. They are space and budget saving
Finally, booster seats are not expensive at all. For example, you can get good quality boosters for c. £20 – 25. This is a fifth of the cost of some of the chairs made for older toddlers.
Your booster seat can also be folded up and put to one side. This means that the dining room can be used by all adults. That makes having a dinner party after the kids have gone to bed an awful lot easier!
We hope that you like these thoughts about booster seats and dining rooms, and feel free to sign up to our newsletter if you do.
We do have other ideas for toddlers and weaning, so why not take a look at these thoughts too?
Inspiration for toddlers, including activities and eating ideas
Here are some more ideas for toddlers, both activities and around food. Check them out on KiddyCharts now.
Tuna and Sweet Corn Fritters
Give your little one a boost of protein with this delicious and simple tuna and sweet corn fritters recipe.
Sweet potato: How to make sweet potato dip
A delicious dip for babies, toddlers, and all the family! We love this, and it is so much fun to have as an after school snack as well.
Here are more ideas for you from other children’s sites as well:
Other sites ideas for toddlers: Eating and activities
Here are some more thoughts from the internet on activities and eating with toddlers.
6 ways to survive dining out with a toddler
We all struggle sometimes eating out with our little ones; here are some ideas to help.
8 Tips to Help Your Toddler Eat a Healthy Diet
Ideas to help you to encourage your toddler to eat healthily - particularly if they have a bit of a sweet tooth.
25+ Easy Toddler Fine Motor Activities
Some ideas to improve fine motor skills which will help with eating - of course!
We hope that you like all these ideas for booster seats at the table and beyond, and you will be back again with us soon.
See you soon,
Helen
This is a collaborative post and contains affiliate links.
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!