- Make sure to select a Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) certified high chair or booster seat, which means that it meets current safety standards, and check that it has not been recalled here.
- The most important safety features are the safety straps and a crotch post. The safety straps, 3- or 5-point harnesses, should fit snugly to keep your child in place. The crotch post will keep your child from slipping and sliding under the tray table and out of the bottom of the chair.
- A full-sized high chair usually has a wide, sturdy base, and can be adjusted to different heights as your child gets older. If you need to regularly move or store your high chair, a foldable model, or a model with wheels, can be helpful. However, make sure that the chair is open to the right position, and lock the wheels in place before you put your child in.
- If you opt for a booster seat, make sure your child has the muscle coordination to sit up in one, and that you are attaching it to a sturdy chair. It is important to use all of the straps provided with the seat, to attach it as securely as possible to the chair.
- Avoid using travel/portable chairs that clip on or strap to tables, since it’s impossible to know if every table can accommodate the weight of your child, and that the seat is secure.