Four high chairs that offer more than just a place to eat

Meal-friendly seating.

Meal-friendly seating. (Tanaphong Toochinda via Unsplash/)

It’s a relatively short but important period in your child’s life: the high chair years. That magical time when they can sit eye-level with the rest of the family, perched atop a throne-like chair, and proceed to launch, mash, and pour food stuff everywhere (including, sometimes, their mouths).

Choosing the right high chair means making a lot of choices—plastic vs. wood, multi-function or basic—so a lot depends on your specific wants. But these high chair options will deliver no matter what your needs, and no matter what they end up being covered in.

Fit for royalty.

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Fit for royalty. (Amazon/)

Good for children up to the age of 3 (and not exceeding 40 pounds), the Graco TableFit is a single-function high chair that offers adjustability but, most of all, reliability. You are given up to 8 different height positions, making it perfect for any dining table set up, and the seat has 3 points of recline. Best of all, the seat-pad is machine washable and the tray is dishwasher safe. The TableFit also boasts what they call the “One-Hand Harness,” which allows you to adjust the seat harness fit with, well, just one hand. This feature is not to be underestimated, as any parent who has tried to help a frustrated baby while holding a tray of food can attest. The cool black and white design also mitigates some of the visual noise pollution common with a lot of child products.

Wee approve.

Wee approve. (Amazon/)

As mentioned, some products aimed at children can be garish, which is why the WeeSprout is another welcome alternative. An extremely simple, minimal design belies its versatility and ingenuity. It can go from high chair to booster to kid-sized chair, growing with your child. Combined with its sturdy and easy to clean wooden construction, the WeeSprout is a multi-year investment—something that also can’t be said of every child-centric product. Because it’s so simply crafted, it’s easy to assemble and easy to adjust. Also, it’s refreshing to have one less plastic item in any home.

Take a seat, without taking up room.

Take a seat, without taking up room. (Amazon/)

As the name suggests, this Fisher-Price option is ideal for families finding themselves maxed out on space. Rather than being a full-on, free-standing high chair, the SpaceSaver attaches to a standard dining room chair. The removable tray lets is function as a high chair first, then a booster seat later, guaranteeing at least a few years of use. Fully adjustable with dishwasher-safe parts, this highchair makes sense for those unwilling to invest in a more elaborate and less practical high chair, or for those with simply not enough space to accommodate one. It’s also available in an array of muted colors.

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Adorable like a fox.

Adorable like a fox. (Amazon/)

Lest you think we’re down on all sense of fun when it comes to the design of children’s furniture, we’ll throw a spotlight on the Infantino Grow-With-Me primarily because it combines playfulness with performance. The cartoon critter seat will delight children and actually cute enough to be a welcome addition to your home. The Grow-With-Me has 4-in-1 functionality, meaning it works as a standard freestanding high chair until you remove the legs and attach the seat to a standard dining room chair to save space, then it can be adjusted and transformed into a booster seat and eventually a kid chair. It’s easy to wash and easy to assemble, a great option with a welcome sense of whimsy.