Starting to introduce your baby to solids – or weaning, as many people call it – is such a special milestone, and a fun time of exploration for your little one. And, as with everything baby-related, there’s loads of kit that goes with it. One thing you’ll definitely need is a high chair – but there are loads on the market, so where to start?
Well let’s begin with when to invest in a high chair. Baby and child nutritionist and co-author of How to Wean Your Baby (£10, Amazon.co.uk), Charlotte Stirling-Reed, says it’s never too early to start getting your children involved at mealtimes.
“It’s actually great to get little ones involved from an early age, to help them learn from watching you eat and to get them excited for a time when they can join you in eating,” says Stirling-Reed. “You can get your baby sitting in a highchair from an early age, using a newborn attachment set or stuffing the highchair with cushions so they can be a part of the meal.”
And when can babies actually start eating solids? “Once your little one is sitting up more or less by themselves, can hold their own head and neck, and is developing hand and eye coordination, they might be starting to become ready for solid foods,” Stirling-Reed says.
So now that your baby is ready for a high chair, what are the most important features to look for? Stirling-Reed advises: “Look for a highchair that is comfortable for baby and which has an adjustable footrest, high back and a removable tray, so you can pull baby right into the table with you for mealtimes. It’s also great if they adapt and grow with your baby too, so that they last a lot longer.”
How we tested
We tested a huge range of high chairs – in fact, our dining room was overtaken by them. We put them through their paces, looking for comfort, if they were easy to clean – extra points for dishwasher-safe trays – and if they were built to grow with our child. We also wanted to find high chairs that looked good in our home, so it was a question of form and function. Pull up a pew – these are the best of the bunch.
Stokke steps chair
We can’t tell you what a hit this chair was with our whole family. OK, we will, because this is our job after all. The steps is designed to grow with your kid. It has a newborn bouncer, which is sold separately (£79, Stokke.com), that slots on top, and then you can adapt it to be a highchair with or without a tray, and then just a standard chair. When it’s “just” a chair, it allows a slightly older child to sit directly at the table, and the step gave our five-year-old tester the independence to get up and down from dinner, letting him sit more comfortably than if he was on an adult seat.
Our toddlers also loved it as it seems super-spacious for them, and comfy too. We used the baby set (£70, Stokke.com) with the younger testers, which made sure they sat in place and were strapped in. As for us adults, we liked that this chair actually looks nice in our house – the understated Scandi style ticked our boxes in terms of aesthetics. Yes, it’s pricey when you consider all the extra add ons, but it’s well made and has been very well used, so we think it works out as decent value for money.
Vital Baby nourish scoop highchair
Wow, this highchair is compact. We are so impressed that it manages to pack in all the key features (removable cushion, foot rest and a removable tray) into such a tiny package. You can also convert it to a little toddler chair when your child has outgrown it. On that note, it probably wouldn’t last your child all the way through their high-chair career. Our toddler had trouble squeezing in – although you can adjust the tray depth and foot rest height – but it’s perfect for a weaning baby. We like that you can also fold it down and then slide it into a cupboard or another tight space.
Koo-di tiny taster 3-in-1 highchair
A highchair that’s designed to grow with your child, you can use this as a standard highchair along with its tray, but we like that you can also remove the tray so your child can be pulled right up to the table, and there are wheels on the back legs to help with this manoeuvre. When your child is a bit older, you can remove the lap guard too. And once they’re older still, you can remove the bucket seat so it becomes a high stool. The seat is comfy thanks to a removable insert, and it all clicks together well without getting jammed. We did feel like the tray was slightly on the small side for our toddlers, who like to spread their mess far and wide. However, we liked the Scandi-inspired design and that this highchair has real longevity.
Ikea antilop highchair with tray
Ubiquitous or iconic? The Ikea antilop highchair is a go-to choice for families and hospitality alike, and with good reason. The moulded plastic chair is the perfect size for weaning babies and still sits kids up to the age of three. It’s also super-easy to clean as there are very few grooves for Weetabix to get mashed into. We’d suggest you get the inflatable insert (£4, Ikea.com) and cover (£4, Ikea.com), which are sold separately, for younger babies, as it will help prop them up if they’re still a bit wobbly. We love that you can remove the very generously-sized tray for a thorough cleaning, which is also helpful if you want to draw the high chair right up to the table. Really handily these chairs stack together, so if you have two kids in need (we see you!) then it’s a real space saver when not in use. For only £15, you really can’t go wrong.
