Traveling with a baby can be quite a bit of fun, but as parents, you will find that there is plenty of gear you might want to have on hand to make the trip easier.
Portable high chairs are a great way to ensure that your baby has a place to sit no matter if you are at a restaurant, a friend’s house, visiting family, at the airport, or any place your baby might need to sit. But they don’t need to just be relegated for when you’re on the go. They can also be used at home to save space or as a more budget-friendly option.
What is a Portable High Chair?
A portable high chair is a simple design high chair that is easy to take with you when you travel. Traditional high chairs are often bulky in design and take up a lot of space. You aren’t able to travel with them and they are not convenient for active families or if you have little space within your home. Most portable high chairs are able to fold down compactly, have machine washable covers or are easy to wipe down, and can be used both indoors and outdoors. They are great to have on hand for outdoor use, playdates, vacations, picnics, sports events, or even to have on hand as an extra at grandma’s house.
Finding the right portable high chair depends on your family’s needs. Do you need one occasionally or on a regular basis? Do you need something that can stand on it’s own or one that can attach to a table or chair? Are you looking to use it mostly in the home or outdoors? Below are the different types of portable high chairs that you may want to consider.
Read more: 7 Tips for Airport Travel with Baby
What are the Different Types of Portable High Chairs?
There are several different types of portable high chairs, and it will depend on your needs. Here are some of the most common portable high chairs:
- Freestanding- Freestanding portable high chairs are kind of like the cousins to traditional high chairs. They completely stand on their own and have attached trays for meals, snacks, and toys. They can often be adjusted to the height of traditional high chairs, or stand a bit higher than portable high chairs that attach to chairs.
- Attach to Chair- These portable high chairs often do not fold down as compactly as others but they allow your child to either sit with a tray or come upright to a table. They can also be sat on the ground for playtime or snack time. They are a great option to keep at grandma’s house or for in-home use.
- Harness Style- Harness style high chairs attach to adult chairs. They do not have trays and children will sit up at the table to eat or play. They are the most compact as they often are made of cotton or other fabric. They are a great option to keep in your diaper bag when other high chair options aren’t available.
- Clip to Table- Another portable high chair option is the clip on the table option. These chairs have clamps that attach to the edge of a table. You must check the width of your table to ensure that it fits the specification of the seat as they usually can only fit tables at a width of around 3 inches. If your table has molding underneath, it might not fit properly. These chairs are a good option for in-home use or for restaurants.
The Best Portable High Chairs for Traveling
Wondering which portable high chair is the right option for your family? Here is a list of some of our favorites of all different styles and designs.
The Summer Pop n Sit High Chair is a great option for both indoor or outdoor eating. It is compact enough to keep at home when you have limited space but also convenient enough to take with you when camping, traveling, or just heading to the park. It can be used for children 6 months and older and hold children up to 45 lbs, so you can use it up to toddler-age, too. The compact fold literally pops out when you open it making it fast and easy to get out when you need it.
The Summer Pop n Sit High Chair is made with machine-washable fabric so it can be cleaned easily. It is also easy to wipe down. The removable tray is also dishwasher safe, which makes it all-around easy to clean no matter if you’re home or on the go. It also comes with a wet-dry bag to store the chair when not in use, making it easy to take along with you wherever you go. The Summer Pop n Sit High Chair has a storage bag and 3 point safety harness, too. Its just like a regular high chair except smaller and easier to travel with.
ciao! Baby Portable High Chair for Travel
The ciao! Baby Portable High Chair is a favorite among active families. The lightweight and flexible design unfolds easily and folds back up in a matter of seconds. There is no additional tray to take along and attach. The durable material will last and is resistant against stains and tears. The whole chair is easy to wipe down and the clear vinyl tray is easy to clean even with just water. It has a built in cup holder to keep everything for your child’s meal right where they need it.
The ciao! Baby Portable High Chair also has a five-point harness designed to keep your little one in place. It meets all US American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and EU European high chair safety standards and all Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) guidelines including lead, phthalates and flammability. It is the perfect chair for camping, picnics, to keep at grandma’s house, vacations, beach days, or tailgating. It holds children up to 3 years old, so it grows with your baby.
The Summer Pop n Sit chair is a low to the ground chair that is lightweight and easy to set up. The folding frame easily pops out in seconds. It can be used indoors for mealtime or outdoors for beach days, vacations, playdates, or for the grandparent’s house. The detachable tray is dishwasher safe, making it easy to clean. It is also BPA free.
The Summer Pop n Sit also comes with a convenient carrying case so it is easy to take with you. And the three-point safety harness keeps your little one safe while sitting and chair safety straps keeps it in place on an adult chair if necessary. It is a great option for the home or on the go.
The Inglesina Fast Table Chair brings baby right up to the table with the rest of the family. It attaches right to the edge of most tables, up to 3.3 inches thick, and is a great option for when visiting restaurants or traveling through airports as it folds compactly and completely flat. The chair is easy to install with the twist tight coupling. It is extremely secure and can hold babies up to 37 pounds who are over 6 months old.
You can bring the Inglesina Fast Table Chair wherever you go. The included carrying case makes it simple to take it with you. It also is easy to clean with washable materials that are easy to wipe down with mild soap and water. You can keep all your baby’s utensils, wipes, and bibs in the storage pocket on the side as well.
hiccapop Omniboost Travel Booster Seat with Tray
The hiccapop Omniboost Travel Booster Seat with Tray is a freestanding portable high chair that can either stand on its own low to the ground or be attached to an adult chair. It is perfect for taking along with you to the beach, camping, a dinner date, a playdate, or even to visit a friend. It is a great option to take on the go or to have at home when you don’t have a lot of space for a bulky traditional high chair.
The lightweight frame of the hiccapop Omniboost Travel Booster Seat with Tray makes it easy to unfold. It pops out easily and can fold down compactly when not in use. It also has a shoulder carry bag and rear pocket to keep spoons, bibs, wipes, and other items so you have them whenever you need them. The cover is removable and machine washable, making it easy to clean up after a particularly messy meal. The tray is also BPA, removable, and easy to wipe down. The tray swivels to the left and to the right so it is easy to get your little one out of their seat. It can also be completely removed so they can eat at the dinner table with the rest of the family when attached to an adult chair.
Your baby will stay secure in their seat with the safety strap. And the wide, stable leg base of the hiccapop Omniboost Travel Booster Seat with Tray also includes removable, tip-over prevention “duck feet” to distribute weight evenly and increase stability on soft or uneven surfaces such as sand and grass.
Vine Easy Seat Washable Chair Harness
If you’re looking for something super compact that you can take just about anywhere there are regular chairs, then the Vine Easy Seat Washable Chair Harness might be a great option. This is a favorite among wanderlust parents who love traveling and flying with their little ones but also want a safe and sanitary way to let them eat or play without carrying extra gear. It is made with 100% cotton and can attach to almost any chair with a maximum of 16″ in height and 19″ in width. It fits children from 6 months and older up to 33 lbs.
The two shoulder strap design keeps your baby in the chair and prevents them from falling out. The straps can adjust to fit your baby’s size so they will stay secure even as they continue to grow. The Vine Easy Seat Washable Chair Harness only takes a few seconds to set up. Simply place it over the chair and click together in the back, tighten to fit the chair and place your baby inside. The entire seat is machine washable and can be put inside a diaper bag for travel wherever you go.
phil&teds Lobster Clip-On Highchair
The phil&teds Lobster Clip-On Highchair is made from super lightweight aluminum so it is easy to take with you wherever you go like to grandma’s house or your favorite local restaurant. The entire system weighs under 4 lbs!. The aluminum clamps attach to tables from 0.8 inches up to 3.75 inches thick. The phil&teds Lobster Clip-On Highchair is made to accommodate even small infants, starting at 3 months old, one of the only seats on the market that is designed to do so. The padded back support and shoulder strap help to keep little ones safe and secure while sitting.
The entire seat folds down flat for compact storage. There is a storage bag for easy travel and the travel tray is dishwasher safe. The travel tray is great to have on hand when you want sanitary conditions for your baby to eat like when you’re traveling or eating out. You can also remove the tray if you would like your little one to sit right at the table with you. The phil&teds Lobster Clip-On Highchair is a great portable high chair or for a safe-spacing option at home.
The unique feature of the TCBunny Hook-On Chair compared to other hooks on chairs is that the entire cover is removable and machine washable. The cover is also waterproof making it resistant against most spills. The clamps are made from durable steel so they are hardy and safe. They can fit tables between 0.8 and 3.3 inches thick. There is also a 5-point harness that keeps your little one safe while sitting inside the TCBunny Hook-On Chair. It can hold children from 6 months to 36 months with a maximum weight of 37 lbs.
The TCBunny Hook-On Chair is compact and easy to store. It folds down completely flat so it is easy to take along with you. It is also a great space-saving option as it doesn’t take up a ton of room like traditional high chairs. It is a wonderful chair to keep in the car for when you’re out or for your home to allow the baby to sit right up at the table with the rest of the family.
liuliubaby On-The-Go Harness Seat
Another chair harness style portable high chair option is the liuliubaby On-The-Go Harness Seat. In just seconds, you can turn a regular chair into a portable high chair. The adjustable harness straps can be used for babies 6 months and older, and the straps around the chair can hold your child in just about any chair with a maximum height of 21 inches. There are additional anti-slip pads on the bottom that prevents the liuliubaby On-The-Go Harness Seat from slipping and sliding on the chair.
The liuliubaby On-The-Go Harness Seat is comfortable for your little one too. The seat is padded both on the bottom and the back, and the straps are made from ultra-soft fabric so they don’t bother your baby’s neck. The entire harness seat is machine washable for easy clean-up. This is a great seat to keep in your diaper bag for whenever a high chair isn’t available.
Looking for something to take with you outdoors? The Baby Delight Go With Me Chair is the perfect outdoor portable high chair as it comes with a sun canopy to protect your little one from the sun’s harmful rays and the elements. The seat is compact and easy to set up, popping out and into place in just seconds. The removable and washable snack tray is perfect for meals or toys. And the 5-point harness keeps your little one safe in the seat.
As your baby grows, the Baby Delight Go With Me Chair’s seat can unvelcro, leaving two legs holds for baby to stand in as they get older. This is the perfect chair to take with you camping, to the beach, or to older siblings’ sports games.
A portable high chair is a must-have for active families. Camping, sibling soccer games, traveling, and visits to friends and family are all great reasons to have a portable high chair on hand. They are easy, convenient, and many can be used while at home, too.
Photo: Marlon Lopez MMG1 Design/Shutterstock
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