Booster Seat For Dining Chair

A booster seat is ideal for when your child no longer needs a highchair, but still needs help reaching the dining table. Whether you're in your dining room or at a restaurant, they can be used with most dining chairs, can help your child feel more grown-up and take up less space.

Our pick of the best booster seats

In a hurry to get your baby a booster seat ready for mealtimes? We've shared a shortlist of our top picks for you to get yours. If you need more information before you buy, scroll down for our thoughts and reviews.

Best for kid appeal: Baby Polar Gear Portable Booster Seat
Best for younger babies: Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat
Best for multiple uses: Ingenuity Baby Base 2-in-1 Booster Feeding and Floor Seat
Best for chucking in your changing bag: JoJo Pack-Away Pocket Highchair
Best for feeling grown up: Prince Lionheart Soft Booster Seat
Best for chair grip: Safety 1st Essential Booster
Best for compact storage: Chicco Pocket Snack Booster Seat
Best for style: Booster Seat Owl Printed Harness Cushion
Best travel option: Munchkin Portable Travel Child Booster Seat
Best for quality: Baby Bud Booster Seat with Detachable Tray
Best for easy cleaning: Ingenuity SmartClean Toddler Baby Booster Feeding Seat
Best for pre-schoolers: Mi Booster Cushion

How to choose a booster seat

You can choose a high chair booster seat which has a removeable tray and cushions, while others are essentially just straps. What works for you will depend on what age and stage your child is at and how portable you need the booster seat to be.

Some can be used for babies from six months – just make sure it has a supportive backrest and harness. Most come with a three point harness which is highly adjustable so it can grow with your child, making it a useful product for a fast-growing tot.

Avoid anything with nooks and crannies so you can clean the seat easily and make sure your booster seat of choice has a non-slip bottom, keeping toddlers safer and more secure.

Read next: The best toddler cups to make drinking easier

Best for kid appeal: Baby Polar Gear Portable Booster Seat

Amazon

This versatile booster seat weighs just 700g, yet offers both a height boost and a three-point harness to help keep little diners in place at the table. The cushion is inflatable so can be packed up and chucked in a drawer or under your pram, and the harness comes higher up than a lap belt, making this a sensible choice for younger toddlers. At the end of your meal, just wipe the booster down and fold it up to form a neat and compact shoulder bag, which comes complete with an extra pocket that contains a portable changing mat.

Click to read our full Baby Polar Gear review

Best for younger babies: Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat

Amazon

Ideal for everyday use in a small home or for keeping at the grandparents', this booster has a supportive seat that is suitable from six months. It's quick to clean and cleverly incorporates an extra tray and lid. It does fold down but is still on the bulky side.

One parent said, "This is one of the best baby things I've purchased. I don't have room for a conventional high chair in my dining room so this booster is ideal. My baby sits properly and upright in it. There are easy to use straps and the tray feels secure and is easy to clean. The middle white tray can be removed for cleaning and there is a green lid too to keep everything clean for travelling/to stop you getting dirty when you've finished with it and can't clean it before you get home. The back of the seat also folds down so it means you can push your dining room chair with the booster on it under the table. The height is adjustable and the tray can be taken off so your baby can sit up at the table with you when he/she is ready. I am really happy with this, especially as it was a hundred pounds cheaper than the high chair I was going to buy!"

Best for chucking in your changing bag: JoJo Pack-Away Pocket Highchair

A simple, clever fabric harness that ties onto a chair. It doesn't provide a height boost so won't help children reach the table, but is still useful for spoon-feeding. It packs down to virtually nothing, which is a huge bonus. Suitable from six months.

One parent said, "Amazing product! Worked great for my 23 month old on holiday and now it's my go to item! Although it worked great for me, the material is flimsy and would require parent supervision for younger babies. Easy to clean/wash with no effort and folds in to the perfect size for travel. Couldn't recommend more!"

Best for feeling grown up: Prince Lionheart Soft Booster Seat

Amazon

This simple booster is perfect for older toddlers who want to feed themselves but can't reach the table. It's made from soft waterproof material and has absolutely no awkward corners, so it's extremely easy to clean and comfortable, too. It's sold in a choice of three colours and is suitable from 18 months.

One mum said, "Excellent booster seat! My 2y9m old daughter was growing out of her high chair - it was getting a mission to lift her in and out of it. This seat is perfect for us - sturdy yet not totally hard to sit on, we just place it on a dining chair, no faffing with straps etc which I think are no longer needed at this age. She climbs in herself - we just ensure she doesn't push the seat off too far, but it tends to stay put quite well (the material will grip a little on leather, faux-leather or plastic). When we push the chair forward, she's pretty well placed not to spill too much food on her clothes u0026 lap. We love it!"

Best for chair grip: Safety 1st Essential Booster

Amazon

Rubber grippers on the underside of this booster will keep your baby secure and the three-point safety harness will keep them safe and can be adjusted as your child grows. We all know that babies can be messy at dinnertime, but this booster seat has an easy to clean surface.

One mum said, "Very sturdy and brings my little boy to the height of the table- he's a big lad and I was worried it wouldn't take him, but it will and has room to grow- he has just turned two and we use it three times a day now and it has replaced the high chair. Really fab I'd definitely buy again. Clasps are super strong too and fits well onto high back leather chair."

Best for style: Booster Seat Owl Printed Harness Cushion

Amazon

Available in several sweet designs, this comfy booster seat will add height of 3.1" to your tot. Two extra strong adjustable straps, easily and safely fasten under the chair meaning it won't slip and slide about. Handily, the cover can easily be removed and machine washed.

Not a fan of the owl print? There's dinosaurs, polka dots, florals, a space theme and many more to choose from!

One mum said it was perfect for independent little ones: "I have a 2yr old who climbs out of high chairs even when strapped in - often shooting across the table at dinner times! We decided to bite the bullet and get rid of the high chair - this cushion is just what we needed. It's firm and fits the chair perfectly - he can safely get up and down as well."

Best travel option: Munchkin Portable Travel Child Booster Seat

Amazon

This clever travel bag easily transforms into a booster seat for your youngster, offering convenient and protective storage section for those much needed essentials such as bottles, cups, nappies and more. A great option if you're on the go a lot, it's ultra-portable with a carry strap included and folds away neatly so is ideal if you don't have much space at home.

One mum said, "Purchased this for our upcoming trip away as our IKEA highchair takes up so much room in the car. Our 18 month old is very happy to sit in this and seems secure. The straps adjust easily to fit around different types of chair. The zipped compartment underneath will be really handy for storing cups, plates, cutlery etc. It easily folds down and becomes a carry bag - I like how there isn't a separate bag for it that may get lost, instead it just all folds up inside and can be carried as it is. Very lightweight too so will be great for taking abroad in a suitcase."

Best for pre-schoolers: Mi Booster Cushion

Amazon

This booster seat is perfect for pre-schoolers who want to do arts and craft at the table, too, thanks to the brilliant crayon holder on the side. Crayons and a colouring book are included, the cover is machine washable and the cushion can be carried backpack-style with the integral straps.

Best for quality: Baby Bud Booster Seat with Detachable Tray

Perfect for eating out or at the dining table, this booster seat comes with a carry handle for easy hauling and a removable tray; great for extending the usage of your booster seat once your little one is ready to eat directly from the table. With adjustable non-slip feet, padded seat and a harness, your child will sit comfortably and safely as they eat. Suitable for children six months and over.

Mums and dads have said that it has a "lovely colour and quality" and that they "had this for my first baby so when I had my second it was a must buy for me."

Best for easy cleaning: Ingenuity SmartClean Toddler Baby Booster Feeding Seat

If you've got a mucky-pup for a baby at dinner times, this booster seat will answer your prayers! Designed to stand up to the toughest mealtime messes, the whole seat can be easily wiped clean. Spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying your little one's company. Suitable from 16 months.

One mum said, "My 14 month old decided he is now grown up enough not to use his high chair, so this was a must have purchase! It's practical, easy to use and affordable. It's also very easy to clean as the grey inner is removable. My son enjoys sitting in it and feels more involved at meal times. The straps that attach around the chairs are a good length and easy to adjust. The 3 point harness means my son is safe and secure."

Best for compact storage: Chicco Pocket Snack Booster Seat

This booster is not only versatile with height adjustment and a removable tray, it's great for storing, too. If you're limited on space or want to be able to fold away your booster seat for another child to use when they're old enough, this removable booster can be folded down when not in use and moved with the carry straps. Suitable for ages six months and over.

One grandmother said, "Bought to use for visiting grandchildren. Easy to set up, straps onto standard dining chair,well made. Folds away neatly for storage. Reasonably priced."

Best for multiple uses: Ingenuity Baby Base 2-in-1 Booster Feeding and Floor Seat

Amazon

This portable booster seat works just as well sitting with you at the table for feeding, or as a supportive floor seat during playtime! The removable tray stores neatly under the booster seat and the foam inserts can be removed when your baby outgrows it for extended use. Suitable for ages six months and over.

One reviewer said, "Excellent to help a baby who can almost sit unaided. Good quality and design, handy tray that can easily be removed. We haven't used it as a booster seat on a chair yet as he is not quite 6 months and uses a high chair but it is very secure so we will use it shortly. Will be very handy to take places as light and portable."

Table booster seat safety tips

Always use the safety straps provided to keep your child safely seated and check they are in good working order and firmly attached to the chair. Also remember that the tray alone is not sufficient for keeping them in place.
Stay with your child during mealtimes. An unsupervised child is more likely to try to escape, kick back from the table or choke on food.
Make sure the chair their booster seat is attached to is strong, weighty and stable without wheels.
Keep the area around the booster seat clear. As your child will have closer access to what is on the table, make sure hot foods or sharp utensils are kept out of reach.
Before moving to a booster seat, make sure your baby is able to sit up consistently first. There's no set age that your child should graduate from the high chair, so if they take a little longer, that's perfectly ok.
Make sure to double check your chosen booster seat's age and weight restrictions.

Booster Seat For Dining Chair