Ever held a squirmy baby or toddler on your lap for an entire meal because you didn't have access to a high chair? It doesn't for make for a very relaxing dining experience.
As a frequent traveler, I encounter this problem all the time. While family-friendly restaurants in the United States usually have high chairs, there are plenty of places where there is not one in sight. And, if you are renting a home or condo in your travels, you are not going to have a high chair where you need it most: in your vacation rental.
[Trips With Tykes uses affiliate links. See full disclosures here.]
Sometimes, your stroller can serve as a feeding spot, but I'm happy to have found another emergency high chair alternative as well: the Easy Seat. Cozy Cover, the makers of the On-The-Go Changing Pad I reviewed (and adored) a few weeks ago, sent over a complimentary sample of the Easy Seat for review as well.
The Cozy Cover Easy Seat is a small harness made of durable cloth that is shaped to fit over the back of a standard sized chair. It has a few straps, belts, and buckles that enable you to snap in your little one in a similar fashion as you would in a high chair harness. The Easy Seat comes in a small pouch that is not much bigger than the palm of your hand, meaning you can throw it in your diaper bag or carry on bag without sacrificing space when traveling.
I tested the Easy Seat out with my Houdini of a 16 month old, and he could not escape from it. That said, the Easy Seat is not as secure or as stable as a standard high chair, so I wouldn't leave the room with an active toddler sitting in it. It also isn't as supportive as a regular high chair (particularly on the sides), so it probably won't work well with a baby who is too young to sit completely unassisted. Also be aware that the seat is only compatible with standard sized chair. Anything with a high back won't work as the harness won't be long enough for your baby to sit on the chair seat below. Installation was a breeze; it took me about two minutes to figure out how to install the Easy Seat on my first try. Subsequent installations took only mere seconds.
Caveats aside, the Easy Seat tackles a common problem for travelers with babies and toddlers quite well. When I'm not taking it with me in my airplane carry on, I'll be stashing it in the trunk of my car with other baby essentials to use on the go.
Now for the important part: the price. The Easy Seat is by far the most affordable product of its kind on the market. List price from Cozy Cover is under $20, and it's currently available on Amazon for around $18, which is a great value. I've seen similarly designed competitors for as much as $40. The Easy Seat is also far cheaper than renting a high chair from a baby gear rental service during your travels, even for a short trip.
Disclosure: Cozy Cover provided me with a free product for review purposes. As always, opinions are my own.
Jennifer aka Hint Mama says
Good to know about this product. We've been a fan of the Brica portable booster, but it's a bit more expensive than this one and doesn't fold as small.