I love any high chair that gives children a foot rest so their legs do not dangle, in turn creating a stable base of support while eating. Other things I look for are ones that grow with them and ones that can be pushed up to the table when the child is ready to be without a tray. When children’s legs are dangling they are not in an appropriate anatomical position for eating. This creates more fidgeting and move around during meal times. Foot rests are ideally placed so the hips, knees, and ankles are at 90 degrees.
If you have a high chair without a flat foot rest, I always recommend building up the foot rest to reach your childs foot through the use of books, phone books, and upside down buckets … If you have a counter hanging high chair, move a chair up under their feet and build up with books. Think about if you were sitting on a bar stool and did not have anywhere to put your feet. You would be very uncomfortable. We as adults always look for the bar under the stool to put our feet on or the ledge under the bar. We should not be asking kids who are just learning to eat and growing to be sitting without the support that we want ourselves.
I love the stokke tripp trapp because it is so versatile and long lasting. It can last through grade school and adults can sit on them as well. The footrests adjust so the child is always stable, in turn creating the correct posture and anatomical positioning for eating.
