2 best booster seats for toddlers

Booster seats for toddlers are crucial safety devices designed to provide additional support and protection for young children while traveling in a vehicle. They serve as a transitional step between a forward-facing car seat and using a regular seat belt. Here are some key points about booster seats for toddlers:

Purpose: The primary purpose of a toddler booster seat is to elevate a child, ensuring that the seat belt fits them properly. This helps distribute the force of a collision across the strongest parts of their body, minimizing the risk of injury.
Age and Size Guidelines: Booster seats are typically suitable for children between the ages of 4 to 12 years old, although this can vary depending on the specific model. They are designed for children who weigh between 40 to 120 pounds (18 to 54 kilograms) and are usually at least 35 inches (89 centimeters) tall.
Types of Booster Seats:
- High-back Boosters: These come with a backrest and are recommended for vehicles without headrests or for additional head support.
- Backless Boosters: These do not have a backrest and are suitable for vehicles with headrests or for older children who no longer need head support.
Installation: Booster seats are relatively easy to install. They are typically secured using the car's seat belt. High-back boosters may also have an additional strap that goes behind the car's seat to provide extra stability.
Positioning: When using a booster seat, the lap belt should sit low across the child's hips and the shoulder belt should cross their chest and shoulder, away from the neck. The child's knees should bend comfortably at the edge of the booster seat.
Expiration Date: Just like other car seats, booster seats have an expiration date. This is usually stamped on the bottom or back of the seat. It's crucial to adhere to this date, as materials can degrade over time.
Safety Standards: Booster seats must meet specific safety standards set by regulatory agencies.Look for seats that are certified by recognized safety organizations.
Choosing the Right Seat: It's important to choose a booster seat that is appropriate for your child's age, weight, and height. Some booster seats have adjustable features to accommodate growing children.
Replace After a Crash: If a booster seat has been involved in a significant crash, it's recommended to replace it, even if it doesn't show visible damage.
User Manuals: Always refer to the manufacturer's user manual for specific installation instructions and safety guidelines.

Using a booster seat is crucial for the safety of your child while traveling in a car. It's also essential to follow local laws and regulations regarding child passenger safety.

Below you can find our editor's choice of the best booster seats for toddlers on the market

Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat, Berry Blue, 3-Point Harness and Dual-Strap System, Easy to Wipe Clean, and Lightweight

Prince Lionheart

Based on 5 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Prince Lionheart believes that everyone deserves a seat at the table, which is why it makes booster seats that can belly up to the table as soon as Baby is able to self-support her head. We designed this booster seat for young toddlers (18m+) so they can safely and comfortably join the family at the dinner table and start mastering the skills of self-feeding and table manners. This seat has comfort and security built in with a suspended seating area for comfort - it's not just rubber or foam on a rigid base, but actually has a comfy spring to it, a rigid base for stability, slip-resistant feet for safety, and three sets of straps to keep the seat on the dining chair and the squirmy diner in the seat! Lightweight and portable, this seat is ideal for use at home or on-the-go and is intended for children 18m+ who are able to sit up unaided and up to 5 years old or a maximum weight of 60lbs, though all of us at Prince Lionheart wish we made them in adult sizes!

The only booster seat with a suspended seating area, so it's super comfy for kids 18m+ - 5 years or 60lbs! (It may look like rubber/foam on top of hard plastic, but it's not.)
Three-point harness and dual-strap system for the chair-a fancy way of saying this is one safe seat.
Easy to wipe clean, waterproof and lightweight for ease of travel.
Slip and scratch-resistant to protect furniture.
Family owned since 1973 --committed to helping growing families as only a family can!

User questions & answers

Question:	Is the seat cold to the touch
Answer:	It’s not cold like touching porcelain cold, but it’s not warm to the touch either. Feels about same temperature as the wooden chair it sits on, the blue seat area maybe a little less cold than the white part.
Question:	Is the back portion soft or hardened plastic
Answer:	The back portion is hardened plastic, however it is smooth and comfortable for children.
Question:	What material is the foam part made of
Answer:	The foam part is made of Polypropylene (PP) foam and Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) Foam. Thank you
Question:	How long are the straps to go around and under chair.My chairs r big
Answer:	I cannot give you the exact measurements. I have an average size wooden chairs and there is plenty of straps left over. It is a great seat, and Amazon has the best price from all the other stores I had checked

Product features

Prince Lionheart Booster Squish

Prince Lionheart believes that everyone deserves a seat at the table, which is why it makes booster seats that can belly up to the table as soon as Baby is able to self-support her head. We designed this booster seat for young toddlers (18 month+) so they can safely and comfortably join the family at the dinner table and start mastering the skills of self-feeding and table manners. This seat has comfort and security built in with a suspended seating area for comfort - it's not just rubber or foam on a rigid base, but actually has a comfy spring to it, a rigid base for stability, slip-resistant feet for safety, and three sets of straps to keep the seat on the dining chair and the squirmy diner in the seat! Lightweight and portable, this seat is ideal for use at home or on-the-go and is intended for children 18 month+ who are able to sit up unaided and up to 5 years old or a maximum weight of 60 lbs, though all of us at Prince Lionheart wish we made them in adult sizes!

Comfort and safety for your child.

The only booster seat with a suspended seating area, so it's super comfy for kids 18m+ - 5 years or 60lbs! (It may look like rubber/foam on top of hard plastic, but it's not)

Three-point harness and dual-strap system for the chair—a fancy way of saying this is one safe seat.

Prince Lionheart seatNeat

What do you get when you mix nice dining chairs and a self-feeding toddler? The seatNeat! Consider it the seatSaver for your dining chairs—it saves the upholstery, easily wipes clean, and means nice chairs last long after the little ones master the art of self-feeding. Place seatNeat under any feeding seat or booster and protect your furniture.

Prince Lionheart catchAll

Cleaning up after meals and playtime just got easier! The catchAll Splat Mat Floor Cover catches all kinds of messes that fall while your little eaters are learning how to self-feed or your junior artists are letting their imaginations go during craft time. Fits underneath high chairs, dining chairs, play tables, art easels and barber chairs (aka kitchen stools) and is non-slip for safety. Easily folds into matching pouch for easy storage and travel. catchAll is 42"X42" square. Wipe clean with damp cloth or hand wash in cool water. Hang dry.

Prince Lionheart seatNeat

No wear on the chair.

Graco Affix Highback Booster Seat with Latch System, Atomic

GRACO

Based on 13 reviews Check latest price

Product description

The Graco Affix High back Booster Seat with Latch System helps safely transport your big kid from 40 to 100 lb* and up to 57" tall. It provides a secure connection to your vehicle seat with its one-hand front-adjust Latch system, making self-buckling easier for your independent child. While the purpose of the Latch** in the Affix Booster is to secure the booster to the vehicle seat while the booster is unoccupied and help facilitate independent buckling, you will secure your child in the booster seat with the vehicle lap/shoulder belt. The seat has an integrated cup holder and hideaway storage compartment to keep child's drinks and favorite things within arm's reach. This seat is Graco Protect Plus Engineered to help protect your child in frontal, side, rear & rollover crashes. *To continue to meet industry standards, we have increased the weight minimum from 30 to 40 lb **Since the Latch system only secures the booster seat to the vehicle in this application and is not used for installation, it may be used regardless of the weight of the child (up to the maximum weight recommendation of the seat). Care and Maintenance: Machine-washable seat cushion. Metal and plastic parts may be cleaned with mild soap and cool water.

Booster car seat helps safely transport your big kid from 40-100 pound and up to 57" tall To continue to meet industry standards, we have increased the weight minimum from 30 to 40 pound
One-hand front-adjust Latch system secures booster to vehicle seat
Secure connection keeps booster seat steady for easy self-buckling for your independent child
Multi-layer headrest for your child's comfort
Full coverage back support even as your child grows
EPS, energy-absorbing foam for effective impact management
Fully adjustable headrest keeps your growing child secure on all of your journeys together

User questions & answers

Question:	My Grand son is 10 months and weighs 26lbs. He will out grow his carseat quickly at 30lbs. Is this a good buy for his next carseat
Answer:	Yikes! I had all 3 of my children in a 5 point rear facing until 2, and 5 point front facing latch until 5. A 10 month old is far too tiny for less than 5 point harness for many years, please choose safety not price.
Question:	does the back come off, ie converting it into a "backless" booster
Answer:	Yes it does come off so you can use it as a backless booster. Very easy to switch it too!
Question:	How easy or difficult it is to latch/unlatch? I am looking for flexibility to use seats in multiple cars. Thanks
Answer:	It is MUCH simpler to latch and unlatch than a normal harness car seat. Also, it is not absolutely necessary to use the latch system (I believe I read this in the instructions), because the latch system is just there to keep the booster in place when a child is not sitting in it with the seat belt on.
Question:	Does the childs head fall foward when sleeping
Answer:	No. My grandson's head is supported from the side. But I suppose it could fall forward....

Product features

Graco AFFIX Highback Booster Car Seat with Latch System

Graco’s AFFIX Highback Booster Car Seat with Latch System, in Atomic, helps keep your growing child safe. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)—one of the most respected resources in child safety—recommends that children 4 feet 9 inches tall or under should ride in a belt positioning booster seat. In support of the AAP recommendation, the AFFIX Highback Booster Seat with Latch keeps your 'big kid' riding in high back booster seat mode from 30 – 100 pounds and from 38 – 57 inches tall. Then, when your child is ready, it converts to backless mode for children 40 – 100 pounds and from 40 – 57 inches tall. It’s like having two booster seats in one!

Easy Installation

Installation is a snap with the AFFIX: you can install this high back car seat in just seconds with just one hand, thanks to the unique one-hand, front-adjust Latch system. Since it has the front-adjust feature, it’s easy to quickly tighten the booster to your vehicle’s seat, keeping it properly in place. The Latch system establishes a secure connection between the booster and the vehicle seat.