- Nuby Easy Go booster seat (9+ months)
- Kaboost Chair Booster (2 – 6 years)
- Mountain Buggy Pod (3 – 36 months)
- Chicco Pocket Snack booster seat (6 – 36 months)
- Mamas & Papas Baby Bud (6 – 36 months)
- Munchkin travel booster seat (12 – 36 months)
- Bumbo booster seat (18+ months)
- Totseat chair harness (6 – 30 months)
You’re travelling the world or just going over to your friend’s house and it’s time to eat. You’ve gotten used to these gigantic high chairs because they make feeding your baby much easier but your toddler for the first time ever has declared that they don’t want to sit in the high chair. Mommy, I’m big now, I want to sit on a chair like you do!
You know well enough that your cheeky toddler isn’t ready to sit on their own but high chairs have become a bit of a hassle. Finding an alternative for a sometimes not-so-hygienic high chair at a restaurant or the clunky high chair that you need to bring to your friend’s apartment sounds quite enticing.
I’m excited to introduce you to a number of high chair alternatives that will be perfect for every trip with toddler you take from now on. You’ll be able to choose from the most compact, smallest foldable alternatives to the sturdier ones that will keep your protective mind at ease.
At the end of this read, you will also find an extremely convenient tool when choosing a new travel high chair – a comparison table I’ve put together with all the specifications of the travel high chairs for recommendation.
Features of the travel high chair you value the most
Do you usually take flights on your trips, so the space that the high chair will take up is a huge factor?
Is your toddler a little hyperactive so a high chair that would fall together with the chair the first time the kiddo wiggles isn’t the best choice?
Personally, I value how light my equipment is because my family is always on the go, and I secretly curse to myself every time I carry all the baby luggage to a new hotel or Airbnb.
On the other hand, it’s also great when the high chair can grow together with a toddler and I don’t need to buy and rebuy things every year.
Amongst the many things you need to consider, below you’ll find the key features to look for in a travel high chair and prioritize them according to your family’s needs. This way it’ll be much easier to decide which travel high chair you’ll give a chance.
5 Things to consider before buying a travel high chair
Safety features include harness, wide base, attachment to the “adult” chair, stability of the travel chair, and more. Unfortunately, the most important one is your attentiveness to the toddler as even the most secure travel high chairs can be knocked down together with the toddler if they’re not secured correctly or the baby rocks too hard.
Portability – the most amazing thing is when your high chair can fold into a small compact package which you can just pop in your bag on your way to your friend’s or a new restaurant you’ve never been to before.
Adaptability – we’ve reached a time when there are the most amazing inventions to replace ordinary toddler items and yet some of them still won’t adapt to every single situation. For example, a super tall fancy chair at a hip restaurant that your new travel high chair simply can’t fit on.
Comfort – no toddler will let a spoon enter their mouth, let alone healthy broccoli if they feel uncomfortable in the chair they’re sitting in. Some high chair travel alternatives are padded, some have ergonomic soft seats, and others are just a pouch to put the baby in. Consider which one will make weaning your toddler the easiest.
Easy cleaning – toddlers’ little hands are the most destructive weapon when combined with food on a plate in front of them. There is nothing worse than a chair that’s difficult to clean when you have to do it 3-5 times a day.
5 types of travel high chairs available
Chair booster is a mechanism that attaches to the four legs of the chair to lift up the chair from the floor to the comfortable level when your toddler can reach the table. The no1 chair booster in America is Kaboost Chair Booster suitable for toddlers and adults with physical challenges.
Clip-on highchair is a hanging chair that clips onto the sides of the table. One of the world’s lightest and most compact portable clip-on chairs is Mountain Buggy Pod that I’ve picked for the recommendation.
Booster seat (with and without a tray) is a chair that goes on top of the “regular” chair boosting your child. Some have a separate tray so the food is closer and at the right level for the toddler. The market offers three great booster seat options, each with a small difference from one to another: Chicco Pocket Snack with three tray and height positions, Mamas & Papas Baby Bud with an optional Activity Tray, and Bumbo booster seat that is without a tray, simply giving a soft boost that the toddler needs.
Padded booster seat is a soft padded seat that straps onto the regular chair to boost your toddler to the height of the table. My two favourites are Nuby’s Easy Go and Munchkin travel booster seats. The only difference between the two is that Munchkin has an awesome pocket inside to stuff some diapers and other essentials.
Seat harness is a fabric pouch for the little one that goes up over your toddler’s chest and is attached to the chair. My favourite is the Totseat Chair Harness which folds into the tiniest package fitting in a handbag.
Top Travel High Chair Choices for 2023
1. Nuby Easy Go Booster Seat
Nuby’s Easy Go booster seat, suitable for toddlers from 9 months up to the age when they weigh about 22.7kg, is a soft, padded seat convenient for travel as it is ultra-lightweight and easily collapses into a small compact item. With the Nuby Easy Go booster seat, a toddler feels like one of the big kids securely strapped to the chair while sitting by the “adult” table.
Nuby’s Easy Go travel high chair for toddlers has adjustable security straps for safety to harness the toddler and secure the seat to the chair. The booster travel seat has removable high-density foam padding for added comfort and three colourful pattern designs.
Easy Go is proudly stain-resistant and made out of waterproof fabric (great for regular toddler spillages, ain’t it?), however, if a tragedy occurs, don’t immerse it in water. You can only wipe surfaces with a damp cloth and air dry the booster seat.
Pros & Cons of Nuby Easy Go Booster Seat
| PROS | CONS |
| Has a pocket for easy storage access | Straps might loosen up if attached to an unconventional chair |
| Cheap | |
| Stain resistant | |
| Cleans up easily with a damp cloth | |
| Collapse design | |
| Removable padding |
2. Kaboost Chair Booster
Kaboost Chair Booster is a No1 booster mechanism in America that grows with your child because of 2 height positions (9.53 cm & 11.43 cm). This invention attaches to the legs of the chair, boosting the chair to the height of the table. Kaboost is suitable for toddlers of any age or weight as long as they can sit on the chair independently.
The great thing about Kaboost Chair Booster is that it can even be used for adults that need a lift for health or other reasons. However, because of the lack of a harness to the actual chair, the toddler has to sit still enough and be looked after at all times.
Kaboost Chair Booster easily adjusts to fit 4-legged chairs (round, square or with curvy legs). It can be used with chairs that have a diagonal leg distance of between 49.5 cm and 76 cm.
There are three different colours to choose from: Green, Chocolate, and Natural. Because it’s not made out of fabric, Kaboost is super easy to wipe down after a meal or clean up the messy parts with a wet wipe after quickly undoing it if necessary.
If your toddler is already pretending to be an adult, Kaboost is perfect for you because the kiddo will feel like one of the adults sitting at the table. Kaboost Booster develops a sense of independence while keeping the toddler at a comfortable height to eat.
Pros & Cons of Kaboost Chair Booster
| PROS | CONS |
| Snaps on a chair in seconds | Only works on 4-legged chairs |
| No assembly required | No harness, toddler requires attention |
| Rubberized feet are non-slip and won’t scratch floors | |
| Easy to fold and carry | |
| Adults can use it, too | |
| Grows with the child |
3. Mountain Buggy Pod
Mountain Buggy Pod, suitable for toddlers from 6 months to when they weigh 17kg, is one of the world’s lightest and most compact, portable, clip-on highchairs in the market. Buggy Pod is made out of aircraft grade lightweight aluminium, therefore it is both strong and super light.
The Pod is perfect for both travel and at home, used at a picnic, with tables at home or in a restaurant. The thoughtful thing about this invention is that the non-slip rubber grips leave no marks on the tables, so no need to worry when clipping the Pod onto a table at your friend’s fancy place.
If Mountain Buggy Pod looks a bit unsafe with your toddler hovering above the floor like that, don’t worry, it passes global standards ensuring your toddler’s safety and should leave you at ease, once you try it out. The Pod also enhances postural support by keeping the toddler sitting in a proper position.
There are three colour options: red, green, and grey. The Pod fits table tops from 1.8 – 7 cm wide.
Unfortunately, no detergents can be used on the pod but you can use a sponge with natural soap to clean the fabric.
Pros & Cons of Mountain Buggy Pod
| PROS | CONS |
| Doesn’t take much space | Doesn’t work with all tables |
| Ultra-lightweight | |
| Can be washed after every use | |
| Adjustable torso strap | |
| Great for use in small spaces | |
| Enhanced postural support | |
| Carry bag included |
4. Chicco Pocket Snack Booster Seat
Chicco Pocket Snack Booster Seat is like a mini travel version of a high chair. It has three positions which means it grows with the toddler and has a clip-on tray so the little one has an easily accessible surface to eat from. The wide weight range of the Chicco booster seat includes toddlers from 6 months to when they weigh 22.7kg.
Chicco Pocket Snack Booster Seat secures to the chair with straps and when you’re back on the road, you can quickly fold it up flat and carry it over your shoulder.
The convenient carry strap and compact fold make Chicco Booster Seat easy to take along to restaurants while travelling or visiting friends and family.
Chicco Pocket Snack Booster Seat can only be used on dining chairs with a seat at least 35 cm wide, 35 cm deep, and a backrest at least 30 cm high. To keep it tidy you only have to periodically wipe the seat and tray with a damp cloth and mild soap.
Pros & Cons of Chicco Pocket Snack Booster Seat
| PROS | CONS |
| Easy attachment to dining chairs | Can only be used with chairs of certain dimensions |
| Convenient carry strap for on-the-go portability | Only one colour design (grey) |
| Quick and compact fold | The tray is hard to snap on/off |
| Removable tray with three positions | The straps don’t detach for cleaning |
| Anti-slip, non-marking feet | |
| Folds up flat | |
| Sturdy construction |
5. Mamas & Papas Baby Bud
Mamas & Papas Baby Bud is a tiny version of a high chair that goes on top of the regular chair and is securely strapped to it. The Baby Bud is suitable for toddlers from the age of 6 months to when they weigh 15kg.
Baby Bud is soft and comfortable with a removable tray in case you want to push your toddler all the way to eat from the tabletop. The built-in carry handle makes it easy to transport and carry the Baby Bud to wherever you’re travelling next. And it attaches easily to most chairs.
As your toddler grows, you can remove the tray to use the booster seat for longer. The Baby Bud itself fits on all chair seats that are larger than its dimensions 31 x 36.5 x 32 cm.
Attach the Mamas & Papas Baby Bud to any dining chair using the straps whilst the extra-safe harness keeps the toddler in place for your peace of mind. Afterwards, it’ll only take a couple of minutes to clean.
Pros & Cons of Mamas & Papas Baby Bud
| PROS | CONS |
| Has an option to buy with an Activity Tray (a tray with toys attached to it) | Lasts only up to the time the toddler weighs 15kg |
| Removable tray | Might not strap around wider chairs |
| Non-slip feet and harness | |
| Carry handle | |
| Easy to clean | |
| Takes up little space |
6. Munchkin Travel Booster Seat
Munchkin travel booster seat is an ultra-portable toddler booster seat with a strong and stable internal frame, suitable for toddlers of 12 months to when they weigh 15kg. It folds into a small and neat item with a carrying strap perfect for parents on the go.
Despite being extremely compact, the Munchkin booster seat still has a rather stable frame and harness that kept my toddler intact while testing it.
Munchkin travel booster seat also includes storage for bottles and nappies and is made out of fabric that’s easy to clean. Xtra-Grip™ traction pads provide a non-slip grip on chairs for increased stability and baby safety.
The booster seat’s adjustable three-point harness system fits toddlers approximately 12-36 months, up to 15 kg. Though it is compact, unfortunately for frequent flyers it still takes up about a quarter to a third of a carry-on suitcase. Nevertheless, that’s much less compared to most travel booster seats available.
Munchkin travel booster seat is also great for transitioning out of high chairs, which is why it can become a purchase that you also use at home. There are two colours (blue and grey) to choose from.
Pros & Cons of Munchkin Travel Booster Seat
| PROS | CONS |
| Includes storage for bottles and nappies | Less stable than a high chair |
| Easy to clean | Can only be used for toddlers that can sit upright the whole time |
| Non-slip grip on chairs | Waist strap may be too tight for a bigger toddler |
| Durable, lasts a while | Isn’t machine washable |
| Straps go around the chair and underneath | |
| Easy to wipe clean |
7. Bumbo booster seat
Bumbo booster seat is a lightweight, portable booster seat that’s soft, yet sturdy and won’t scratch your furniture. It is extremely easy to clean and keeps your cheeky toddler intact with a three-point harness.
Bumbo travel seat differs from most booster seats because it’s suitable only for toddlers 18 months and up. Nevertheless, the ergonomic seat provides great comfort for the little one while the harness that sits just above the hip line offers freedom to move the torso but not enough to weave out.
For the Bumbo booster seat to fit your chair, it needs to be a minimum of 30cm (back of chair height), 37cm (seat width), and 36cm (seat length). Bumbo seat is available in three colours: pink, aqua, and cool grey.
Pros & Cons of Bumbo booster seat
| PROS | CONS |
| Easy to clean | Backless |
| Super soft | Not suitable for younger toddlers |
| Lightweight and easy to carry | Can’t be immersed in water while being cleaned |
| Small enough to fit on most chairs | |
| Ergonomic | |
| Sleek design |
8. Totseat chair harness
Totseat is an award-winning portable travel high chair alternative that is a harness made out of fabric which works like a pouch holding your toddler attached to the chair. The lightweight, compact, and versatile Totseat harness anchors your toddler safely and comfortably in almost any dining chair, suitable from when they can sit upright (~6 months) to when they don’t need the support anymore.
Totseat was designed to be adjusted quickly and easily for all shapes and sizes of chairs and children, which is why it didn’t take long for me to adjust it to my toddler during testing.
The two favourite things that every parent likes to hear is that Totseat is both machine-washable and pocket-sized, fitting inside a small handy bag (how convenient for travelling is that!).
The Totseat chair harness goes up over the toddler’s chest not just the waist with the straps coming up under their armpits making it impossible for the toddler to lean over. It can be both, very convenient with a baby that doesn’t want to stay still but also frustrating for the strong-willed toddler that won’t be bossed around.
Totseat harness comes in three designs along with a matching carry bag.
Pros & Cons of Totseat chair harness
| PROS | CONS |
| Comes with lifetime guarantee | Totseat will only fit a chair with a height up to 75cm from the seat to the top |
| Secures the baby for an easier weaning | Doesn’t lift up the child to the tabletop |
| Ultra lightweight and compact | A small baby is not held well |
| Comes with a carry bag | |
| Fits chairs of all sizes and shapes | |
| Suitable for a child with Hip Dysplasia |
Comparison Table Of Travel High Chairs’ Specifications
As I love comparison tables when choosing a product, I’ve put all the necessary information about the travel alternatives for high chairs in one place.
Use this table with all the main specifications of the suggested travel highchairs to find the one that most fits your and your toddler’s needs.
| Kaboost Chair Booster | Mountain Buggy Pod | Chicco pocket snack booster seat | Nuby Easy Go booster seat | Mamas & Papas Baby Bud | Munchkin travel booster seat | Bumbo booster seat | Totseat chair harness | |
| Age/weight range | Up to 136 kg Recommended 2-6 years (but can be used for adults, too) | 6 months (or when the baby can sit upright on their own) – 3 years/17kg | 6 months (or when the baby can sit upright on their own) – up to 22.7 kg | 9 months up to 22.7 kg | for children able to sit unaided (minimum 6 months) and up to 36 months or 15kg | 12 – 36 months or up to 15 kg | 18+ months | 6 – 30 months |
| Weight (kg) | 1.6 | 1 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.299 |
| Dimensons (cm) | Folded: 33x30x17 | Folded: 26 x 29 x 26Unfolded:31 x 34 x 26 | Folded: 44 x 36 x 11Unfolded: 38 x 34 x 49 | 30 x 10 x 25 | 31 x 36.5 x 32 | 29 x 14 x 29 | 32 x 13 x 33 | 17.8 x 6.4 x 15.2 |
| Cleaning | Easy with wipes | Easy with wipes/the fabric zips-off for a deep clean | Easy with wipes | Surface wipes clean with water-resistant polyester | Wipe clean only | Easy to wipe clean but the fabric isn’t machine washable | Use a damp cloth and mild detergent as necessary | Machine washable |
| Harness | None | 3-point safety harness with an adjustable torso strap | 3-point | 3-point | 3-point | 3-point | 3-point | Wide fabric harness goes up over the toddler’s chest |
| Price (Eur) | 60 | 65 | 40 | 20 | 65 | 37 | 48 | 36 |
Which chair to sit on?
Now that you’ve discovered all these options, it’s time to decide which one will suit your toddler’s meal time the best.
Personally, I think Kaboost is awesome if the toddler is old and quiet enough to sit still, however, I like my things to fold down neatly and fit into tiny spaces so my favourite is Nuby Easy Go booster seat. It’s cheap, it’s lightweight, and it secures my child with enough freedom to move. It is the same reason why I didn’t choose the Totseat harness though the little amount of space it takes is incredible.
I have to be careful with the mess my toddler makes because I don’t want any stains that will stay on the fabric forever but the amazing thing about Nuby’s booster seat is the wide age range as I can use it with both my baby and my older toddler.
For those that have extra space while travelling, more sturdy seats like Chicco’s is probably a smarter move. To be honest, all these suggestions are options I’ve chosen to share with an intention of helping you make the right decision.
Just like mentioned above, all of these travel high chairs have pros and cons. It is up to you to decide what to prioritise. Even though I’ve ended up picking Nuby booster seat, there’s no way you will go wrong by choosing any other travel high chair from this list for your next trip with toddler!
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You may also like to read our posts about 15 essential car trip accessories and our well-picked 6 best toddler travel beds.
