For every child care center, ensuring the safety and well-being of young children at all times is of utmost importance. When it comes to mealtimes, you need to not only choose a healthy meal with no allergens, but you need to provide a secure and comfortable eating environment. There are two main styles of feeding chairs that are utilized by child care centers for mealtimes: traditional high chairs and low-to-the-ground feeding chairs. Traditional high chairs, like the NeatSeat, may be suitable for providing more individual feeding care, while low-to-the-ground styles are ideal for group mealtimes. No matter the style of feeding chairs your center plans to use, there are some standard safety features to look for.

1. Sturdy Construction

A solid and stable frame is crucial to prevent tipping and ensuring the children’s safety during mealtimes. Look for feeding chairs made from materials such as high-quality smooth plastic, hardwood, or Baltic Birch plywood to enhance durability. Also keep in mind the weight capacity of each chair when selecting styles that align with the weight requirements of your childcare center’s population. Adhering to the weight capacity provided by the manufacturer ensures that the chairs can provide the proper support for the children under your care.

2. Safety Straps & Harness Systems

Even if the chair is low to the ground, it is still important to ensure that children cannot slide out of their seats. Look for feeding chairs that feature a safety harness to ensure that each child will be securely seated during mealtimes. For an extra layer of protection, look for models like the Secure Sitter that have a passive restraint when the tray is in place.

Secure Sitter featuring three point harness and passive restraint

3. Easy-to-Clean Materials

Maintaining a hygienic mealtime environment is essential, making feeding chairs with easy-to-clean materials a necessity. Choose chairs crafted of materials that can be properly sanitized, like smooth plastic or hardwood or Baltic Birch plywood with a commercial-grade finish. Styles featuring removable trays provide easier cleanup of the tray and the seat. Make cleaning up even easier by looking for feeding chairs like the Easy Serve that include a removable tray insert.

Easy Serve featuring a removable tray insert

4. Child-Friendly Design

When choosing traditional high chairs or low-to-the-ground feeding chairs, look for styles with wide, no-tip bases that are specifically engineered to help keep the chair securely on the floor. Additional design features to keep in mind are smooth edges, rounded corners, and minimal pinch points as these contribute to the overall safety of the children in your care. While it may not pertain to safety, another feature to look for in feeding chairs is whether they are stackable. Choosing a daycare chair that can be stacked allows for space saving storage when not in use.

Wide base of NeatSeat high chair

5. Comfortable Height

To provide maximum comfort for the children in your care, low-to-the-ground daycare feeding chairs are available in a variety of heights, some of the most popular being 5”, 7”, 9”, 11”, and 13”. When choosing the best height(s) for your classrooms, keep in mind that their feet should rest comfortably on the ground when seated. Low-to-the-ground feeding chairs also enable children to safely self-load with minimal assistance from the caregiver. If you’re looking to buy less chairs while accommodating children of varying ages, adjustable feeding chairs like the Secure Sitter Premier allow for multiple seat height configurations to provide a comfortable fit for many children.

Whether utilizing traditional highchairs or low-to-the-ground feeding chairs, prioritizing safety features in childcare chairs is essential for creating a secure and enjoyable mealtime experience for young children. By considering sturdy construction, safety straps, easy-to-clean materials, child-friendly design, and comfortable height, childcare centers can make informed choices that contribute to the well-being of the children in their care and peace of mind for caregivers and parents. Remember, when it comes to feeding chairs, safety should always come first.

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