Stokke Steps

If there is one thing I’ve learned about baby goods in the 6 months with our daughter, it’s that playthings and gear can quickly become passé as babies grow and advance to the next stage of development, leaving their old favorites behind. Even as our daughter continues to grow, I knew the highchair would be one baby item that would not pass through our home so quickly. We would need the highchair to grow with us. As an important part of our family dining experience for at least a few years, I wanted our highchair to not only function well—holding up to spills and spit-up—but to look good as well.

The Stokke Steps Highchair has completely exceeded my expectations. When I first set our daughter in the highchair, I noticed how much support there is with the ergonomic shape of the seat and back cushion. I also like that the backrest can be positioned in one of two spots—closer to the tray for tiny babes or a bit farther away for tots who need more room.

The size of the tray—not too big, not too small—wraps nicely around the front, providing a little ledge to hold onto as its occupant perfects her sitting-up techniques. Because the tray isn’t too large, my daughter can reach all the way to each side to catch a rolling Cheerio. That means independence for her and free hands for mama—hooray!

With a solid beech wood frame and plastic tray, the highchair is a cinch to clean. Starting solids has been quite a colorful event in our house, but the Steps tray has held its own. With green mush over here, yellow streaks over there, we were thrilled that despite our attempts (Lucy didn’t love the beets I lovingly steamed and blended!), the pristine white tray hasn’t shown a single stain. Usually, a quick swipe with a wet paper towel or dishcloth gets the job done, but the easy snap off function lets us wash the tray in the sink if it’s been a particularly messy mealtime.

Although we’re currently using the chair with the tray for our 9-month-old daughter, we look forward to removing the tray and using it as a toddler-sized seat that we can pull right up to the table as our little lady grows older. The longevity of the design is a large part of what makes the Steps worth the investment.Aesthetically, we are conscious of the appearance of our baby gear in our home. Each time we advance to the next stage of development, I shop for baby things that are developmentally appropriate yet pleasant to look at every day. Knowing that the highchair will be around for a while made beauty and function highly important on our list of criteria. Fortunately, the profile of the Steps is exactly the blend of beauty and function I was looking for. The beech wood and white combination blends perfectly with our furniture, simply an extension of our neutral aesthetic. The sleek design and muted colors make this highchair an essential piece of furniture, not just a temporary baby thing. We’re so glad to have the Stokke Steps for our daughter to grow with.

Price: from $279
To buy: amazon.com