Stokke Tripp Trapp

Created in 1972, the Stokke Tripp Trapp has been around for nearly 40 years—and with good reason. Its unique design allows it to truly grow with the child, providing comfortably seating and sufficient support for occupants from 6 months of age through adulthood.
The Tripp Trapp is highly adjustable, with a seat and footrest that can be maneuvered among 14 sets of slots to ensure a comfortable height at which to rest one’s bum and feet. In addition to height adjustability, the seat and footrest are also width adjustable, so a seat can be shortened to allow tiny legs to bend at the knee or lengthened to provide ample thigh support for older sitters. A simple Allen wrench is all that’s required to first assemble and later transform the chair quickly and easily. (We keep the perfect size wrench in our kitchen drawer, so we’re ready to make adjustments whenever a growth spurt strikes.)
For little ones, the Baby Set is advisable. It provides extra high back support and a front guardrail with a cross bar between the legs. I think this addition is particularly appealing, as the highchair has only a four-point harness and occupants are prone to sliding out of the seat when the crossbar isn’t there. The Baby Set is available in the same colors as the chair, so the addition (though plastic instead of wood) doesn’t compromise the integrity or attractiveness of the design in the least.
(A Cushion is also available with the Baby Set to provide extra comfort and color. While it looks lovely and is nice and cozy, I prefer not to hassle with trying to keep it clean. Wiping the wooden chair down with a damp cloth is far simpler than running a load of laundry, in my opinion. Plus, baby’s diaper offers plenty of cush for her tush.)
A tray is notably absent from the highchair, as the Tripp Trapp is intended to be pulled up to the family table so baby feels included and part of the meal. This notion appeals to me, and the fact that baby is within arms reach makes it easy for me to tend to her throughout the meal. However, serving food on a plate to a young eater is, quite frankly, a recipe for a food fight, so I’ve been grateful to have the Table Top around as well. It’s similar in size to a generous highchair tray, but stays put on the table in front of the chair with the help of four suction cups on its bottom. The lip around the edge of the tray helps keep messes contained, and the various designs of liners that tuck in below the tray help make mealtime fun.
The Tripp Trapp is superbly crafted and seems destined to last a lifetime. I envision it sticking around our kitchen table a long, long time. In fact, I’m considering purchasing additional chairs as our family grows, since our grown-up chairs will really be too big for a preschooler to sit properly, when the highchair is forfeited to a new baby. We’ll simply adjust them into regular chairs when they’re ready, and as far as I’m concerned, they can take them with them to college to use at their desks to study! They’re certainly investments, but the their longevity makes them well worth it.
Psst! The Tripp Trapp is available in 12 colors—yes, 12!
Price: from $250
To buy: highchairs.com