If you’re driving your kids around, you have to strap them into a booster seat because the car isn’t designed for infant and toddler safety. Likewise, if you’re sitting your kids up at the dinner table at mealtime, you need to set them up on a booster cushion because the dining chairs around your table probably don’t account for your little one’s needs.
Rather than sitting your child in a separate high chair, you can get a booster cushion for your regular dinner set. This type of seat helps everyone feel included and makes the whole process a lot easier. Though booster cushions aren’t designed to the same safety specifications as their auto counterparts, these cushions still need to meet a certain standard to safely and comfortably support their precious cargo.
To help you out, we’ve put together a complete and thorough guide to the best booster cushions available in 2022. We surveyed the market and came up with a list of some of the best options out there. Then, we took a look at customer feedback, reviews, and responses to determine which of these seats is the best of the best. In the end, we whittled down our list to just a few options. We hope our guide serves as a shortlist, of sorts, for you to peruse and choose from when the time comes.
Now, without further ado, here’s what we found:
Best Booster Cushions Available
Here is our complete guide to the best booster cushions available this year. To decide on these selections, we looked at everything from comfort and style to affordability and practicality. Take a look at our top booster cushions for the table now:
SmartClean Toddler Booster Seat
Overview: The SmartClean Toddler Booster Seat is, as the name suggests, designed to be easy to clean. This booster seat features a machine washable foam insert and an easy-to-wipe hard plastic casing. The chair itself can even be used without the insert, in case you had a bad spill at breakfast and are unable to clean it before the next meal. The seat has a handle and weighs just 1.6 lbs, making it very easy to transport. Also, it has a security harness for the kid as well as a security strap to lock the seat to the chair.
Features:
- Super light at 1.6 lbs
- Removable foam cushion
- Three-point harness system
- Secondary straps to lock on to chair
- Machine washable
Our Take: This is one of the best options out there. If you’re looking for a light, secure, and easy to clean booster seat for dinnertime, you can’t go wrong with this option. It weighs in at under two pounds and has a removable cushion, making the potential weight even less. If you need to, you can use the seat without the foam insert, which is a great option to have if the need arises.
Prince Lionheart Booster Squish Seat
Overview: This Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat in Flashbulb Fuchsia combines a soft foam cushion with a durable and easy-to-clean hard plastic casing. It is aesthetically appealing to those who love the lighter colors of pink and purple. When combined with the white case, this unit looks great. The seat is both slip and scratch-resistant. It is also fitted with a three-point harness safety system, meaning that you can strap your child into the seat securely. There is no worry that your youngster might slip or fall from their high perch.
Features:
- Foam insert
- Safety straps included
- For 18 months to five years in age
- Waterproof and easy to clean
- Very lightweight
Our Take: This is another great choice. It is a little more fun, and boys and girls who like the lighter colors might prefer it. If your child wants a booster seat that they can be proud of, this is the way to go. The casing itself is durable and rugged. As we all know, you really can’t make a booster seat too easy to clean. As far as we are concerned, when it comes to spills and accidents, the simpler the chair is to clean, the better.
OXO Tot Perch Booster Seat with Straps
Overview: The OXO Tot Perch Booster Seat is another great option for the youngest members of your family. It is very portable, as it can be easily folded down and carried around, which means that you can bring your booster seat with you when you’re on the go. If your child can adjust any chair they need to their height and comfort level, they will be a much more happy camper. The hard plastic casing is easy to clean and wipe down for any spills or unfortunate accidents. The foam seat is comfortable and stable, providing your little one with a secure base.
Features:
- Simple fold-down storage
- Three-point harness system
- Very portable
- Foam cushion
- Hard plastic casing
Our Take: In terms of portability and convenience, the OXO Tot Perch is probably your best bet. The foldability of this unit really can’t be beaten. To top it off, it’s super comfortable and easy to clean. We also like the lightweight nature of the seat.
Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat 3-Point Harness and Dual-Strap
Overview: The Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat merges the softness and comfort of a foam cushion with the ease of cleaning and durability of hard plastic. It is both slip and scratch resistant, meaning that the seat will stand up to some pretty rough wear and tear. With a three-point harness system, your child can sit up unassisted, just like everyone else at the table. Being a part of the family at mealtime inspires confidence and contentment, leading to growth and better mealtime behavior.
Features:
- Foam insert
- Safety straps included
- For 18 months to five years in age
- Waterproof and easy to clean
- Very lightweight
Our Take: Like the Prince Lionheart Squish in Fuschia, this seat is another fun and stylish option. It fits kids from 18 months to five years of age, making it a long-lasting piece of equipment. If you need a comfortable seat for your child, this is another really solid option.
CAVWVTYU Booster Seat for Dining Table, PU Safer Straps, and Non-Slip Bottom Safety Buckle
Overview: This is a very useful and convenient booster cushion. With a soft, washable cover, the seat is perfect for the youngster at mealtimes. It simply straps to the chair and features a safety belt for extra security. As it is just a single piece of square foam with a cover, and it can easily be carried around or thrown down for use everywhere, from picnic tables to park benches. Its PU leather cover is both soft and durable.
Features:
- Very simple design
- Safety strap to attach to chair
- Washable cover included
- Three-inch lift
- Safety belt beneath cushion
Our Take: This is a booster cushion, plain and simple. Sometimes, simplicity is best. In this case, simplicity won us over. The cushion has all the advantages of a booster cushion – portability, convenience, lightweight, comfortable – without any of the drawbacks typically associated with a cushion because it features a PU leather washable cover and a safety strap to latch onto the chair. As you are likely familiar with, mealtime can get a little messy. A washable cover is a must-have. The bottom line is, if you want something simple, convenient, and practical, you don’t need to look any further than this.
Prince Lionheart Soft Booster Seat
Overview: The Prince Lionheart Soft Booster Seat is a handy little unit. It is a single piece of soft and compact foam, which you can toss onto a seat or onto the floor to provide a stable and comfortable chair for your tot. At just 2.7 pounds, your child can even set up this booster cushion by themself. It is also waterproof, easy to clean, and features a non-slip textured base.
Features:
- Very simple booster seat
- One-piece foam
- Incredibly lightweight
- Three-inch lift
- Textured seat
Our Take: As you can likely see, Prince Lionheart’s booster chairs and cushions did well on our list. Like the others that came before it, this booster cushion is a very good option and is much simpler than their other chairs. It can simply be carried around and thrown down for a comfortable seat wherever you need it. We love these one-piece designs, especially when they are easy to clean and provide a good lift height. If you’re looking for a simple cushion that can be carried around and placed down whenever you need it, this is one of our favorite options.
OXO Tot Nest Booster Seat with Removable Cushion
Overview: The OXO Tot Nest Booster is a comfortable and easy-to-clean booster seat for kids nine months of age and older. It features a removable seat cushion, which is soft and comfortable. It also has a three-point harness for security and safety. With a high back and sides, it is perfect for the youngster seeking comfort and support. It also has a well-designed back, with a gentle contour along the edges, providing a smooth and consistently comfortable seat.
Features:
- Three-point harness
- Four color options
- Comfortable cushion
- Removable cushion
Our Take: Oxo Tot came through yet again. The three-point harness safety system is a must-have on seats, as far as we’re concerned. We also love the ability to choose between color options and the easy to remove and clean cushion. If you’re looking for something handy and fun, we highly recommend checking out this comfortable booster seat and cushion combo. As far as the price point goes, the OXO Tot is a little more costly than the other items on this list. In this regard, it’s a bit of a luxury. However, the design, comfort, and support of the chair do make it worth it.
Conclusion
When it comes to dinner time, anything that makes the process easier is appreciated. With a good quality booster seat, your child will be more comfortable, happier, and more content. Also, they’ll be pulling up a chair next to their family members just like everyone else, which will make them feel included and like part of the group. As a result, they will likely eat with little complaint.
Booster cushions and booster seats are a real lifesaver. If you can find a booster seat or cushion that is easy to transport, you never have to worry about being caught off guard when you need to feed your child. These seats are great whether you’re visiting relatives and friends, taking trips to the park, enjoying outings with the family, or even long nights in a hockey arena or stadium for another child’s practice. Having a handy booster seat makes mealtime easy and low effort.
When it comes to booster seats and cushions, keep an eye out for ease of cleaning, washability, comfort, cost, size, and harness. Some kids will need to be strapped into the seat to stay on top of it. Others simply need something that is comfortable and nestles them. Depending on your kids, you may be looking for different things.
Hopefully, we helped take a little stress out of your life by taking much of the work of the search out of your hands when it comes to booster seats for dinnertime. We laid out seven excellent options. In our opinion, you’d do well with any of the listed items. It comes down to lifestyle, personal preference, and the needs of your little one. Now, instead of looking through endless catalogs and online stores, you can spend your time with the most valuable thing of all: your child.