It’s light, easy to move and store, and has a basket underneath for keeping toys and books handy, and a reclining seat. It comes in a range of bright, modern designs, and has two wheels on the underside to make it easy to move around. It also feels really safe and snug – there’s a 5-point harness and a bar between the legs to keep your baby from sliding out.
In short, it does seem to tick a lot of boxes – without an off-putting price-tag.
What we love
The storage basket underneath is a brilliant feature. We struggle with storage space in our house, so an extra place to keep toys and books so that they’re not lying around the floor is a definite bonus. Plus it’s great just to be able to grab a toy while you’re struggling to get those last few mouthfuls into your baby!
The seat has three recline positions, which I find really handy, as I can put my baby in it when he needs some quiet time or a snooze, while I get on with jobs in the kitchen – and the tray is nice and big, so there’s plenty of room for toys on it. The tray’s also easy to remove and clean, and easy to take off completely, so your baby can sit up at the table with the rest of the family.
The seat covers can be removed for cleaning, which is handy as lots of bits of food tend to get trapped underneath.
The base is wide so it feels very safe, even if your baby’s a real wriggler - like mine!
What to watch out for
The underside of the tray has rough edges, which scrape my baby’s legs as I lifted him in and out if he’s wearing shorts – but you can remove the tray if you want to, to make this easier.
The backrest does feel a little bit flimsy - the reclining mechanism is nice if your baby wants to rest, but Jamie is very strong and energetic, and he rocks back and forth which makes it rattle and move! I’m a bit concerned it will just give way with repeated abuse.
The storage basket underneath tends to catch bits of food debris, although you can easily remove it with poppers if you don’t want to use it. It’s worth checking in it every day to clean out crumbs and random bits of pasta!
One downside is that it’s a bit bulky, even when folded – but it is a nice, big chair when it’s up, so that’s not surprising.
Who is Chicco Happy Snack Distraction best for?
Mums with a wriggly baby - the toy basket will help keep him amused and the wide base and strong harness will keep him secured!
The Chicco Happy Snack Distraction is a practical, well-designed highchair for a decent price. It feels like excellent value for money with the extra features such as the storage basket and reclining seat. It’s easy to move around, but for those short of space it may on the bulky side when folded.
