I have a terrible confession to make, Babyologists. And it comes with a warning lest my confession offend. One of my favourite bits about being mum for the third time round is that I actually get to use all the fabulous baby gear we find instead of just telling you about it. Gear like the Stokke Tripp Trapp.
We’ve been banging on about how great this highchair is for some time, but now that I’ve actually used one for my baby girl, I have to take it all back. It’s not great, it’s so much better. In fact, it’s officially become one of those baby buys that I regret not investing in back when we had our first child. Ah well, better late then never.
I don’t need to remind you about the Stokke Tripp Trapp’s sublime design – its good looks are there for all to see. What has impressed from my own use with Audrey is just how well thought out Stokke’s accessories are for this brilliant, brilliant chair.
Take the newborn set. Though most babies don’t start the food journey until six months or so, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to sit up at the table with the rest of the clan. Sometimes having Audrey close and being able to make eye contact and talk to her made all the difference between having a hot dinner as a family or reheating my own meal forlornly in the microwave an hour or two later. It can also be used as a rocker on the floor. Now here’s the bit existing Tripp Trapp owners will really love – it can be fitted to any chair bought since 2003.
Now that Audrey is a little older, we’ve moved on to the baby set (that’s my sweetheart in her Tripp Trapp pictured top). She loves sitting right up at the table with us, rather than off to the side as babies in ordinary highchairs with built-in trays are prone to do. The baby set clips in securely to the chair and has a high back and integrated crotch strap to support her properly. I like how the design makes it impossible to get both your baby’s legs through the same leg hole when putting them into their seat – I was always doing that with my old highchair! I also like how her feet are supported in the Tripp Trapp instead of being just left to dangle.
We chose natural but there are a swag of different colours to the sets and chairs. There are cushions in a tonne of different colours and patterns too to fit the baby set if you prefer a softer seat for your baby. We use one when Audrey sits in her Tripp Trapp to play but usually whip it out when she’s enjoying a snack or food, even though it’s machine washable as she’s proven to be an incredibly messy eater!
We haven’t tried our Tripp Trap in its guise as a child seat yet, as the baby set is designed to hold babies and children up until the age of three. But I’m sure that when we do, we will love it just as much. Check our past Stokke posts if you can’t wait for Audrey to grow and want to read more about using the Tripp Trapp with older children right now.
The Stokke Tripp Trapp retails for $299 and is available from most big-name baby stores across Australia, along with the newborn set (RRP$ 225), the baby set (RRP$79.95) and the cushion (RRP$69.95). To find a stockist near you, visit the Stokke website.
8 Comments
I have to totally agree!! My kids are 8 and 6 and both still use their stoke trip trap at the table. Even when their friends come over or other small children they fight over them! Best investment I made when they were born and they were under $300 back then. My Danish sister in law put me onto them as they brought one out to Australia many tears ago. Love stokke!
I’m 36 and grew up in a red Tripp Trapp which mum still uses for the grandkids. When I had my girls, forget the cot and clothes, the only thing I knew they were certain to have was Tripp Trapps of their very own.
I love out trip traps. We have 3 of them and will need to buy a fourth soon. Only down side is for the life of me I could never work out the harness….
I love the trip trap too but I can’t work out how to lengthen the harness either as my son has gotten older. I also found it annoying as it doesn’t come with a tray and you can’t buy them in Australia. Often I am cooking dinner for everyone else when bub is in the trip trap eating. So I searched online an bought the tray from the US. Best thing I ever did, use it all the time now and saves quite a lot if mess!!
We have two Tripp Trapp chairs for our 2 yr old and 9 mth old. We decided it was actually cheaper to buy one chair that children use for years, rather than a high chair and then a booster seat. Our 2 year old climbs into it herself. It is easy to clean and take up minimal space. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
It is still early days for us but so far every morning and night baby Amelie joins the family for meals. She is often very alert and appears to be soaking in the conversation observing us role model eating as the newborn attachment has her at just the right height. Love it!
Dear Tripp Trapp users,
In september 2011 we launched Tripp Trapp with a 5 point pre-assembled harness. Is this the harness you referring to that you find difficult to adjust or our former 4 point harness?
Thanks!
We have two Tripp Trapps and love them! Never bothered with the harness, just never needed it, both of my boys were very secure in just the baby attachment with the anti-submarining strap once they could sit unaided, even with one who liked to try to climb out but never got anywhere! Like most others I much prefer the ‘old’ baby attachment though (the wooden one with the leatherish strap) rather than the new plastic moulded one, which can be really difficult to use especially with a chubby-legged baby. Unfortunately Stokke got rid of the hole in the seat that allowed the use of the old style attachment :( I had to swap chairs when our second baby came along and needed to use the old attachment.