The Best Infant Floor Seat – Find the Best Seats to Get Baby Sitting Up

Ingenuity Baby Base

The Ingenuity Baby Base 2-in-1 Seat is another good option that is not only the best choice for achieving a 90/90 degree seated position, but it is extremely affordable as well. In the Pediatric PT review, this infant floor seat ranked as the top contender for both floor-sitting and booster use.

The seat comes with a convenient storage space for the feeding tray when it is not in use and this is another option that has an extensive lifespan — recommended for kids up to 50 pounds or three years of age. This seat also has the thickest cushion of our highest ranking products, making it a comfy spot to seat your child.

While it is the optimal booster seat from a posture standpoint, it comes with a relatively small feeding tray. This can lead to a bit of a mess if the child is not at a point where you want them to eat a meal off the table.

Why You Should Trust Us

The testing team for this review includes Heidi Butler, a seasoned journalist and mom of one, and Jacquelyn Hacker, PT, who has been working for 16 years in outpatient pediatric physical therapy and is a mom of five. Hacker currently works at Achieve Pediatrics Therapy & Rehab, treating kids who have neurological disabilities and orthopedic issues from both injuries and birth defects.

Over the span of two months, we were able to individually assemble, inspect, and test each infant floor seat. We reviewed hundreds of product critiques and tested those customer criticisms to determine if the companies had remedied the issues or if they were still areas of concern.

With the help of a very eager 21-month old, we were also able to see these seats in action. They were used during play and mealtimes, which allowed us to see firsthand how easy or difficult they were to use, if there was actually ample space for growth, and how difficult they were to clean and transport.

Our recommendations were not influenced by the manufacturers, but rather, by the actual benefits and developmental advantages of the products. Based on our research, we determined that these five qualifications are the most important drivers of satisfaction with infant floor seats:

• Parent Comfort and Usability (20% weighting)
• Child Comfort and Usability (20% weighting)
• Longevity Of The Seat (20% weighting)
• Part & Material Quality (20% weighting)
• Pediatric PT Rating (20% weighting)

Who Should Get This

Infant floors seats are not for everyone. However, this is an ideal product for those parents who find themselves needing a safe space to place their baby while tending to household chores. For parents who visit friends and family and need a place to feed their little one, a floor seat can be an extremely useful tool to have on hand as well.

Those looking into purchasing a high chair, but live in a small apartment, should also consider floor seats. They can be a great space saver for those who have less living space. However, if space allows, the Graco is a great option for those moms and dads of multiple children because two children can use it simultaneously.

It is important to note that baby floor seats are intended for children who have independent neck and trunk control. Every child develops at a different speed, so the age of use will vary, but generally speaking, they are designed for infants around six months of age and up.

If your child has not reached these milestones, floor seats should not be used. Children who have physical abnormalities like hip dysplasia should also avoid using this type of product unless parents are given the go-ahead by their physician.

Our Research and Test Process

Our extensive research process involved compiling specifications for each floor seat, evaluating customer reviews, and talking to parents about what features they found most useful. This information highlighted the importance of a feeding area, ample space for a growing child, and products that allow for long-term use. Additionally, easy transport and storage, as well as engaging toys, are all important attributes.

We also interviewed experts on the physical features of the seats that can make them beneficial or detrimental to a child’s development. All of these details allowed us to narrow down the 28 infant floor seats to the seven which seemed to possess the most desirable qualities.

We eliminated products with safety issues, improper posture characteristics, and poor quality.

We conducted more than 30 hands-on tests to ensure that the information provided by the companies and experienced parents was accurate.

Product Ratings and Specs

	Editor's Choice	Recommended	Budget Choice
	Graco Floor2Table	Infantino Discovery Seat	Ingenuity Baby Base	hiccapop OmniBoost	Upseat Baby Floor Seat	Summer Deluxe SuperSeat	Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up
	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon BedBath&Beyond	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon Walmart	Amazon
Test Lab Score	89	83	82	77	71	59	40
Parent Comfort and Useability	95	95	95	95	85	68	62
Child Comfort and Useability	90	78	74	72	62	55	59
Longevity Of Seat	100	75	80	80	50	80	0
Part & Material Quality	93	100	93	90	80	60	80
Pediatric PT Rating	75	65	70	50	80	30	0
Specifications
Seat Length	8.50 in	8.00 in	7.50 in	11.25 in	6.50 in	7.50 in	8.00 in
Seat Width	11.00 in	10.50 in	9.50 in	12.00 in	7.25 in	8.50 in	9.50 in
Max Age Of Use	36 mth	48 mth	36 mth	36 mth	24 mth	48 mth	9 mth
Max Weight Limit	40 lbs	33 lbs	50 lbs	25 lbs	30 lbs	33 lbs	25 lbs
Interactivity Option	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Booster Seat Option	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Seat Material	Plastic	Plastic / Foam	Plastic / Foam	Fabric	Foam	Plastic / Foam	Fabric
Reclinabie	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Raised Supported Surface	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	N/A

Show more rows

Value

Many infant floor seats can only be used for a short period of time and provide limited value for the money.

Most of the seats we purchased ranged in price from the mid-30s to the mid-50s. The two exceptions were the Graco Floor2Table typically priced in the mid-100’s and the Upseat which is just over $100.

What is the difference? Features like sensory toys, thicker cushioning, dishwasher-safe trays and brand influence the cost.

Although the Graco Floor2Table performed best in our testing, it is not a good value if all you need is the infant floor seat. It is a very good deal if you can make use of it as a high chair and booster.

Parent Comfort And Usability

In this category we evaluated the overall ease of use. Initial setup, cleaning, transport, and storage, as well as the physical act of getting your child in and out of the seat, were all assessed.

We also tested how easy or difficult it was to get the child buckled and unbuckled, inserting and removing the tray, as well as how the material and size of the seat impacted a parent’s ability to maneuver the child.

Parent Ease Of Use Rating

The Graco, Infantino, Ingenuity, and hiccapop all ranked extremely well in this testing. Many came ready to use out of the box and the others took only a few seconds to assemble. Since these four seats provide ample room for growth, it was simple to get a child in and out of the seat.

The Infantino and Ingenuity feature a plastic and foam base making them easy to clean. In comparison, the Graco and hiccapop do use fabric, but they were easily removed and thrown in the wash.

We contacted customer service for each manufacturer by email or by phone and recorded response time and level of service. We had timely and professional service from every manufacturer.

Transport Rating

The hiccapop ranked highest for storage thanks to the collapsable design. It also comes with a convenient storage bag for transport.

Summer ranked the lowest in the overall Parent Comfort & Usability category due to the bulky design and the tray consistently getting stuck. This made removing the child from the seat extremely difficult and many times required the help of another person. This was followed by the Fisher-Price Floor Seat. The snug fit and unfitted fabric seat made removal of a child much more difficult.

Child Comfort And Usability

This category assessed the overall comfort of the child while in the seat. One of the biggest concerns raised by parents was the amount of space for their baby’s legs. This feature can greatly limit the range of use.

Cushioning was another factor that determined how long the child wanted to remain in the infant floor seat. In terms of usability, the size of the tray and the added features for child engagement were rated.

Graco was the clear winner in this category. Since the seat is intended to grow with your child, it has a myriad of accommodations to allow for a pleasant experience, no matter the age of the kid. There are also three trays, all of which are very large to allow for ample eating and play space.

Comfort Rating

In terms of interactivity, the Infantino is your best bet. The musical aspect of this infant floor seat is ideal for kids and adults alike. You can toggle between two song and noise collections and adjust the volume to your liking.

To save batteries, there is an on/off switch for when it is not in use. The buttons light up and there is a nice variety of sensory activities, all within comfortable reach for baby.

Longevity Of Use

Once you have a child, you learn the true meaning of clutter. This makes finding products that stand the test of time extremely important. Manufacturers provide maximum-weight and age-of-use specifications. However, children come in different sizes and shapes. A child with chunky thighs may not fit in the seats as long as the manufacturer claims for example.

Maximum Weight Limit

Maximum Age Of Use

More importantly, while your child may be in the appropriate window for use, once your child becomes mobile, the likelihood that they will want to remain fixated in one spot is laughable. This brings up the concern of the product tipping and injuries occurring.

Thus, you want a product that has other functions to ensure a long range of use. This is why we looked for products that converted into booster seats and supplied plenty of room for growth, while still providing support.

When determining if a seat could accommodate a larger or older kid, a child’s dimensions were considered. An infant may be at an average weight for their age, but parents of babies with chubby thighs are all too familiar with the restrictions that come with many products.

All the seats we evaluated had comparable leg hole widths, but the height provided between the base of the seat and the bottom of the tray as well as the size of the crotch bar varied drastically. These differences make a colossal difference in a child’s ability to grow with the seat. Moreover, the actual seat size also plays a factor.

Leg Hole Height

As seen above, Graco took the lead in this category. The maximum age and weight recommendations as well as the space provided for a child’s legs and body all ranked extremely high. Another factor in this top rating is that this infant floor seat not only converts into a booster seat, but it can also transform into a highchair, a play table, and it can split to accommodate two children at once.

While highly recommended by parents, the Fisher Price has the shortest range of use due to the leg space, weight restrictions and the sturdiness of the seat. The company actually notes that once your child is mobile, you should no longer allow them to sit in the seat. This is the only infant floor seat that we tested that does not convert into a booster.

When looking at rankings in this category, parents may notice that the Upseat did not rate as well despite the large amount of space for a child’s legs. This was due to the small amount of space provided for the child’s bottom. The actual seat measured between 1.25″ to 4.75″ smaller in width and 1″ to 4.75″ less in length.

Part & Material Quality

They say that you get what you pay for, but sometimes that is not the case. When evaluating the part & material quality, we looked at both the construction of the seat and the durability and functionality of the tray. Upon inspection, none of the seats had any quality issues, but in terms of the tray, there were a few products that brought concerns.

Summer has the most problematic tray, which at times required two people to detach. This is exceptionally problematic when you have a bigger baby in the seat and can’t slide them out. In contrast, the Upseat’s tray would not stay in place, leading to a large mess at mealtimes. Small children could easily pull this lightweight tray out of place.

Fisher Price’s toy attachment was also easily removed, but the actual tray stays in place quite well. The Graco and Ingenuity had minor problems with the tray sticking, but it was nothing that two hands couldn’t fix.

Pediatric Review

For this final category, we consulted with Pediatric Physical Therapist Jacquelyn Hacker. She conducted an in-person evaluation of the seven infant floor seats, noting how the structure of the seat could help or hurt your child’s spinal development.

Overall Floor Seat Rating

The Overall Floor Seat Rating is the ranking designated by Hacker following a thorough review of these seven seats.

Head, Neck & Trunk Control

Every child develops at a different rate. Generally, children gain full head and neck control around their six-month mark. However, many floor seat manufacturers, like Bumbo and Fisher-Price, market their products to children as young as three months of age.

Hacker stresses that one of the most important things to confirm before using an infant floor seat is your child’s ability to fully support their head, neck, and trunk. If your child has not reached these milestones, it is imperative that you wait before using this type of product.

“They should have enough head control that they are not bobbing and not swaying side to side. They should be able to hold their midline stable and look at things that engage their attention. There should be nothing about it that looks like they’re still working on it.”

Infant Floor Seat Structure

“We want to set them up with good core strength [and] good spinal alignment from an early age, instead of setting them up behind the curve.”

Unfortunately, many floor seats create an illusion of support. This is achieved with fabric and scooped seat designs. While this may seem ideal, Hacker notes that this can actually stunt their progress. This is why paying attention to the structure of the seat is so important.

“If you watch babies sit on the floor when they’ve learned to sit, they tend to have nearly perfect posture. They sit with a very straight spine and they sit with what we call anterior pelvic tilt.” This puts them in a 90 – 90 degree sitting position. When using a scooped seat, “that seat is doing all the work for them and putting their pelvis into a posterior pelvic tilt, [which is] a position that we don’t want.”

Seat Curvature Rating

So what is considered a good seat structure? Look for options that are either flat or in the shape of a wedge. The wedge design can be seen in the Upseat, where the highest point of the seat is in the back and it declines forward. This was her top choice for the intent of floor sitting. This is followed by the Infantino and the Ingenuity.

The seat should also be raised to allow the child’s knees to bend at more of a 90-degree angle. These qualities provide support during mealtimes, which allows your child to focus on eating and lessens the risk of choking.

Booster Seat Rating

Conversely, when these floor seats are used as boosters, Hacker prefers the Ingenuity. This is based on the combination of the flat seat surface that maintains good posture and the raised seat structure that puts a child’s legs in the proper position.

Second place for booster seats goes to the Graco (with the scoop-shaped foam liner removed) thanks to the parent’s ability to increase support with the added high chair seatback that can be reclined.

Finally, the Upseat drops to third place for this function due to the limited space available in the seat. This seat provides the second shortest time for use, making it less ideal for long-term use.

Floor Seat Safety

One of the main critiques we found when reviewing all of the floor seats was their propensity to tip over. What testing revealed is that this is almost always related to user error.

Do Not Use Before Your Child Is Ready

First, if your child is using the seat before they can control their head, neck, or trunk, they are more likely to slump forward or to the side. This can cause even the sturdiest seats to fall. Thus, do NOT use this product before they are ready, no matter if the packaging says otherwise.

Always Supervise Your Child

Supervision is required with all baby products. If you intend to walk away from the seat, then it needs to be properly strapped to a chair and it needs to remain in your line of sight. Never leave your child unattended in this type of product.

While your child can use these seats for extended periods of time, the actual floor seat function should be limited. Once they become mobile, children want to roam. If they can stand and or walk, cease using this product in this way and transition it to a full-time booster seat. This can also prevent the instance of tipping.

Never Use A Floor Seat On A Raised Surface

Floor seats are not intended to be set on any surface except the floor itself unless they are specifically designed with straps to connect to a chair as a booster seat.

Placing your child in an infant floor seat and then situating it on top of a table, countertop, or anything other than the floor creates a serious risk of falling.

Watch For Little Fingers

All children like to place their fingers and toes where they do not belong. When attaching and removing the tray, make sure that those adorable appendages have not snuck into the tray slots or into crevices under the tray. This can help to prevent injury and a lot of tears.

Best Infant Floor Seat For Travel

For the parents who are always on the go, the hiccapop Omniboost is a good choice. This travel-friendly seat is akin to a camping chair. It folds up into a compact size and comes with a handy carrying case. The duck feet make it more stable on uneven ground, like while at the park or beach, and it has a convenient storage pouch on the back.

Like most of the other seats, this floor seat can attach to a kitchen chair for use as a booster seat. It is the most affordable option of the top seven, running just over $30!

Note that this chair is tailored for more developed children. It does not provide adequate support for infants who do not have full neck and trunk control.