Parents! How many of you have trouble keeping your toddler occupied while you prepare dinner? The struggle is so real, right? I let mine play with Tupperware containers, a whisk/bowl to pretend she’s mixing with me, and anything else I can easily grab with messy food-covered hands. I’ve even let her play with a bowl of uncooked rice. Huge mistake!
I’ve learned recently that with my little one, the key is to keep her occupied and contained. Since she’d crawl right out of a portable crib, a booster seat is the only obvious method for containment at her age during meal prep time. Her old booster was just a booster, but we are absolutely in love with her new Mickey Mouse Helping Hands Feeding and Activity Seat by The First Years (Amazon).
What makes her new Mickey Mouse booster seat special is that it comes compatible toys, which eliminates the need frantically run around the house to find some. It comes with three toys designed to help develop motor skills which suction cup and/or clip right onto the tray, depending on the toy. It also comes with a clip-on bowl or cup holder, which has been a huge help.
The tray was designed with messes in mind and has a lip on the edge to help keep food in one place, instead of all over the floor. It’s also dishwasher safe – Hallelujah!
The tray is large with plenty of room for toys and food at the same time and easily clips into multiple spots on the booster seat. I have learned that when using the toys during feeding time, the toys will need to be thoroughly cleaned because they tend to get pretty grimy. I do not recommend putting the toys in the dishwasher, though. A good hand washing it all they need.
This feeding set, like most chair-boosters, comes with two straps with buckles to secure the unit to an adult chair. It’s designed to fit most chairs and fits our large chairs very well. The back of the booster seat also has a large storage compartment which makes the perfect spot to store bibs or more toys.
