{"id":562,"date":"2023-11-17T06:23:42","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T06:23:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carseaton.com\/?p=562"},"modified":"2023-12-14T23:05:36","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T23:05:36","slug":"car-seat-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carseaton.com\/car-seat-age\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need to Know about Car Seat Age: Rear- or Front- Facing"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Can I put my 4-year-old in a booster seat?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n These are the most commonly asked questions from parents. If you also have the same questions and want to know more about the car seat ages and stages<\/strong>, and types<\/strong>, here is the right place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In this post, we’ll answer the frequently asked questions that the majority of parents may have. These questions are collected from the internet and forums like Reddit, and the answers are based on the experience and the researches we did in the process to find the perfect car seats and combos for growing children<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Your little’s age<\/strong> is not a deciding factor for parents to choose a car seat, but still an important consideration. You’ll find that age is a very commonly talked about topic in the city’s local laws<\/strong> on child safety seats. The other two factors are your little one’s weight and height that we have talked about in the post on Car Seat Height and Weight Limits<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t This car seat chart by age shows you plenty of details about <\/span>car seat ages and stages and types<\/b>. You can easily get a result of which car seat for which age by positioning your little’s age in this chart.<\/span><\/p>\n It’s important to ride your child with safety, so every two stages and types have overlapping ages. That means you’ll have two options when your child grows to a specific age, for example, at 2 years old<\/a>, your toddler can stay in two types of car seats – rear- and forward-facing car seats.<\/span><\/p>\n From this car seat chart by age, we’ll explain more details about car seat ages and stages, car seat type age.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Infants under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat<\/a>. There are various types of car seats that can be installed rear-facing to accommodate newborns and small babies, including the infant car seats, convertible, and all-in-one car seats.<\/span><\/p>\n The latter two commonly have <\/span>higher height and weight limits<\/b> for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep the infants rear-facing for a longer period of time<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Infant car seats, like the Chicco KeyFit30, generally have a short usage until the babies approach the top height or weight limit, which typically happens around the 12 months for average infants while big babies may meet this case earlier even in their 6-9 months. Then you should use a convertible or all-in-one car seat to keep your child rear-facing, as these two types of car seats feature higher weight limits. For example, Graco Extend2Fit and Diono Radian 3R can fit a child up to 50 pounds in rear-facing.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Further Information<\/strong><\/p>\n Best rear-facing car seats for tall babies<\/a><\/p>\n Best infant car seats for newborns<\/a><\/p>\n Best car seats for <\/a>infants<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t $499*<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t *Price may change on the eCommerce platform due to sale promotion or discount.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The AAP guidelines recommend <\/span>keeping your toddler rear-facing as long as possible<\/b>. It\u2019s the best way to ride a toddler safe. Your little one should remain in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat\u2019s manufacturer. Toddlers at the age of 1-3 years may exceed the maximum height or weight limit of the infant car seats. At this time, they need a convertible or all-in-one car seat to stay rear-facing for longer.<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>convertible and all-in-one car seats<\/b> have higher height and weight limits. For example, the Chicco NextFit Zip is able to ride a child between 5 to 40 pounds and up to 43 inches tall, perfect for toddlers as big as 3 years old.<\/span><\/p>\n Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, it’s the right time to move them to the next stage to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Further Information<\/strong><\/p>\n Best car seats for extended rear-facing<\/a><\/p>\n Best rear-facing toddler car seats<\/a><\/p>\n Best rear-facing car seats up to 50 lbs<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible is the best way to ensure their safety in the car seat. That’s why some states and cities require your child to be accommodated in rear-facing until they’re 2 years old. So it’s best to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat\u2019s manufacturer – You can easily find this in the car seat’s manual or description.<\/span><\/p>\n If you’re living or planning to travel in the cities with the local laws that <\/span>require children under 2 years old should remain in a rear-facing car seat<\/b>, you’d better get a convertible or all-in-one car seat to fit your child, Graco Extend2Fit<\/a>, Chicco NextFit Zip, and Diono Radian 3R are good options for this case. They all also provide a seamless transition to forward-facing once your child outgrows the top height or weight limit of the rear-facing.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Further Information<\/strong><\/p>\n Best car seats for 2 years old boys and girls<\/a><\/p>\n Best car seats for 2-year-olds toddlers<\/a><\/p>\n Best car seats for a 3 year old<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Toddlers aged from 4 to 7 years should stay in a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness<\/a> and tether until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed in the harness system. Convertible and all-in-one car seats are typically great options to accommodate toddlers and preschoolers.<\/span><\/p>\n Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it\u2019s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Further Information<\/strong><\/p>\n Best car seats for 4 year olds<\/a><\/p>\n Best harnessed booster car seats for toddlers<\/a><\/p>\n Best booster seats for toddlers<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t You may have noticed that the 4 years is the minimum age requirement in a booster car seat’s description. But if you have purchased a convertible or all-in-one car seat to grow with your child, just keep them in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat\u2019s manufacturer.<\/span><\/p>\n Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it\u2019s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.<\/span><\/p>\n Advanced tips: For big families with several children including infants and toddlers, getting a cheaper booster for the big kid over 4 years old<\/a> is a considerable way to save money.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Further Information<\/strong><\/p>\n Best car seats for a 5 year old<\/a><\/p>\n Best car seats for a 6-7 year old<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Your child should stay in a booster seat<\/a> until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly, which generally happens around 8-12 years of age. To fit the seat belt for big kids properly with safety and comfort, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.<\/span><\/p>\n Remember: your child should still ride in the back seat because it\u2019s safer there. The majority of the US states also require children under 13 years old should stay in the rear seat for safety.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Big kids can use the vehicle’s seat belt for safety. That happens around the age of 8-12 years when your child is ready to fit in a seat belt. Fitting properly in the seat belt is very important to ensure your child’s security in the car.<\/span><\/p>\n Make sure the lap belt fits comfortably across the thighs (not the stomach) and that your child is not slouching. The shoulder strap should go across the chest and shoulder, and never goes beneath a child’s arm, behind the back, or across the neck.<\/span><\/p>\n Remember: riding your child in the back seat is safer when they’re below 13 years old, which is also the legal-approved age in most US states.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t There are different types of car seats<\/a> that can be used in rear-facing mode: Infant car seats, convertible, and all-in-one car seats. Every type of car seat can last for several months or years according to your child’s weight and height.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t This type of car seat can be used in rear-facing only for newborns and small babies. They come with a 30 or 35 pounds weight limit and a 32-inch height limit. That means infants around 6 or 9 months will outgrow their infant car seats<\/a> with the top height is easier to reach.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\tCar Seat Chat by Age<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Car Seat Ages and Stages<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
0-3 Years Old for Stage 1 to Stay Rear-facing<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Birth-12 months<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Doona Infant Car Seat Stroller Combo<\/h5>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
1-3 Years<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
2-7 Years Old for Stage 2 to Stay Forward-Facing<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
1 \u2013 3 Years<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
4 \u2013 7 Years<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
4-12 Years old for Stage 3 to Stay in Booster<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
4 \u2013 7 Years<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
8 \u2013 12 Years<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
8-13 Years old for Stage 4 to Stay in Seat Belt<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
8 \u2013 12 Years<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Car Seat Types Age - Which Car Seat for Which Age<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Rear-facing Car Seat Ages: 1-3 Years Old<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Infant Car Seats - Birth to 6-9 Months<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Convertible Car Seats - Birth to 2-3 Years<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t