The 3 Things You Need To Know to Choose a Rocking Chair for Your Child

The relaxation a rocking chair brings is not only for adults but can also benefit children as well. Studies have shown that the back and forth rocking movement provides a calming effect for those who engage in it. There are plenty of rocking chairs out there, so what’s the secret to knowing which one is the right one for your child? You only need to know 3 things that will help you select the perfect one. Read on to find out what those three things are.

First and foremost, you will need to know how tall your child is. If you are buying this as a gift, you can make a simple phone call to get that information. The child’s height is important because you want them to be able to get in and out of the chair without assistance. Having their own chair builds their identity and independence, and being able to get in and out of it by themselves only fosters this. Generally speaking, mini rocking chairs are geared for 1 to 3 year olds and the seat height is around 10 inches. The next step up is a child size chair for 3 to 8 year olds, which usually has a height around 10.5-12.5 inches. If your child is on the taller side for his age, you might want to purchase the child size chair so they won’t grow out of it too quickly.

Secondly, you will need to know how much your child weighs. This is also a good indicator as to whether to buy the mini or child size rocker. If your child weighs less than 50 pounds then the mini rocker will work, depending on their height. A child who weighs between 50-100 pounds will need the child size chair. Considering your child’s weight when starting to shop will not only help their chair to last longer, but will give your child more time to enjoy their new place of relaxation.

The third and probably the easiest of the three, is to know what your child’s interests are. Today, there are multiple options for you to consider, not like in the olden days where the only choice was the traditional brown rocking chair. You can choose a traditional style rocker, in almost any color on the color palette and even have it personalized with the child’s name. Or you can pick from any theme you can imagine ranging from animals, prince and princesses, careers such as a firefighter or policemen, hobbies like baseball, trains, race cars, ballet, or being an artist or musician. And for those that need it, there’s even a "Time-Out" chair which has a working timer that you can set for up to 15 minutes. You might even want to consider letting your little one pick out their own chair. Sometimes they surprise us and choose something completely opposite from what we would have picked out for them. Remember, the more they like it, the more they will use it.

Now you have some information gathering to do. Remember the three pieces of information you will need to obtain: 1) height 2) weight, and 3) interests. It’s not hard and it won’t take you long. Now that you have the three components necessary for choosing the right rocking chair for your child, have fun shopping, and have fun watching your child enjoy their new chair.