This article about the best travel car seat for a 5 year old is written by certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Melissa Conn and may contain affiliate links.
Are you trying to pick the best travel car seat for a 5 year old? Or maybe you feel like your 5 year old is ready for a travel booster seat? You’ve come to the right place! If you’re shopping for a child of a different age, check out the best travel car seats for all ages to get to the right list.
If your family is anything like ours, at home the kids are riding around in harnessed boosters that might as well be kid-sized thrones. They’re amazing for safety and comfort.
But for air travel? Not so much. Many families don’t want to lug a 25 pound car seat through the airport, hoist it over an entire row to get it installed in a tiny airplane window seat, navigate back through another airport and then lift it into a taxi or rental car. A better choice if you can swing it is to pick up one of the many travel car seats for 5 year olds on the market today.
If your child is big enough and mature enough you can also start to consider some travel booster seats on the market. Nearly all of them are lighter than harnessed combination seats but not all 5 year olds are ready to make the jump – I know mine isn’t! Every family will need to decide what is the appropriate car seat for their 5 year old.
Read more: Bringing your booster seat on an airplane
Quick Picks: Best Travel Car Seat For A 5 Year Old
If you want to skip the details, here are my top picks for the best travel car seat for a 5 year old:
- Graco Tranzitions/Graco Wayz – works well for kids ages ~3-12 as a forward-facing harness, highback booster and then backless booster
- Evenflo Maestro Sport – best lightweight harnessed booster for lightweight kids (also available at Amazon)
- Ride Safer Travel Vest – booster seat alternative perfect for lightweight travel with preschoolers on up (full review here)
- Bubblebum – inflatable booster seat for mature kids who don’t sleep in the car (full review here)
DEAL ALERT! Save $11 off the Ride Safer Travel Vest with coupon ‘VOYAGE‘
How to Choose the Best Travel Car Seat for a 5 Year Old
What do we look for in the best portable car seat for a 5 year old? In my experience, there are a few important priorities:
-It has to be light, ideally not more than ~10lbs
-It has to be easy to use
-Ideally it should last at least 3-4 years
Of course every family has unique needs. If your child is extremely tall for her age or you think she would benefit from staying harnessed for a few more years, you might want to choose taller car seat even at the expense of a few extra pounds. If your travels involve a long flight and a long drive, look for comfort features like padding and cup holders to keep your youngest passengers happy.
Portable Car Seat For A 5 Year Old Comparison
Travel car seat | Size | |
Evenflo Maestro Sport | forward-facing or high-back booster; 9 lbs | |
Graco Tranzitions | forward-facing, high-back booster or backless booster; 12.5 lbs | |
Cosco Finale DX | forward-facing or high-back booster; 8 lbs | |
Ride Safer Travel Vest | booster seat alternative; 2 lbs | |
Diono Monterey 5iST | highback booster; 19lbs | |
Baby Trend Yumi | highback booster or backless booster; 9 lbs | |
Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120 | highback booster; 15lbs | |
Bubblebum | backless booster seat; 1 lb |
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Best travel car seats for 5 year olds
The NHTSA recommends that kids remain in a forward-facing harness as long as possible, and many safety advocates urge parents to keep their kids harnessed for several years beyond age 4.
The right type of car seat for a 5 year old is something of a crap shoot. You may feel ok with a booster for a 5 year old who is extremely mature, good at listening to directions and doesn’t usually fall asleep in the car. On the other hand, you may need to look for a 5 point harness booster seat for over 40lbs if you think your kid won’t be able to stay in a safe position 100% of the time.
In the reviews below, we mostly recommend travel combination car seats, which can be used forward-facing with a harness until your child is big enough and mature enough to use the seat as a high-back booster. That means they’ll last you for years – maybe even until the end of your car seat days.
Some lightweight convertible car seats might still work for your 5 year old, so if you have one laying around you can stick with that! Other than the one listed below, I wouldn’t recommend buying a new convertible car seat as you won’t get to use it for long.
At the bottom of this list you’ll also find a few booster seats that are appropriate for a mature 5 year old who meets the size requirements too. YMMV.
Does my 5 year old need a carseat to fly?
Probably not, as long as she’s at least 40 pounds and will abide by the seatbelt sign. The main reason to fly with it is that you need it at your destination and want to avoid checking a car seat on an airplane. We continued to bring this car seat on flights with us if we were doing a trip with lots of driving. If we weren’t doing as much driving (or were flitting around on trains and buses too) we brought this instead and didn’t use anything on the plane for our 5 year old.
Evenflo Maestro Sport review
Key stats:
-Weight 9lbs
-Max harness height 18.5”
-Forward-facing size limits 22-50lbs, 28-50”
-Highback booster size limits 40-110lbs, 44-57”
Pros:
✔ Lasts from age 3 (as a harness) to ~age 8 (as a booster)
✔ Affordable price
✔ Easy to install
Cons:
✘ Requires top tether, which may not be available in all countries
✘ Narrow set harness straps with no covers
✘ 6 year expiration
The Evenflo Maestro Sport harness-to-booster car seat is probably one of the best options for a travel car seat for kindergartners if you want one that will last a few years and your child is on the lighter side. It offers nice height limits as a forward-facing harness and then a little extra time in high-back booster mode.
It’s hard to beat the all-around package of the Maestro Sport when you’re shopping for a travel car seat for the 5 year old in your life. It’s got enough padding to keep riders happy (unlike the previous version) and is light enough that we regularly carry it through the airport by the straps since we no longer bring a stroller. At only 9lbs, it’s truly a lightweight harness booster seat!
We’ve installed its cousin in an airplane seat many times while using it with the harness and it’s quick and easy. Our kids never had an issue with legroom, but we would remove their shoes and remind them not to (accidentally) kick their neighbor in front.
Note that Evenflo says kids should be at least 44″ tall to use it as a booster, which is about age 5.5 for an average boy. Our tiny kids didn’t hit that threshold until at least 6.5, so if your kids are short and you want to use a booster seat, this might not be the best choice for you.
The price is very affordable, especially considering that it’ll last you into elementary school if your child is on the slimmer side!
All new Evenflo car seats require the top tether for forward facing. If you plan on international travel to the developing world where a top tether may be unavailable, you’ll have to evaluate whether or not you feel comfortable using the car seat against manufacturer instructions. The top tether is an important safety feature because it reduces forward head movement in a crash by 4-6″, but car seats are required to pass Federal crash tests without it no matter what.
The biggest downside for some families is that the shoulder straps are set fairly close to each other in 5-point harness mode. If Evenflo could make them even 1″ further apart, they’d have some very happy kids out there. The narrow setting is compounded by the lack of harness pads – which you are not allowed to add. Sometimes our kids complained but usually they didn’t; when it bothered them, we pulled their shirt collars up to protect the sides of their necks. If your child has a broader build or is tall, he might do better with a different seat.
The 50 pound max harness weight of the Maestro Sport is also disappointing. Our older Evenflo SecureKid went up to 65 pounds, as does the Evenflo Sonus 65, so I wish Evenflo had incorporated that extra reinforcement for the Maestro Sport. You can switch to booster mode at 50 pounds (the weight of an average 7 year old) and continue using the seat for several more years, but some kids who are higher on the weight curve won’t be mature enough for a booster seat when they hit 50lbs. If you’re shopping for a 5 year old car seat, you probably won’t encounter this issue for a while but it’s good to keep in mind.
It’s not going to be the tallest booster seat around since the headrest on the Maestro Sport doesn’t adjust, but at least you can eek out a little more time by running the seatbelt over the headrest if your child gets a better fit that way and is still within the seat’s limits (including the tops of the ears still being within the headrest). Just know that if you’re using it as a booster seat for your 5 year old, you won’t be able to bring it on board a plane with you.
For average or smaller/thinner kids, we think the Evenflo Maestro Sport might be the best car seat for 5 year old kids whose families are on a budget but want a travel-worthy option. Since it converts between a forward-facing harness and a highback booster seat, many families can get at least two years of use out of it – not bad for a seat with a retail price around $100.
Graco Tranzitions review
Key stats:
-Weight 12.5lbs
-Max harness height 18”
-Forward-facing size limits 22-65lbs, 27-49″
-Highback booster size limit 40-100lbs, 43-57″, age 4+
-Backless booster size limit 40-100lbs, 43-57″, age 4+
Pros:
✔ Fits from age 3 (as a harness) to ~age 12 (as a backless booster)
✔ Reasonable price for longevity
✔ Very narrow
Cons:
✘ Can be tough to install in some cars
✘ Heavier than other options
✘ Back and base may separate when carrying
✘ 7 year expiration
If we were on the market for a travel car seat for a 5 year old, the Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 harness booster car seat would get some serious consideration. The price tag is extremely reasonable for what you get and it would be a great seat to use both at home at on the go (it may be even cheaper at Walmart) .
The best part? You might never have to buy another car seat again (unless you want to, that is) thanks to the 7 year lifespan and the ability to “tranzition” the seat to a highback booster and later a backless booster.
Unlike the Evenflo Maestro, the Tranzitions harnesses to 65lbs (rather than only 50) has harness pads and a slightly wider distance between straps to keep your kid comfortable. Of the lightweight options on this list, it’s one of the better harnessed booster seats for 5 year olds who are bigger than average. It even includes premium features like an adjustable headrest and no-rethread harness.
So what are the tradeoffs? Nothing is perfect. You’ll have to carry around a few extra pounds for all those features, though you won’t notice a difference if you use a cart like this one or strap it to your suitcase.
Some parents have had trouble installing the Tranzitions (or the Graco Wayz) in certain cars since the path for the seatbelt and LATCH strap is mounted very high on the car seat – I’ve even had difficulty sometimes when helping caregivers with this seat. Prepare to spend a little more time with it and use these tips for installing your car seat. It also requires a top tether for installation, which you may not find in developing countries.
Lastly, the base and the back can click apart from each other too easily when you’re carrying it around – this problem afflicts just about every booster seat that can become backless (including the one we use at home) and it’s such a nuisance!
Cosco Finale DX review
Key stats:
-Weight 8lbs
-Max harness height 16.5”
-Forward-facing size limits 30-65lbs, 32-49”
-Highback booster size limits 40-100lbs, 43-52”
Pros:
✔ Lasts from age 3 to ~age 5-6
✔ Extremely low price
✔ Very narrow
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Requires top tether, which may not be available in all countries
✘ Terrible booster mode
✘ LATCH not allowed in booster mode
✘ Sparse padding on the seat
The Cosco Finale DX is a popular next step after the budget-friendly Scenera, but I only recommend it if you understand its limitations. It’s an extremely popular choice among the travel car seats for 5 year olds, though every family will have to weigh its short lifespan versus the bargain price tag.
I’ll start with the pros, because there are two really big reasons why traveling families love (and I really mean love) their Cosco Finales. First, you absolutely can’t beat the weight. At 8 pounds, it’s the lightest car seat in its class! You can push it in a stroller, carry it in your hands or even strap it to your suitcase without breaking a sweat. Thanks to my fellow CPST Kelly who shared this photo of her kiddo riding in the Cosco Finale on a plane (you can see her younger one in the Cosco Scenera Next on a plane in the background too!).
Second, it’s really hard to beat that price tag. There’s actually an even cheaper version at Walmart but the padding is basically non-existent. Not only is it the lightest combination car seat, but it’s the cheapest one too!
There’s also a slightly fancier version of the same seat sold as the Safety 1st Grand. It includes a more padded cover and two cup holders instead of one. The specs and shell are identical to the original Cosco Finale.
So what are the cons? For starters, it’s not a seat that’s going to last particularly long. The 17″ maximum harness height is just about the shortest on this list. There are plenty of kids who will outgrow the harness mode at age 6, even if they aren’t mature enough yet for the booster mode.
The booster mode isn’t really usable. Cosco now tells customers not to use the built-in shoulder belt guide because it can prevent the seatbelt from retracting properly – an alarm bell that CPSTs have been sounding for years. You’re allowed to use it as a booster without that guide, but the fit isn’t safe.
The biggest downside for international travelers is that the Cosco Finale requires using the top tether in harness mode in a car. Not all countries have top tethers in all cars (or any cars), so the Finale may not be the best choice for international travel.
And while some kids love the seat and find it comfortable enough, my kids are extremely picky about their padding… and not shy about it either. We’ve had to replace more than one seat because they just don’t find them plush enough for long drives.
All that said, the Cosco Finale DX might be the right choice for your family if you’re on a tight budget or you need an extremely narrow car seat to fit 3-across in a tiny European rental car.
Ride Safer Travel Vest review
Key stats:
-Weight 2lbs
-Size small: minimum age 3, fits best for 30+ lbs and 35-47″
-Size large: minimum age 4, fits best for 50+ lbs and 45-57″
Pros:
✔ Rolls up to the size of a 2L soda bottle
✔ Perfect for taxi rides
✔ Lowers seat belt to provide an appropriate fit for young children
✔ Keeps kids properly seated better than a traditional booster seat – even when sleeping
✔ Easy to fit 3-across since it’s only as wide as the child
✔ 5 year expiration
Cons:
✘ No side impact protection like a highback booster seat
✘ Takes practice to get belt fit right
✘ NOT permitted for use on planes
Several years ago the kind folks at Safe Ride 4 Kids sent us a Ride Safer travel vest to review, and it hasn’t left our travel kit since. The Ride Safer travel vest is completely different than the other travel car seats and booster seats on the market.
You could say that the Ride Safer travel vest is sort of in between a booster seat and a traditional forward-facing car seat. It relies on the car’s seat belt to handle most of the restraint, but also has an optional top tether that minimizes head movement in an accident and keeps your child in the correct position even if they fall asleep (or drop a toy). While our youngest child wasn’t ready for a booster seat yet at 6 since she was a car sleeper – especially when jet-lagged – we were comfortable with her riding in the Ride Safer vest.
DEAL ALERT! Save $11 off the Ride Safer Travel Vest with coupon ‘VOYAGE‘
So comfortable, in fact, that we brought our Ride Safer vest on our year-long trip around the world! It’s seen action on six continents and served us well the whole time. Once we practiced a few times, we got very fast at putting her in the vest and getting her secured in the car. The newer version features an easier buckle in the front and more adjustability, so that should help many parents.
The Ride Safer Gen 5 is perfect for an average size 5 year old, as you can see on my nephew above modeling the latest version. The size small should last most kids until 6 or even 7. Because there’s no side impact protection, it’s a good idea to put your Ride Safer in the middle seat.
For families going on extended journeys like ours who just can’t take a traditional car seat or those heading somewhere like NYC or Paris, where they’ll mostly rely on public transportation but need an occasional taxi ride, the Ride Safer travel vest is a fantastic option. For a more typical trip that involves flying and then renting a car for a week or two, we sometimes opt to bring our other travel car seat.
While we generally think of the Ride Safer as a travel car seat alternative, we also use it at home often. I keep it in my trunk at all times so that we can fit 3-across in our car for those unexpected carpools or for when Grandma comes for a visit! Since the vest is as narrow as the child in it, there’s no trouble fitting it between two big car seats in our compact SUV.
Best travel booster seats for 5 year olds
Ok, so what if you feel like your 5 year old is mature enough (and big enough) for a booster seat? There are a few great choices to consider for the next stage.
When you’re shopping for a portable booster seat, it’s important to remember that booster seats are not FAA-approved. From a safety perspective, that’s fine: your child will be over 40lbs, so the airplane seatbelt will secure her properly. But what should you do with her booster seat so it’s not lost or damaged?
Take it on board! There are a few ways to manage this. One option is to buy a folding booster seat from the list below. Some of these look absolutely amazing and we’re excited to try them! They fold up small enough to fit in the overhead bin of a plane so that you’re never separated from them.
The other option is to separate the bottom of the booster seat from the back and put the back in a suitcase. It’s ok to check the back that way because it’ll be protected by the suitcase and padded by clothing. You’d then carry the backless part of the booster on-board with you and put it in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of your kid. The only risk is if your luggage is lost or delayed, but at least in a pinch you could use the backless portion of the booster on its own.
Diono Monterey 5ist review
Key stats:
-Weight 19lbs
-Highback booster size limit 40lbs/38″ to 120lbs/63″; max belt guide 21″
Pros:
✔ Folds for compact storage
✔ Easy for kids to buckle
✔ Side impact tested
✔ Rigid LATCH for quick installation
✔ Very roomy, width adjusts to fit even the biggest kids
✔ Highest weight and height limits of any booster
✔ 8 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Heavier than other folding booster seats
✘ Too wide for 3-across as kids get taller
If you’re looking for the best booster seat for a 5 year old who will just be traveling to Grandma’s house now and then, put the new Diono Monterey 5iST on your consideration list. It’s not the lightest booster car seat for a 5 year old on this list, but it has a ton to offer.
First off, the Monterey 5iST adjusts tall enough and wide enough to last nearly every kid to the end of their boostering days (it’s officially rated to 63″ and 120lbs). Since it’s good for 8 years, if you buy it now you may not need to buy your child another car seat or booster seat ever again.
When you do plan to take that occasional flight, the 5iST folds to about the size of a carry-on suitcase so that you can probably fit it in the overhead bin (YMMV depending on the airline and aircraft). Alternatively, you can just leave it at Grandma’s and she won’t even notice it in the closet since it folds so compactly.
The Monterey 5iST has plenty of great features: side impact protection, rigid LATCH, unbeatable ease-of-use and more. Subjectively, it also feels extremely sturdy. This is a wonderful everyday booster seat.
My kids absolutely love the booster we received from Diono. You can read more in my in-depth Diono Monterey 5iST review, but my 10 year old is so enamored that he’s chosen to ride in it full-time. That’s high praise from an image-conscious tween!
Graco TurboBooster Grow booster seat review
Graco has long been synonymous with booster seats, and they’ve recently added an option for a sort-of-folding booster seat that could work well for lots of families. It’s not the most portable overall, but has a really neat trick up its sleeve and could work as a booster seat for home as well as for travel.
The Graco TurboBooster Grow booster seat has three different modes: highback booster seat, backless booster seat, and seatbelt trainer. This is a seat that goes the distance from age 5 until your child fits the adult seatbelt at age 10-12. Note the starting height of 43″, which may put this travel booster seat out of reach for short kiddos.
The highback and backless booster seat modes work just like they do for every other booster seat on the market. But it also comes with the Graco RightGuide seatbelt trainer (full review here), which you can think of as a mini booster seat for big kids – it has a starting weight of 50lbs. The RightGuide can either be used on its own or inserted into the main booster seat, and the booster can be used without the RightGuide if you prefer.
See what they did there? If one of your kids is at least 43″ and 50lbs, you can split this booster seat to use the rest of it for another kid!
For travel, you can either bring the backless booster seat or the RightGuide (or both if you have two kids, and just connect them so you only have to carry one thing). We frequently bring the RightGuide when we travel with our tween and sometimes for our 8 year old too.
In either “traditional” booster mode, this should offer a good fit for kids who weight at least 40lbs and are mature enough to ride in a booster seat. The seatbelt fit with the RightGuide for kids who are solidly 50lbs is generally good as well, though it’s so low-profile that you may need the attached shoulder belt guide even if you don’t normally need it with a traditional backless booster seat.
The overall package for the Graco TurboBooster Grow is pretty nifty and I’m sad that it’s discontinued. But while you can get it, this is a great choice that’ll work for both home and travel.
Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120 Booster Seat review
Key stats:
-Weight 15lbs
-Highback booster size limit 40-120lbs, up to 63″
Pros:
✔ Steel reinforced frame
✔ Rigid LATCH
✔ Tons of size adjustments for a great fit
✔ Reclines for sleep
✔ Extremely narrow
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Really expensive
✘ No arm rests
✘ Heavy
✘ Folded size is as big as a carry-on suitcase
If you don’t have an enormous budget to spend on a travel booster seat for your 5 year old, just look away now.
If you’re still reading, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120 (usually available at a discount thankfully) has some great feature, but the price tag makes me feel queasy. It’s hard to fathom spending that much on luxury high back booster seat that doesn’t have any other modes available. However, some of the premium features make it a solid choice.
First off, it’ll last forever… or at least as long as you want it to. The upper size limit is a whopping 120 lbs and 63″, which is the size of a petite adult. Most riders that size will fit in a seatbelt just fine without a booster seat so you may not ever need a backless booster. The other piece of lasting forever is that Peg Perego gives a whopping 10 years until expiration of this seat. If you have a second child (or third or fourth!) they’ll be able to get a few years out of this seat as well.
Second, it’s loaded with reassuring safety features. The Viaggio Flex 120 has rigid LATCH connectors to easily install the booster seat and keep it from moving around. The back of the seat is also steel reinforced for additional safety.
Third, kids generally like it. It’s padded, it has folding cupholders on each side and the lack of armrests (though a downside for long drives) means it’s easier for booster-age kids to buckles themselves.
So what’s wrong with this portable booster seat for 5 year olds, other than perhaps the price? It comes down to the portability aspect. The steel reinforcement and rigid LATCH add an extra 5-6 pounds compared to competitors, making you less likely to sling this one over your shoulder and use it out on the town. Likewise, it’s not all that small when folded – about 2′ long! You’ll be lucky to fit it in the overhead bin, but taking it when you walk around a city means you’ll need a really big backpack to carry it.
The best use for the Peg Perego Viaggio Flex booster seat is probably when you’re flying to head on a road trip and won’t be moving it in and out of cars all the time. This is a solid competitor against the Diono 5iST.
Babytrend YUMI Folding Booster Seat review
Key stats:
-Weight 9lbs
-Highback booster size limit 40-100lbs, 38-57″
-Backless booster size limit 40-100lbs, 42-57″
Pros:
✔ Highback mode lasts until kids are ready for a backless booster
✔ Converts to backless booster
✔ Bargain price
✔ Cupholders and cushy padding for long drives
✔ 9 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Folded size is as large as a carry-on suitcase
If you’re shopping for a bargain travel booster seat, here it is. The Baby Trend Yumi folding booster seat has been around for a long time under different names and was a pioneer in this type of product. But is it still worth buying?
The highback booster size limits are a little lower than the boosters above, but when your child is ready you can remove the back to use it as a backless booster that goes all the way to 100 lbs (theoretically – in practice, it would probably be too narrow for a 100lb tween to be comfortable). Combined with the rock-bottom price tag, the Baby Trend Yumi 2-in-1 folding booster seat is an incredible value. (Note: The previous version of this seat did not convert to a backless booster and is even cheaper if you can still find it.)
A big plus of the Baby Trend Yumi is that it’s a booster seat designed for everyday use. It’s got cupholders and plenty of cushy padding. That makes it a great choice if you plan to fly somewhere and then take the kids on a long family road trip. Other folding booster seats like the hifold might not win kids’ hearts on a six hour drive, which of course means less peace for us parents.
The big downside of the Yumi is the fold. Whereas the hifold collapses into thirds to make an ultra-compact package and the Diono and Peg Perego folding booster seats are about the size of a carry on suitcase, the Yumi’s fold just isn’t as small. You might be able to fit the hifold under the seat in front of you, but the Baby Trend Yumi has to go in the overhead bin sideways on most planes. With overcrowded bins these days there’s no guarantee a flight crew will let you get away with that!
Still for families on a budget or those with long drives ahead, the Baby Trend Yumi is worth a look.
Bubblebum booster seat review
The final portable booster seat for a 5 year old in this roundup is one with which we’re extremely familiar: the Bubblebum inflatable booster seat. We traveled full-time with this booster seat for the better part of two years.
The Bubblebum is pretty amazing. It weighs about one pound and deflates/rolls to the size of a soda bottle. Setting it up takes just a few seconds, and there’s even a shoulder belt guide to give a great fit for kids of different sizes in all different vehicles.
If you’re a family with an extremely mature 5 year old who doesn’t sleep in the car the Bubblebum gives you the paragon of portability. It’s the perfect option for taking around on days in a city when you think you might hop in a taxi to get home at night or if you’re taking lots of planes and trains for an extended trip.
The Bubblebum is so light that it may shift if your kid is very wiggly. But if your kid is very wiggly, they may not be ready for a backless booster seat at age 5. In that case, I’d go with the RideSafer travel vest for an ultra-portable option. We also had an issue with one of our Bubblebums deflating after we left it inflated in a hot car for a month (oops!); we reached out to customer service and they sent us a whole new one for just the $7 shipping charge!
We started using this booster seat at 6 years old, and we think that’s about right. But it’s approved for 4 years old/40lbs and there are plenty of 5 year olds who can use it successfully, especially if your drives are short. This is a judgement call for each family and also depends on the specifics of your travels.
You can also read my in-depth review of the Bubblebum.
Best car seat for 5 year old FAQs
Ideally a 5 year old should be in a forward facing 5-point harness car seat. That can either be a convertible car seat (rear facing/forward facing), a combination car seat (forward facing/booster seat) or an all-in-one car seat (rear facing/forward facing/booster seat).
Most 5 year olds meet the height and weight requirements to ride in a car booster seat. However, their developmental level is just as important. Your child needs to be able to sit correctly in a booster seat 100% of the time, even when sleeping. Can a 5 year old sit in a booster seat? The law says ‘yes’ pretty much everywhere in America, but in most cases it isn’t ideal.
Some 5 year olds meet the height and weight requirements to ride in a backless booster seat. If your child is developmentally ready for that step, a highback booster can still be a better choice because it provides support for sleeping and the sides are an important reminder to stay seated in the proper position. In the real world, appropriate backless booster age often begins at 6-8 years old depending on the child.
The best car seat for your 5 year old is the one that fits their bodies, fits your car, fits your family budget and that you can use correctly 100% of the time. Many 5 year olds ride in combination (also called “harnessed booster”) car seats. In addition to the travel-friendly car seats in this list, here are some fantastic 5 year old car seat options to consider that will last your child for many years:
–Britax Grow With You ClickTight
–Chicco MyFit (save $30 when you by direct)
–Graco Nautilus SnugLock
The best booster seat for your 5 year old is the one that fits their bodies, fits your car, fits your family budget and that you can use correctly 100% of the time. If you feel that your child is mature enough to sit properly in a booster seat 100% of the time, a high back booster seat is the perfect place to start. The supportive sides will remind your child to sit properly. Be sure to check your car manual and the booster seat manuals for head rest rules – some car require head rests to be removed, but some booster seats require headrests behind them.
In addition to the travel-friendly car seats in this list, here are some fantastic 5 year old booster seat options to consider that will last your child for many years:
–Chicco KidFit
–Diono Monterey 4DXT (requires headrest)
–Nuna AACE
You can also read about the most comfortable boosters for long drives (or for around town!).
What’s your favorite travel car seat for a 5 year old? Tell us in the comments below!