£49 from Playtray.co.uk

Defy those stuck-up Stokke evangelists!

Tell yourself that you’re saving yourself from the agony of having to redecorate your dining room. You’re also stickin’ it to the man.

Tell your wife that buying the Playtray is cheaper than buying a new shagpile.

You’re the worst parent in the world if you allow your child to eat from a tray attached to a highchair. Or at least, that’s what Stokke will make you believe if you read their preachy web site:

“children who eat dinner with their families are exposed to a greatly reduced risk of developing social problems in later life”

“a highchair that enables your child to sit with you at the table…provides your child with a secure platform for growth and development.”

Back on planet earth . . .

No question, Stokke do produce a really attractive highchair that is very flexible and adaptable throughout your child’s youth. But they refuse to provide an attachable tray, which is just not practical in the real world until your child is more mature in his eating habits. Therefore you’ll need an attachable tray. Therefore you’ll need the Playtray.

Thick and girthy

The Playtray is a see-through plastic tray that attaches simply and securely by hooking over the back of the Stokke Tripp Trapp highchair. It is impressively thick (around 1 cm) which makes it feel extremely sturdy. Furthermore, it has a very thick lip that is 2 cm deep and looks like it would hold a gallon of drool and milk if it had to. All surfaces are rounded and smooth which means safety for your baby and easy cleaning for you. The Playtray comes with a crotch strap, but is also fully compatible with the Stokke Baby Set and harness that provide a bit more security for your child.

Henry eats a fish finger

The Playtray has truly been a revelation since we bought it. We’ve had the courage to give Henry a whole new world of messy finger-foods that we wouldn’t have let him near if he were sat at our dining table. The Playtray is plenty large enough for Henry to enjoy squishing his food around, in and amongst the odd bit that makes it to his mouth. Henry also likes to bash the tray and I can report that it stays rock solid under all kinds of pressure.

Despite its solidity, the Playtray is still very quick and easy to remove for cleaning. After Henry’s mealtime we usually remove the tray before wiping it down, and you could clean it in the sink or even the dishwasher if you had one large enough. Simplicity itself.

Dadgets.info says that if you own a Stokke Tripp Trapp highchair, then you really must own a Playtray for weaning your baby. It’s difficult to see how any design could improve on the Playtray.

Grin like a child at the thick, smooth plastic, and the smile on your baby’s face as he smears peanut butter on his head.

Cry like a baby at the expense of a lump of plastic, and the fact that Stokke might send the boys round if they find out that you’re defying their ethos.

Dadgets.info rating: 8 out of 10

This entry was posted on October 1st, 2009 by Craig Alan Williamson
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