When you’re a parent with a young child, driving can be nerve-wracking, especially when they’re seated out of sight in the back. Luckily, there’s no shortage of car booster seats to keep your child safe and give you peace of mind during your drive. 

It’s very important to get a car booster seat in Singapore, as traffic laws mandate that any child below 1.35m in height must have an appropriate child restraint or booster seat when travelling in a car.

When you’re shopping for your little monarch’s throne, it’s also good to keep their needs in mind. By renting or buying a booster seat, you’ll ensure that every member of your family can travel in safety and comfort. Whether you’ve got a newborn baby or an older child, we’ve hunted down the best booster seats for you to consider.

It’s easy to confuse a baby seat with a booster seat, especially when shopping online. However, they’re built for different needs, and it’s important to know what you’re looking for when getting one for your child.

Baby seats are mainly built for children aged 2 years old and below, when their necks and spines are especially vulnerable. Many of them thus focus on keeping kids in a rear-facing, reclined position for maximum support, preventing their heads from leaning forward when the car is in motion.

Booster seats, on the other hand, are made for slightly bigger kids and serve a far simpler function — raising your child’s height to ensure that your car’s seat belt fastens securely over their lap and chest.

The Scenera NEXT only seats kids up to 18kg, but rest assured that it can follow you and your child on any journey until then. Due to its relatively light weight and low width, it’s easy to install in just about any car (or even an aeroplane seat). Don’t mistake its diminutive size for a lack of safety, as it comes with all the frills you’d want in any good baby seat, such as side impact protection and rear- and front-facing compatibility.

Shaped like the cockpit for a theme park ride, the DUALFIX is what you get when you want the best for not just your baby, but also your back. Its 360° rotation mechanism means that getting your child in and out of the car is easy-peasy, without having to bend down. 

While the baby capsule design might seem elaborate, it allows for a flat lying position that’s ideal for newborns. The DUALFIX’s extended leg size also means that it’ll keep your little bubba safe until they’re 4 years old.

While it’s true that baby seats are temporary and that your child won’t need the  Graco 4Ever DLX  “4Ever”, it’s rated for children between 0 and 12 years of age — which means that you can still use it for a long time.

This baby seat can be used for different configurations including rear-seating and front-seating, so it’ll always offer the support your kid needs. While this isn’t nearly as important as the safety aspect, we also found it cool that the 4Ever has 2 cupholders, both of which can be detached and are easy to clean, alongside the seat’s machine-washable cover.

When you’re carsharing, it might be a hassle to lug a bulky baby seat in and out of the vehicle for every booking. Doona’s solution comes in an extremely elegant form factor that effortlessly converts between a car seat and a baby stroller. It’s even fitted with a removable and washable bamboo-fibre infant insert, so sensitive-skinned babies will no doubt find its hold most agreeable.

If you need to carry your baby while you’re out carsharing but don’t want to commit to buying, local companies such as CityBaby will let you rent a Doona-I for affordable daily rates. To sweeten the deal even more, GetGo users can get 15% off their rentals by using the promo code GETCITY.

If your kid is outgrowing their baby seat but isn’t quite ready to sit in cars unassisted, a booster seat might be what you need. These inserts provide your growing child with the appropriate back and neck support that they need during drives. Most standard car seat belts won’t secure tightly on children under 5, so they’ll need a booster seat to stay safe.

While most car booster seats in Singapore meet these basic requirements, few are as convenient for parents as the Chicco Kidfit Zip Air Plus. Just about every surface that your kid will touch while sitting in this seat is protected by easily removable, machine-washable, zip-and-wash cushions. The breathable fabric is also built with airflow in mind, so you won’t have to worry about sweat stains.

The BoostApak is the perfect car booster seat if you’re looking for something unique. This seat converts between booster seat and backpack, and is simple enough that a 4-year-old will have little trouble converting it themselves once they’ve gotten used to its simple mechanisms.

As a backpack, its hard shell exterior and surprising capacity mean that your child’s precious chou chou pillow can be kept safe while they’re out and about. It can even be used as a booster seat when you’re watching the latest Pixar film with your young one at the theatre!

Built for kids aged 4 and above, the Joie Trillo has a height-adjustable headrest so it can grow with your child. It also has a simpler attachment system than most other car booster seats in Singapore, but rest assured that its latch system still locks the seat in place and uses the seatbelt to anchor your child securely.

If portability is your main concern and your child is almost grown enough to sit in cars unaided, a backless booster seat will be the answer to your woes. 

The Graco Affix won’t give your kid the spine support they might need at younger ages but is otherwise a great choice for children aged 4 and up who have a more developed spine. The Affix meets all relevant US safety standards and includes a detachable cup holder and stowaway storage compartment. 

To sweeten the deal, its front-adjust LATCH system means that it can be installed, removed, and fastened in place with one hand.

Did you know that many parents are willing to give up their pre-loved booster seats? If you need something quicker, check out Carousell’s free booster seat offers. After a quick wash at a baby gear cleaning place like Pramwash, your seat will be as good as new!