Adjusting a Stokke Tripp Trapp chair involves customizing the seat plate and footrest plate to ensure proper ergonomic positioning for the user's size, as well as adjusting any harness straps.
The Stokke Tripp Trapp chair is designed to grow with your child, which is why its key feature is the adjustability of its wooden plates. Correct adjustment promotes proper posture and comfort.
Adjusting the Seat Plate and Footrest
Adjusting the height and depth of the seat and footrest plates is crucial for ergonomic seating. The goal is to ensure the user's elbows are at table height and their feet are supported by the footrest, with knees bent at roughly 90 degrees.
Here's a general process:
- Loosen Screws: Locate the metal screws (usually two on each side) that secure the side rails of the chair. You'll need an Allen key (usually included with the chair) to loosen these screws. You don't need to remove them completely, just loosen them enough so the wooden plates can slide.
- Slide Plates: With the screws loosened, you can slide the seat plate and footrest plate into the desired slots on the side rails. The slots are numbered or spaced to guide placement.
- Position Seat Plate:
- Choose a slot for the seat plate so the user's elbows are at a comfortable height relative to the table.
- Adjust the depth of the seat plate so there's enough space between the front edge of the seat and the user's bent knees (about 2-3 finger widths is a good guideline).
- Position Footrest Plate:
- Choose a slot for the footrest plate so the user's feet are flat and well-supported, with their knees comfortably bent.
- The footrest depth should also be adjusted to ensure good contact and support.
- Tighten Screws: Once the plates are in the correct positions, carefully tighten the screws on both sides of the chair. Ensure they are snug to prevent the plates from moving, but do not overtighten, which could damage the wood.
Tip: It's often helpful to have the user (or someone of similar size) sit in the chair loosely assembled to test the positions before fully tightening.
Adjusting the Harness Straps
If your Tripp Trapp chair is equipped with a harness (like the Stokke Harness, often used with the Baby Set), adjusting the straps is essential for safety and a secure fit.
Adjusting harness straps can sometimes feel difficult or frustrating. A practical approach is to slide the strap through as if you were going to tighten it. This method can make it easier to maneuver the strap through the buckle or adjuster mechanism when you are trying to loosen or reposition it as well.
General Steps for Strap Adjustment:
- Access Adjusters: Locate the adjustment buckles or slides on the straps. These are usually found on the shoulder straps and waist straps.
- Loosen/Tighten: Manipulate the strap through the buckle.
- To loosen, you often need to lift a lever or angle the buckle and pull the strap through. If it's difficult, try the technique mentioned: "slide the strap through as if you were going to tighten it" initially to free it up before pulling to loosen.
- To tighten, simply pull the strap through the buckle.
- Ensure Snug Fit: Adjust all straps (shoulder, waist, and crotch strap if applicable) so they are snug against the child's body, but not so tight they cause discomfort. You should typically be able to fit one or two fingers between the strap and the child.
- Check Buckle: Ensure the main buckle is securely fastened.
Proper adjustment of both the wooden plates and any accompanying harness ensures that the Stokke Tripp Trapp chair provides optimal ergonomics and safety for the user at every stage.
