Emily sent us an email and a link: We were seriously considering one of these and stumbled across this on you tube. I was shocked and I am still wondering if it is a hoax as the Tripp Trapp has the highest reviews and ratings out there. Surely if this is a problem you would see it reported a lot more....
Email questions and pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to:
nursery(at)apartmenttherapy(dot)com)




We own a Tripp Trapp and have never had a problem with it. I just had my son (who is almost 5) try to do that and there was no way. I tried and nothing. Physics seems to play a role in this and I can't see how you could tip this chair like that.
I still stand by my Tripp Trapp.
view Alex's profile
I don't think it's a hoax. Our baby used to rock herself in the rocker pretty hard, she would trip this chair too.
view Nudik's profile
That video doesn't look like a hoax and if there is any doubt in your mind, just get a different chair. If your baby rocked back and cracked her skull, would you feel guilty that you bought a chair for the aesthetic value when you knew this was a possibility? (BTW, I'm really not trying to make you feel bad, I have a two year old who can tip ANYTHING and I know I felt HORRIBLE when he tipped a dresser on himself that I KNEW I should have tethered to the wall and I didn't because I thought it would be ok). He's fine, but it could have been very bad...
view sarahez's profile
One more thing: It seems like this chair is supposed to be adjusted based on your child's size. And in your sleep-deprived parent state, there is no way you'll be able to remember to adjust it at the exact right time. So if something WOULD happen and you didn't have it properly adjusted, you would feel even MORE responsible.
view sarahez's profile
Our daughter has rocked enough in the Stokke chair that I was worried she'd go over backwards. But, so far, she has yet to succeed. To be fair, she's grown quite a bit and we haven't adjusted the seat height yet. As a rule, we never leave her unsupervised in the chair. And if she's feeling rambunctious, we never leave her side. Sometimes I even keep a foot on the base, just to be sure.
Overall though, we love this chair. It looks great and she's able to eat with us AT the table, which has been a boon for her self-feeding abilities and table manners. Plus it's a great space-saver in our tiny dining room. This post reminds me though... we need to adjust that seat height.
view grizzarkhov's profile
If you have any doubts or worries, you can always screw a steel bar (with pre-drilled holes, available in any hardware store) to the bottoms of the legs to extend them back another 6-8 inches or so.
That would prevent any tipping, as the child could not get enough leverage to overcome the increased length of the legs behind....
view brenjay's profile
i too have the trip trapp and LOVE it. my daughter, 15 months, does something similar where she'll put her feet up and push as hard as possible...and she just ends up scooting the chair back. has yet to even look like it might tip. where as, at my parents, she's in a regular chair and somehow manages to rock the chair back and forth and freak me out.
view bbt's profile
I have used the Tripp Trapp with my 18 month old nearly every day and have not encountered this problem. In fact, I just sat in the chair and tried to do this and could not tip the chair backwards! In chair in the video seems to have a different (much higher) back rest than our chair and the front harness is also different (theirs appears to be wood, ours is plastic). So that might have something to do with it, but I totally stand by the safety of out Tripp Trapp!
view erw's profile
My 2 year old can't sit still, is always jerking and dancing, and kicks the table making the tripptrapp shift back a couple of inches, but I've never seen or even feared that the whole thing would trip over like that.
view Sol's profile
Plenty of high chairs can be tipped over, that's why they all warn you to not leave your child unattended. I saw a rambunctious toddler tip over a restaurant high chair (parents caught them), and I've seen high chairs on castors go careening across the room after a willful child pushed off. I've seen kids figure out how to tip over their stroller (eye-opener) and witnessed one determined toddler almost squirm out of their back-pack carrier. Children in every-day situations are often in precarious positions that require an adult to be available nearby to supervise. The Tripp Trapp is no different. It's disingenuous to imply the Tripp Trapp is inherently dangerous in comparison to other high chairs and its obvious legal rear covering BS on the part of Stokke to claim they've never heard of it happening. If you like this or any other high chair for aesthetic reasons, get it, but be an informed parent. Never leave your child unattended in ANY high chair.
On a side note, as parents we know if our child is the type to constantly attempt to challenge physical limits. While most children will never come close to tipping over any high chair, you know damn well if your child is the type to try it.
*Full disclosure, we own and have used a Tripp Trapp for the last two years with our first child and will continue to use it with our second child.
view JustPuked's profile
Watching the video closely, it seems to be the tiling in that house's floor that causes the chair to pivot instead of simply moving apart from the table.
view Sol's profile
No experience with the Tripp Trapp, but wanted to give a shout-out for another really attractive and much less expensive high chair from IKEA. It's white, costs about $20 and I have no clue how you would tip it over.
On the other hand, beware restaurant booster seats. Our own daughter tipped one over (she was 2) and nearly landed on her head on concrete. Luckily my husband grabbed her just in time. Another friend's kid tipped his booster over and hit his head on his mom's chair and got a big nasty goose egg. Fisher Price makes a great portable booster seat that attaches to the chair and has a belt and is a much better option.
Just my completely unrelated $.02!
view BadJuJu77's profile
We have the Tripp Trapp and stopped using it because my son would push off from the table, like in the video and we were so scared he would tip over, it definitely seems possible.
view mel11's profile
We don't have one but I have experience with them. I am pretty sure it adjusted improperly.
Any child can tip over a high chair/stroller/desk/dresser. It isn't just the Trip Trapp.
view JudiAU's profile
i own the stokke too, but my baby is only 5 months so she has not used it yet. This video really scared me but like Justpuked said, you should never leave your child unattended anyway. I also remember the manual saying (first time parent--so I've studied the manual many times just to be sure I did every correctly) that the footrest should never be juting out longer than the base and in this video it sure looks to be at least 1.5inches over the base!!!
view mrskayg's profile
I have Tripp Trapp.
First of all, they have the footrest adjusted improperly. It's way too far forward.
That being said my daughter has been close to tipping ours.
We have a very thin table that she usually eats at with a wood floor underneath and she's fine there.
BUT, in our formal dining room we have a table with a lip like the one in the video where she can get her feet up and push off. Combine that with the fact that we have a mat under the table that does not allow the tripp trapp to slide freely, and you have a recipe for disaster.
The instructions do say that the chair should be allowed to slide freely.
Luckily we do have a good set up for it with a wood floor. But I can see the tipping being a serious problem if you have carpet or a mat/rug like we do. Any maybe the the edge is catching on their tile in the video.
view elektra's profile
That's not a hoax. You can make the chair fall backwards. Just watch the video again.
When there's enough friction between the flooring and the chair, guess what?! The chair stops and instead of sliding backward, it catches the flooring and tips over.
Just because your child hasn't done this yet doesn't mean you can't tip the chair. Given the right friction, force, etc., you can tip the chair or any high chair. Come on, people. :-)
view stickyricemama's profile
When I was looking into high chairs I heard a bunch of stories of babies in Tripp Trapps kicking off the table and falling back. I was at an event where the founder of Stokke spoke and I believe he acknowledged this and explained that it should only be used on surfaces where the chair can slide back.
view kitjule's profile
This is definitely not a hoax. My son did go all the way over and it was terrible. Fortunately he just had a bump to the head and no lasting damage. The key is the amount of friction. Usually on the hardwood the chair slides. When we took it outside to the patio he tipped himself right over. Beware!
view Marybeth2345's profile
THIS IS MY VIDEO
I promise, for what that's worth, that this is not a hoax. This really happened one day as we sat at dinner, and luckily I was in the right place to grab James as he fell (aged 14 months). Obviously the videos are re-enacted, but still completely genuine. The floor is cork tile. It's funny, when I put up the video initially, I thought the general reaction would be one of concern, horror, alarm, or at the very least new awareness. But if you look at the youtube comments, it's as if I came out and said "Macs are garbage, PCs rock". There is a backlash of TripTrapp-ites who cannot believe that, just maybe, this high chair is unsuitable for babies. Also, I have to add that James is now 4 (sorry, 4 and a half) and is back in the Tripp Trapp, and it's brilliant. I love it. But it is unsuitable for babies. They are positioned too high in the frame, and it takes very little to shift them out over the Center of Gravity. If you have an energetic child and a non-slick floor, DO NOT use this as a babay chair. Sorry for the long comment, but Stokke really did send me a strap to screw the chair to the table. They had this strap in stock, so they clearly didn't think this was a hoax. Finally, if you think James is faking this, google 'tripp trapp topple' or 'tripp trapp tip' or similar and you'll see this is not isolated. Thanks for your time. If James' video saves one baby from a bump on the head (at best) then it's worth it.
view jamestripptrapp's profile
It's a bit disconcerting that people think this kind of fall can be prevented by a parent's supervision.
If you're behind the chair (like the dad in the video), you could catch it, but the action is so quick that being nearby wouldn't be much help.
view adrienne's profile
we also own this chair and have done so for nearly 5 years. never has anything like this happened to us. we love our chair and actually we own two now.
the wooden strap and high wooden back are part of the european baby conversion kit, much more attractive and no less safe than the ugly plastic model they sell in the states. in fact, when we first bought our chair 5 years ago we did so in the uk as there was no baby kit in the us. the chair was recommended for 18m at that time here.
view rebecculus76's profile
We have the Stokke Kinderzeat, the North American predecessor of the TrippTrapp (it does not have the under 18 month conversion kit).
We've had 2 children in it, our 5 year old and now our 2 year old. Neither has ever fallen, but as people point out, an important issue is the friction offered by the floor. We have it sitting on a very smooth slippery floor, and so when our son pushes himself away from the table, the chair slides back (slowly).
This is a great warning to watch out what sort of floor you put it on -- watch out for cork and other non-slippery surfaces.
(And never leave children unsupervised while in a high chair.)
(and although the foot rest wasn't installed in the video, it probably would not have made a difference -- it may have encouraged the baby to rest his feet there, but then again, maybe not).
view mschatelaine's profile
I actually just bought a new 2009 TrippTrapp and it comes with these extenders for the legs - they are plastic, but they stick out from the back of the legs a couple inches, supposedly to prevent tipping.
view jyssilly's profile
Our daughter, now 8, never fell out of our TrippTrapp chair, but my husband broke his pinky toe when he caught it on the base of the chair.
view lexi95's profile
My parents imported some of the first TrippTrapps into the UK for my siblings and I around 30 years ago (after seeing them on 'Tomorrow's World' on TV). Since then those same TrippTrapps have been passed on to friends and family throughout the years.
Now we have children of our own, one of the first things we did was purchase a TrippTrapp of our own (the 30 year old ones were looking a little battered by now!).
We have never encountered this problem, nor has anybody else we know.
I'm not doubting the video, but was quite surprised to see it tip over so easily.
There are probably a couple of points that can be picked up from the video in order to ensure safe use of a TrippTrapp though.
1) The problem seems to be that the infant can get their feet up to the table, maybe tucking them under the table more, or lowering the seat a bit, would help with this.
2) The problem of the friction of the floor has been mentioned already. The TrippTrapp in the video seems to have grippers at either ends of the legs, I didn't recognise these, and just checked ours, which has shiny plastic (very slippery) pads under the legs instead. I don't know if this would make a difference, or if this is an older or newer (or just different country's) model.
3) Possibly we've never heard of the problem because in our pokey little UK houses we've never had enough space around our dining tables for a TrippTrapp to tip back much, so maybe try and arrange it so that there is a wall a safe distance behind your TrippTrapp.
It would obviously be good if tips such as these were provided by Stokke. In the UK, to purchase a TrippTrapp online, you have to take a quiz in order to prove you have read up on how to use a TrippTrapp safely - it doesn't mention any of the above though.
view Lukens's profile
ME AGAIN
Lukens 3 points warrant addressing.
1) The problem seems to be that the infant can get their feet up to the table, maybe tucking them under the table more, or lowering the seat a bit, would help with this.
NOThe problem is that this chair tips back too easily. I should not need to change table or tie the child's legs down. The height of the seat is correct as verified with Stokke at the time.
2) The TrippTrapp in the video seems to have grippers at either ends of the legs
NO No 'grippers', just white plastic strips, intended I guess to make the chair slide more easily.
3)so maybe try and arrange it so that there is a wall a safe distance behind your TrippTrapp
Do you really think the this is an acceptable answer. Is this chair so damn precious that I should re-arrange my furniture to accommodate it?
It's funny how, since I posted the videos online, so many people turn around and tell me I'm doing something wrong, my furniture is wrong, my walls are in the wrong place, or the video is a hoax. None of the above. This is not suitable for babies. It is flawed in design. btw, Our chair purchased Ireland 2005.
view jamestripptrapp's profile
I have a KinderZeat, generation before the Tripp Trapp and this is totally possible. My little guy tipped himself over in the chair on our wooden non-slippery deck when we ate outside once last summer. We still use it everyday inside on the slick hardwood floor b/c it slides instead of tipping, but definitely beware of where you use this chair if you have a very small child. I love my chair and it works for me, but I know first hand that this chair can be dangerous for babies.
view birdmaiden's profile
I have used the Tripp Trapp for my son who is now almost 6, since the time he was old enough to sit in a highchair. The physics of the chair hardly allows the tip over motion. The chair is really solid and heavy - and like someone else wrote - you could break your toe on it, but it's really difficult for a child to tip over. Believe me, my son was ACTIVE and used every possible opportunity to either wiggle out or then tilt himself over backward.
I used the chair on smooth floors and those with carpets and never had a problem. My friend, who bought it for her two kids still uses the her two chairs as regular ones for her kids who are now 9 and 13.
view lonnybom's profile
@jamestripptrapp I wasn't trying to criticise, or tell you you were doing something wrong. I was just trying to share my experience of the chair, and to try and give some tips to people that should help them use the chair more safely.
I understand that it must be frustrating for you to read people's reactions to the video, but this clearly shows that lots and lots of people have used the chair without issue.
I think, however, it is exceedingly good that you have highlighted that there can be problems with the chair. I also think though that it is good to look at how you may be using the chair differently which is causing a problem for you that many other people have not so, in order to try and prevent other people having the same issues, and hopefully prevent a child being injured.
view Lukens's profile
Just last night my family was around the dinner table and our 17-month-old was tipping his Tripp Trapp back. I got up, tilted it back to feel where the center of gravity was, and assured everyone that he could not actually tip it over. I sat back down, and he did it-- he pushed off with his feet, the chair fell and he hit the back of his head on the floor. I was amazed! We realize now there were two problems. We have carpeting, so the chair doesn't slide on the floor. Also, I had removed the footrest so he wouldn't climb onto the chair at other times. After putting the footrest back on, he rests his feet there instead of pushing off on the table. We also attached the chair to the table with two bungie cords, so he seems safe now. But it was scary and very surprising--
view rstigliano's profile
http://www.stokkeusa.com/TTsafety.htm
view emmielou72's profile