Take a Load Off :: Vintage Kid Chairs

There is nothing better than a comfy chair. I love curling up with a great book and just relaxing. But as great as a big ol’ chair is, there is something to be said for sitting in a chair that was made to fit YOU. I love seeing vintage children’s chairs. They tend to have the same design sensibility as their larger counterparts, but just shrunk down as if by a mini ray gun. As a short girlie I know how disconcerting it can be to sit in a chair with your lil legs dangling in the air. I thought it would be fun to take a look at some mini chairs that are perfect for the kiddos! As Goldilocks once said, these wee chairs are JUST RIGHT.


image: Etsy seller multer

The classic school chair. I love them! Simple and plastic, but the curved seating was always comfy.


image: Etsy seller lisabretrostyle2

We scored two of these for $1 at the thrift store and have 3 more olive green ones that were left outside a preschool that went out of business. WHY we need 5 little chairs is beyond me. It’s not like Wolfie’s planning on holding a poetry reading any time soon.

These two are awesome. Nothin’ fancy, but you can totally imagine kickin’ back with some icy cold lemonade on your deck or houseboat  in one of these.


image: three potato four

Slightly leggier model for a slightly older kiddo, it looks like a little Pixar character….I sort of want it to start walking around on those spindly legs!

These two are so colorful and fun! The one on the right is the Cosco booster seat and sits a mere 6 inches off the ground. I think it was the 70s precursor to the Bumbo! Although I have heard that they were used as car seats—can you imagine?? We have a little white version that Wolfie used. Super sweet. (Erm, not in the car mind you….)


image: edmond

This orangey red bad boy is schweeeeeet! I love it.

image: unknown. i believe etsy.

These wooden ones are especially fetching. That one on the left??? Ahhhhhh. Amaze-balls. In fact, that’s what I think is on the tray. Three colorful amaze-balls.


image: edmond

These are also great looking, but I have to admit they don’t reeeally look all that comfy. You know that guy on the right would leave marks on the back of your legs.


image: edmond

This little chair is great. And guess what? There are TWO of ’em on Etsy. Snap ’em up and make me jealous!


image: Etsy CathodeBlue

Pretty bent plywood is so groovy. The one on the right looks a tad stern. Like some hipster naughty chair.

And finally….the Eames horse! I love this little guy. Some enterprising papa back in the 50s turned his Eames chair into a horsey for his kiddo. One-of-a-kind awesomeness! I got this for Greg for Christmas when I was pregnant with Wolfie and it is a family favorite!

So there you have it! Some cool little seats for cool little kids. Do you have any special chairs your kid’s love or do they all just hunker down on the couch with you guys?

20 thoughts on “Take a Load Off :: Vintage Kid Chairs

  1. I have the cosco one in–I actually have two of them and the Peach loves it. The Peach was constantly looking for a little spot to sit. She used to sit on Eric’s head, his boot and books until we got smart and bought a chair for her.

  2. Chairs are my weakness. I have a Bertoia diamond chair as my office chair. My daughter has two vintage wooden school chairs (one with attached schooldesk) that she uses for doing drawing and art projects. We found them at yard sales while we were waiting for our adoption. One of them I repainted with an elaborate indian motif.

    I covet that Eames horse!

    1. LOL chair whore!
      I know…i love them too. When we first moved into our pad we didn’t have a couch but we had a million chairs.
      It looked like an AA meeting.
      (you know, not that there’s anything wrong with that……)

Leave a Reply to Maia Cancel reply