16 September 2006 9:14 GMT / By Stuart Miles

If you're reading this, the chances are you've got a baby who has just passed that "sitting there doing nothing" stage, and is moving on to the "I want to sit up, but keep falling over stage", either that or you're just too bored at work to be doing any.

The Bumbo, according to its makers, is just the thing you need. Made of foam and suitable for 0-24-month-old babies, the foam seat works on the premise of allowing your baby to sit unaided in it so you can grab 5 minutes of spare time without the worry that they are going to fall flat on their face.

The foam padding, which looks like a potty has a wide base so it won't topple over and a post between the legs so baby can't slide out.

According to the company, this design means your little one is sitting properly and in our tests with our chief tester, Emily, she seemed very comfortable for up to 10 minutes at a time (the time restraint looked to be boredom rather than being uncomfortable).

What we especially like about the Bumbo is that there are no straps to master and its simply a case of plonking your baby in it and you're done. Other good points are that it's easy to clean (just a case of wiping the foam with a Milton cloth) and doesn't go anywhere once on the floor.

Of course it's not all good. The Bumbo has to sit on the floor for safety reasons and because of its low height means you've got to get down there too if you want to play. However while it's low to the ground for adults, it's not low enough so that when Emily dropped stuff she then couldn't then reach and pick it up again - a handy ledge around the top would have been a great option/addition.

Verdict

Sticking your kid in the Bumbo will give you 5 minutes to get jobs done without having to worry about them falling flat on their face.

While the cost is a touch expensive (it's around £30), the using the Bumbo quickly outweighed the price. If you want a quick, easy solution without the need to spend 10 minutes strapping them in, this is a great seat for your little one.

Highly recommended.

Score

Review Recap

Made by

Bumbo

Price as reviewed

£35

The good

No straps, easy to fit baby in it, good for posture, easy to clean, doesn't go anywhere, gives you five minutes to have hands free without fear of them falling over flat on their face

The bad

You have to sit it on the floor so you've got to get down there, needs a ledge so when they drop their toys they can at least grab it

Quick verdict

While the cost is a touch expensive, the using the Bumbo quickly outweighed the price

Score

Winner

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