Included in its award-winning range of toys, nursery equipment, software, bicycles, books and more are bouncers, swings and rockers. The Soothe & Go Bouncy Seat sits in the middle of the price range, around £55.
It’s suitable from birth until 9kg or your baby is able to sit unaided. It requires a D battery and features 20-minutes of music, a vibrate button, two hanging toys and a printed canopy. One of its big USPs is the fact it folds flat at the push of a button, for easy transport and storage.
As a mum of twins, I found bouncer chairs a parenting essential – somewhere to keep one or both of them safe and stimulated (or sleeping), leaving my hands free. My boys are now too old for them, so I recruited young Lois, now 2 months, to put the Soothe & Go Bouncy Seat through its paces for a month or so.
What we love
The chair looks plush and I (as well as Lois’ parents) all really liked the design – bold, fun and modern without being too bright. Lois went in it from just a few weeks old and she was instantly at home. It seems to cocoon and keep her comfortable and she’s happy to sit in it and watch the world go by, while her mum, Louise, gets things done.
There was a little confusion about the canopy at first - we wondered if it was meant to be a sunshade, but we soon realised that it’s actually there to give visual stimulation above her, and isn’t designed to give shade. As Lois’ gotten older, she does seem to enjoy looking at the pictures on it.
There are also two plastic toys that hang down – a cute hedgehog rattle and a bird with a spinning ball. Lois’ too young to reach out for these yet but seems to like them.
If you want the chair to be less stimulating there are pockets in the canopy you can slip the toys into, so they’re hidden from view, which is a thoughtful touch. You can also lift the canopy back.
While Lois hasn’t yet dozed off in the chair, she will stay asleep if you put her in there once she’s drifted off.
Lois does seem to be soothed by both the vibrate function and the music (it is very relaxing!). One tip is to remember to turn it off when you take your baby out though – all forgot to do this one evening, as the vibrations are so quiet, and Lois’ parents said by morning the batteries were drained.
As Lois gets bigger, she’ll be able to bounce herself easily, too - as an older baby who tried the chair demonstrated for me!
Other useful features include the fact you can take the covers off fairly easily to wash them if needed, and fold the seat flat to store it out of the way.
What to watch out for
While it’s great the seat folds flat when not in use, it’s worth pointing out that it’s quite big compared to other chairs when erected, so not one for space savers.
It’s also not for moving when your baby is in situ – while it might seem a handy idea to be able to carry a seat upstairs, for example, so mum could shower while baby slept, you should never use it as a carrier or lift while your little one is seated.
It does take some construction – the instructions are pretty clear but it took about 30 minutes to have it up and running from the box. Once you’ve set it up though it’s foolproof to use.
The harness is positioned quite high in the seat and took some adjusting to suit Lois’s dimensions – however it doesn’t seem to cause her any discomfort.
While there’s plenty to keep Lois’ occupied for now (she’s 2 months) I wonder if the printed canopy and two toys will be enough as she gets a little older and wants more stimulation. It might be nice if there was an option to put an extra toy bar on, or vary the toys on the canopy.
Finally, bear in mind that, while not the most expensive, this isn’t the cheapest chair on the market or in the Fisher-Price range.
Who is the Fisher-Price Soothe & Go Bouncy Seat best for?
Parents after a little hands-free time and a practical solution they can pack away.
The Fisher-Price Soothe & Go Bouncy Seat is a good-looking bouncer that’s comfy and offers lovely features, such as folding flat, a vibrate function, music and hanging toys. Although a little on the large side, it works well.
