Question 6 kids in a 2013 Toyota Sienna

Hi everyone,
I would really appreciate your help. Baby #6 is coming soon, and I need help with configuring car seats in our Toyota Sienna (2013). Here are my kids: 9yo (62lb), 7yo (46lb), 5 yo (37lb), 3 yo (31 lb), 1yo (20 lb), and infant. Here is what we are currently working with: two Britax Marathons, 2 Britax Parkways, and a Graco Snugride. I have actually had my nine year old seatless in the jump seat (hanging head), but if there is some way I can have everyone in the safest option possible, that is what I want. Is there some way to configure using what I have and just buying an extra seat, or do I need to buy some different seats?? Thank you for your help!!

Oh man. This is going to be a really tricky one. I really don't see there being any good options here that will be reasonably convenient at all. There are a few options that would get everyone in appropriate seats but getting everyone loaded/unloaded may be extremely difficult.

Have you thought about looking at the Nissan NV?

I would put the big kids both outboard in the Parkways (or maybe an Incognito for the 9 yo and something else narrow for the 7 yo) with the 3 yo rf between them in a Marathon. Then the 1 yo rf in the 8th seat in a Clek (it should fit) and 5 yo in a combo seat in the Captains seat (Maestro?) and baby in Snugride in a Captains seat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

mping said:

I would put the big kids both outboard in the Parkways (or maybe an Incognito for the 9 yo and something else narrow for the 7 yo) with the 3 yo rf between them in a Marathon. Then the 1 yo rf in the 8th seat in a Clek (it should fit) and 5 yo in a combo seat in the Captains seat (Maestro?) and baby in Snugride in a Captains seat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

The Marathon between the parkways.... If forward facing it wouldn't work, would it?

I don't know that it should be too different from our Odyssey? 2011. We have 6 carseats/boosters in there. 9 YO 75 lbs. (backless booster), 7 YO (55 lbs) highback, 6YO (52 lbs.) backless, 4 YO (50 lbs) FF Sure Ride, 2 YO (34 lbs) RF Fllo, and infant (14 lbs) Snugride. My trick was use a backless any spot a highback won't fit and a highback Harmony Dreamtime helps too (narrow). Parkway was even too wide.
I have my baby in the middle seat middle row, and my rear-facing 2 YO outboard for easy access. This is because toddlers don't climb into their seats as they are stubborn, even though lifting baby into middle isn't great. Use your knee to lift seat. It saves your back.

What about in back 9 YO in a Harmony Youth backless (I found the Incognito hard for mine to buckle with 3 in a row or I'd suggest that), 3 YO FF or RF in the Marathon, and 5 YO in a highback Harmony Dreamtime OR the FF Marathon if that fits and he/she fits. Or try Sure Ride as it's super narrow.
Then middle row, put the newborn in the middle seat for now (can you, does an infant bucket work there?), 1 YO outboard for easy access in any RF seat you like, and 7 YO in a backless? That way you can easily push the seat down to get kids in and out of the back. Note that Clek Olli even latches in and allows for our seat to move forward without unlatching!

It might require a new seat or two. Safest seat POSSIBLE? Even I could not do that (I tried). Hence we are using backless where we need to. But I have my RF kids still RF and am happy the 4 YO found a seat tall enough to keep him harnessed (he's as tall as 6 YO!). And again, I am not familiar with the quirks of what seats fit on the 8th seat well in that van. But this is a fun setup to ponder over...check in and let us know what works.

mping, we're thinking very similar!
But wouldn't you need a backless outboard second row for one of the kids so the seat can be moved down to let kids in and out of the back? That was my issue and now we have it down perfectly (as these things go, lol).

Shoot! Forgot about that. So then move one of the big kids to a captain seat and the 5 yo in back. Can he or she buckle them self?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The jump seat isn't terribly functional in the Sienna when it comes to car seats. Does the 9 yo legitimately 5-step there? Kids often 5 step there before many other spots. If not, I think the only things that work there and allow 3rd row access are the Bubblebum, RSTV, or a Combi Coccoro (and the Coccoro requires removing the inner armrests from the captain's chairs.) If the oldest really 5 steps there, I wouldn't mess with that.

The 3rd row is narrower than the 3rd row of the Odyssey, too, so it's a little tougher. Searching the successful 3 across thread, I would probably get a Graco MyRide to put in the center of the 3rd row. I'm not sure if it will work better FF or RF, but outboard there should only be booster riders or RFers. I think you should probably be able to use at least one of the car seats you currently have next to it. You might also end up needing a narrower booster and/or a Radian to use RF outboard 3rd row.

If the 9 yo 5 steps in the jump seat, I'd put the 7 yo in a captain's chair for 3rd row access. Then probably the new baby in the other captain's chair in the Snugride. FF the 5 yo in the MyRide, and RF the 3 yo and 1 yo outboard 3rd row in whatever works. Buckle RFers through the hatch.

Unless the 3 yo is prone to kicking or something. Then maybe 3 yo outboard RF in whatever works next to the MyRide, 1 yo RF in the MyRide, and the 5 yo in a booster behind the 7 yo. Is the 5 yo booster trained?