Pool Noodle Footrest - Q About Strap

[momof2boys2009]

Before joining this board I have read through a lot of the posts and you all have already helped me soo much!! So I know you'll be able to help me further...

My 5 year old son (I aso have a 2.5 yr old son) has started complaining that his legs hurt when we take longer car rides. In the town we live in, you can get anywhere in 5 or 10 minutes, but recently we've been driving for about 20 minutes or longer for some special occasions and it's really taken a toll on him and his legs. So the other night I started looking at footrest ideas in the car for both of the boys...especially since we're taking a 6 hour road trip for Thanksgiving this year!

That's when I came across the pool noodle idea, which I love!! So I went last night to our local dollar store and bought three - one to cut for footrests, and the other two for the boys to use in the pool when it opens next week

So my question now is, where is the best place to buy the straps? I know some moms were just using rope, but I saw that one mom used the adjustable strap with the buckle, so the length can grow with their child. I found a pretty cool, cheap site called Strapworks.com that has some pretty cool options. You can pick the color of your strap & the length!

If I chose to use this site to get my straps, about how long do you think I would need the straps? My 5 year old is in a booster seat (with a back), and my 2.5 year old is in a forward facing carseat, if this helps at all. Otherwise, how would I go about measuring for a strap?

I really appreciate the input!

 

[christineka]

Several years ago, the pool noodle footrest was wildly popular on this site, but it was only good for a forward-facing convertible seat. You put the strap through the rear-facing belt path because it is not being used while forward facing. Did you come up with some alternate way of attaching the footrest to a booster seat? I attempted to make one for a forward-facing only seat. I'd install the seat, then add the footrest, but I found it wasn't useful for my then 5 year old and I had to take it all apart if I had to uninstall the seat. Is your 2 year old's seat a convertible? Of course, at 2 years old, your child could probably ride rear-facing, which provides foot support already.

 

[canadiangie]

Just use an upside down styrofoam cooler for your oldest.

Can your baby still be rear facing? Built in foot support that way...

 

[thtr4me]

I totally need to do this for DS1. I am soooo tired of being kicked by him when riding in the passenger seat. Now I am kicking myself for not stopping and grabbing those pool noodles I saw on top of someone's garbage can earlier this week. Would have been a great way to repurpose and keep them out of the landfill.

 

[njkj]

If there is LATCH in the position the booster is in, and it's not in use, could you just tie a rope to the LATCH anchors?

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

 

[Kat_Momof3]

if you use the latch anchors, you could use a bungee cord (that way you aren't tying anything semi-permanently) and you could use a pair of pliars to bend the hooks together so it will stay... after you have threaded a nice big pool noodle.

you could use whatever size bungee works for you.

 

[momof2boys2009]

So this is what I came up with..I can take more detailed pictures if you all want. The first picture is my 5 year old's booster seat. I am using rope temporarily until I decide if it's something I want permanently and to make sure it works. If it works, I'll end up buying longer nylon straps and re-do it with those. The second picture is my 2 year old's carseat...I used nylon straps with his because they didn't need to be as long. I used the straps to connect two pool noodle pieces since just one wasn't quite wide enough for him to put his feet on (it fit just his heels).

Maybe tomorrow I'll get pictures of the boys in their seats actually using the footrests

ETA The rope does go around the back of the booster seat and under the seat cover in the first picture, and the nylon straps go through where the straps would if it was rear facing on the carseat.

 

[Mingie]

Neato! I just use a sleeping bag all rolled up for a foot rest. I put an old pillow case over it and my dd#1 really likes that.