How Does Your 5, 6, or 7 Year Old Fit in the Graco Nautilus Car/booster Seat?

My son is younger, 4.5, but we got the Nautilus over a year ago (almost 2 years I think) and he still likes it and fits fine. He was 40 lbs when we got it and is now over 50 lbs and at least 2 inches taller. Also he now can buckle and unbuckle himself most of the time. We really like this seat (we have 2, one in each car). My little one likes it too (20 months and just over the lower weight limit). She only rode in it once in a minor crisis. It works out for us since if my older one outgrows it my younger one can use it.

Those reasons are why we bought the britax frontier instead. It harnesses to 85lbs. My daughter is 5 too, 48 inches and 53lbs and fits great. Her friend rode with us once, she's 7 and around 70lbs and fit fine without even adjusting the straps much. If you think it will get too small too fast I'd look into exchanging it for the frontier!

A forward facing car seat is outgrown when one of three things happens; the child goes over the weight limit, the tips of the ears are level with the seat back, or the shoulders go over the top harness slot.

At only 5yrs old and 40lbs she likely has lots of growing room in the seat. My 5yr old is 46" tall and 50lbs and he still has a few inches of growing room in the Nautilus. There is plenty of room width wise and the crotch strap is fine for most kids. My oldest would have been able to use the Nautilus until he was 7yrs old (then he was too tall, over the top harness slot) so it will last. It also makes a decent booster seat so she will be fine it it, at least another year or two and you can then use it as a booster if she gets too tall for the harness.

The 5 point harness will accommodate a child until they are 52inches so if you have a very tall child you will be using it as a booster soon if she is average size I'm sure you will get plenty of use. A lot of kids out grow seats because they reach the max height before the max weight. I think with her weighing 40lbs you probably don't have to worry about the weight so much. She will probably outgrow it in height first.

to get an idea of how long she'll fit the harness, measure her "torso height" (have her sit cross-legged on the floor against the wall and measure the distance from the floor to her shoulders) - the child's torso height is a better indicator than overall height for how long she'll fit a harnessed seat b/c some kids are leggier than others.

We love the Nautilus. My oldest is 5 1/2 and weighs about 45lbs. We have had these seats since they came out with them......love them.