5 carseats in an Odyssey

[jftdavis]

Hi. Thanks for this forum.

I carpool with another family and we both have 3 kids each. I have a 2006 Honda Odyssey and have all seats in place. The children are ages 9, 6, 5, 4, and 2 - 2 year olds. Right now, I have Graco Turbobooster backless for the 4,5, and 6 year olds. I also have a Britax Roundabout for a 2 year old and an Evenflo convertible (not sure of the model) for the other 2 year old. I would like to place the 2 toddlers (easier for me to buckle/unbuckle them) in the second row and the 4,5, 6 year olds in the back row in their boosters. The 9 year old will sit in one the second row captain's chair to ease entry/exit from the van. Will this work?

Any advice will be appreciated.
Thanks.

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	Britax Roundabout - Click for more info With the introduction of the new LATCH laws, Britax has improved even further upon their famously popular Roundabout Convertible Car Seat. This car seat has been praised by just about every consumer safety organization and mom and dad out there - and for good reason. It is easy to install, compatible in just about every car, super comfortable for baby, stylish and most importantly safe! Ask around and you will see that everyone raves about this car seat.

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.

	Graco Turbo Booster - Click for more info The Graco TurboBooster Safe Seat (Step 3) is a sporty and detailed booster seat. The headrest is made of EPS foam for support and side-impact protection, which is now the standard for booster seats. The head support is height adjustable, and the seat can be converted into a backless booster for older kids. The adjustable armrests are a nice touch that add comfort and support for your growing child. We were a little surprised by how thin the padding was on the "Lazy Daisy" version of this seat (the Fairfax TurboBooster has padded armrests and additional GracoPedic memory foam in the seat).

[MnMadhouse]

Now, when you say the 9 y/o will be in one of the captains chairs...I guess I am confused. If you have captains chairs in the 2nd row and a full bench for the 2nd, that is only 5 seats for 6 kiddos. Is there an additional seat in between the captains chairs? I have worked in older Odyssey's...that's why I am asking!

How much does the 4 and 5 y/o weigh? To be in a backless booster, they MUST be at least 40lbs and have headrests behind their heads IF the seatback doesn't support their entire torso and head. If you have a child in a position where their head is over the back of the seat and there is no headrest, you should really look into a high back booster.

As long as you have lap/shoulder belts in each location, it sounds like you have it all worked out.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

[jftdavis]

Thanks for replying. Our 2006 Honda Odyssey can seat 3 in the second row - 2 captain chairs and another jump seat (that's what my husband calls it). My hubby was able to fit 2 Britax Roundabouts (for the toddlers) and a backless booster (6 y/o weighs 48 lbs) in the second row. In the back row, we have 2 more backless boosters (both 4 and 5 year olds are over 40 lbs) seated by the window and the 9 y/o in the middle of them. Boy, even with a minivan, this is quite a project to do.

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

[Papooses]

There are more than a few Ody owners @ Car Seat.Org - Carseat, Vehicle & Child Passenger Safety Forums who might also be able to help....

[third on the way]

If the jump seat in the 2006 Honda Odyssey is anything like the 2007 and 2008 models, then a ff carseat may not be safe (see thread '3 across 2nd row in Odyssey' reply by Melissa CPST). In the 2008 model, the jump seat is removable and does not have a top tether. The seat belt also didn't ratchet properly. A Honda salesman also told us that the 8th seat between the captain chairs are not recommended for car seats, but a booster seat is okay.

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Top-Tether A top tether (or top strap) is the supplemental attachment now standard on almost every new carseat in the USA. Top tethers can be used with either the seat belt or with the lower anchors (as part of the LATCH system). In other countries, their use may be required by law. A top-tether is simply a strap that connects the top of the carseat to an anchor mounted in the vehicle at a location behind the carseat, usually the parcel shelf or a point on the floor of the cargo area. It is designed to prevent the forward movement of the top of a forward-facing carseat in a frontal crash. This reduces the head excursion of the child, and can reduce the chances of injury. Almost all current carseats can only meet the tougher new federal safety standards when the tether is used, even though they must still meet the minimum safety standards without a tether.