[crystalp]

I am having trouble figuring out car seat configuration in our van. We have a 2004 Chrysler Town and Country with 2 bucket seats in the middle row and a bench seat in the back. The back (bench) seat has seat belts with shoulder harnesses on the left and right, and just a lap belt in the middle (boo!). I have 3 bio kids that are in booster seats (2 high back, one backless). We are licensed for 2 kids 3 and under. My problem comes with if we can even fit 5 car seats in the five seating areas of our van!

With the 3 booster seats (Graco turbo boosters) for my bios we already take up the two shoulder harness spots in the back row and one of the middle row bucket seats. That leaves one of the middle row bucket seats and the back middle seat (lap belt only). I have an infant carrier (graco safeseat) and a convertable car seat for our potential placements. Neither of these will fit in the back row middle spot along with the 2 booster seats that are already back there because they are both too wide. I can't move the other booster seat to the back middle seat because there isn't a shoulder harness there. So, as I see it, we really only have room for either the infant seat OR the convertable seat in our van.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them. But as it stands now, it looks like we are probably going to only be able to take one child at a time for now.

[skilack]

Oh yes, the car seat problem. BTDT. LOL. Are all the boosters seats the same size? I was thinking could you switch a third row booster for the middle row booster? I'm sure you don't want to buy new car seats but the snug ride seat is more narrow than the safe seat. We had a snug ride seat in hubby's car and the safe seat in mine. That's how I know the size difference between the two seats. How big is the convertible car seat? Can you get a smaller seat?

[crystalp]

Yeah, all the boosters are the same size - All three are graco turbo boosters. I'm going to look into getting a smaller convertible seat. Fingers crossed.

[Withay]

I have a Dodge Grand Caravan (2005) and am able to use 3 Graco ComfortSport carseats on the back bench seat. I can also use 2 ComfortSports and one Snugride back there with the Snugride in the middle. That leaves 2 spaces on the middle seat (bench style) for either 2 more ComfortSports, one ComfortSport and a Snugride or 2 Snugrides.

[jbee]

i have stuck my oldest bio in front...in my car with no airbag, i pull the seat the whole way back...do they recommend turning the airbag off in your van if a child is in front?
our youngest dd is still small enough i can put her in a five point (a normal one, not that 200 some dollar one you can get at target that will hold up to a 100 pounder), so if you get a kid that can still fit in the five point you could maybe put it in the lap belt only and fit some others around it?
we gave up and bought a 9 pass van that can hold more if we change out some of the captain's chairs.

[bluebird38]

We have a 98 Dodge Caravan and had the same problem. We ended up buying 2 new booster seats for the back seat that were not as wide as the booster seats we previously had back there. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to put links on here or not. So, if I'm not, could the Moderator please take it out.

Here is the seat that we bought. Fisher-Price Booster Seat by Britax Tan Tech Fabric EF35B0A - ON SALE

[bajj]

Depending on the heigh and weight of your kids you might can go to a backless booster seat.