Most 2-year-olds are small enough to ride rear-facing, so often a convertible or all-in-one car seat is best for 2-year-olds. I recommend the Britax One4Life ClickTight All-in-One because it has extended rear-facing, and it converts to a booster seat, so you won’t need to buy a new car seat in a year or two.

The safest place to put a car seat for a toddler is the position in your vehicle where it can be installed correctly. Check your car seat and vehicle manuals for information on which seats in your vehicle are best. In many cases, the car seat can safely be installed in any back seat of the vehicle. If this is the case, the AAP recommends installing car seats in the middle of the back seat.

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend children remain rear-facing as long as possible. That being said, switching to a toddler car seat is less about age and more about the size of your toddler. Once your child has outgrown their infant seat, they should move to a rear-facing toddler seat. For most seats, children can remain rear-facing until they’re 49 inches tall or 40 to 50 pounds, whichever comes first (check your seat for specific limits). When to switch seats also depends on what type of car seat you are using. If you’re alre