What do you have to consider when buying a desk chair for children? Does the children's chair have to have a backrest and armrests? And: Should the children's desk chair be ergonomic? Our checklist provides detailed answers to all of these questions. This is how you can find the right desk chair for your child.
It's not just us adults who sit for many hours at work and in everyday life. Our children also have to sit still for hours from the day they start school. Schoolchildren spend an average of almost eight hours a day sitting - and most of that time on rigid chairs in a very uncomfortable sitting position. Movement? Zero!
We often forget what we are asking of our children, and especially their backs, at a young age. Chronic back pain and deformities of the spine in adolescence can be the result. This makes it all the more important that children are given the opportunity to sit dynamically on ergonomic chairs at home when doing home schooling, studying or doing homework. But how do you do this and how do you recognize a good desk chair for children? The following checklist provides answers to the most important questions.
You can download the “Children’s Desk Chair Checklist” here free of charge
Children are always on the move and full of curiosity. This urge to move should not be restricted, even when sitting.
1. How do you adjust a child's desk chair correctly?
In order to be able to adjust the swivel chair optimally for your child, the chair must have individual adjustment options. It is important that you can adjust the seat height of the chair to your child's body weight and need for movement. These are the most important things you should pay attention to:
Seat height
Sitting correctly means, above all, paying attention to the seat height. Adjust the height of the chair so that an "open" angle is created between the upper and lower legs when sitting (> 90°). It is also important that your child can fully touch the floor with both feet. To ensure this, pay attention not only to the children's swivel chair but also to the height of the children's desk (more on this later). A good swivel chair for children should therefore be infinitely height-adjustable and the lever should be easy to reach and operate. The larger the range (e.g. from 32 to 45 cm) of the seat height adjustment, the better.
Attention: Under no circumstances should the legs - whether child or adult - be at a right angle or even closer when sitting. This makes it more difficult for blood to flow back to the heart. This can result in sore legs, swollen calves and numbness. An open sitting angle ensures blood flow to the feet.
Weight adjustment
This setting is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. Children's chairs in particular need to be individually adjustable to suit body weight - for example, the spring tension. Children grow very quickly and their weight changes accordingly. It is important that the desk chair works according to the motto "one for all" and still offers the child a high level of seating comfort.
Radius of movement
A widespread assumption is that children have to sit still. We see it differently! Children in particular have to follow their natural urge to move. Movement promotes neuronal networking in the brain and thus mental development. This makes it all the more important that the chair can be adapted to the movement needs of boys and girls. With our children's desk chair Aeris Swoppster you can easily adjust the lateral flexibility and the spring tension.
It is important that the desk chair can be adjusted to the weight and size of the child.
2. Does a desk chair for children need a backrest and armrests?
No, a child's desk chair does not need a backrest and certainly not armrests. Armrests should definitely be avoided! Because they can lead to the child sitting at an angle or increasing the distance to the workstation in an unfavorable way. Sitting for long periods in such an incorrect sitting position is particularly harmful.
Ergonomic backrest with lumbar support
However, if the chair must have a backrest, you should make sure that the height and the inclination can be adjusted. Good ergonomic children's desk chairs also have a back-friendly, adjustable lumbar support. This part of the backrest can be adjusted to the (S-shaped) curvature of your spine and supports it in the lower area (lordosis) when sitting.
Why should you do without a backrest?
Children should keep moving even when sitting. The solution: active sitting. This improves the blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain. In addition, constant changes in position strengthen the back muscles and improve posture. This prevents back pain. This is why the ergonomic Aeris Swoppster children's stool deliberately does not have a backrest. Because no matter how well padded, how comfortable or how perfect the lumbar support, a backrest hinders the free, natural mobility that children in particular need!
Tip: Not only active children should sit actively, but adults too. Find out how to stay active at work here.
Another negative effect of the backrest: It relieves the strain on the back and supports it. However, humans are not designed for this and the muscles weaken because they are no longer needed. When sitting on a stool, the muscles take over the support function and you automatically sit upright. This is why a desk chair like this helps children to sit up straight.
3. What should the seat of a children’s swivel chair be like?
Basically, you should make sure that the children's swivel chair has a convex seat. What does that mean? A convex seat avoids seat depressions and thus pressure points and a hunched back. On such a chair, you automatically assume an upright and ergonomic position. If an office chair does not have a convex seat (or a convex seat cushion), you should make sure that the backs of the knees are always free and do not rest on the seat. This is the only way to ensure sufficient blood circulation - straight from the legs back to the heart.
Tip: If you have already purchased a desk chair without a convex seat, you can do something for your child's health by using a convex seat cushion.
A convex shaped seat supports an upright posture.
4. Which cover is suitable for a child’s desk chair?
Especially with small children, the occasional stain can be found on the chair. The cover should therefore be removable and easy to clean. Ideally, the cover can be washed in the washing machine. But what argument appeals to children better than the "washable cover"? That's right, the different colors of the fabric. Of course, kids' tastes differ - girls and boys have different favorite colors. In addition to the classic black and white, the most popular fabrics are blue, pink and green. When it comes to the type of fabric, it is important that it is not scratchy, soft and, ideally, breathable.
5. What is better: a children's desk chair with or without wheels?
Regardless of whether it has castors or not, it is important that the chair stands firmly and is stable. If the office chair has a stable foot ring or a base, you can buy it with castors in good conscience. It is ideal if the swivel chair's castors can be easily replaced with glides.
6. How much does a good ergonomic children’s desk chair cost?
There is no general answer to this. On the contrary: the most expensive are not necessarily the best. The cheapest chair is not necessarily the worst. So the price is not a reliable sign of quality. The price range is also very large for children's chairs, ranging from 80 euros to well over 500 euros. You should therefore place more emphasis on the functions of the chair and compare them with each other. Very good ergonomic children's desk chairs with an excellent price-performance ratio are available in the mid-price range.
Tip: If you are unsure, you can look at independent children's desk chair tests such as those from Stiftung Warentest or get advice from a specialist retailer. The experts know the advantages and disadvantages of the individual models.
7. Do you need a matching children's desk to go with the desk chair?
The idea is that children can sit healthily, flexibly and ergonomically. However, no matter which model you ultimately choose, the children's office chair is only as good as the table it is placed next to. In other words, a suitable desk is often advisable. When choosing, make sure that the table is infinitely height-adjustable. A continuously height-adjustable desk grows with the child and can always be optimally adjusted to the size of the child. Another advantage: For small children, a height-adjustable table can easily be converted into a standing desk. To enable an optimal sitting position, the ergonomic desk should also have a tiltable table top.
