We tell you which study chair is best for a kid based on its design, size, backrest shape, and other parameters.
A workplace equipped according to all the rules will preserve the health of the student. Not all parents know that the formation of posture, good vision, and prevention of spinal diseases depend on what kind of chair is chosen for the student. Let's figure out how to do it right.
Which study chair is best for a kid?
It is believed that children's furniture should be bright and beautiful. Indeed, this is quite a significant criterion, but by no means the most important one. It is important to understand that the student will have to spend a lot of time sitting at the desk. Here he will do homework, do creative work, read, or play computer games. Therefore, other requirements come to the fore.
Comfort. The sitting position should be comfortable. But at the same time, the back is supported in an anatomically correct position, the legs are on the floor or support.
Reliability. Stable construction and durable materials, aluminum or steel frame. If there are wheels, be sure to have locks to avoid creating dangerous situations.
Easy to care for. It is advisable to choose a material that is easy to clean. If this is not possible, removable covers that can be washed regularly are a must.
Safety. All elements of the design are made only from environmentally friendly materials. Natural ones are best: metal, wood, etc.
How to choose a chair for a kid: basic parameters
School furniture is diverse, its range is very wide. To choose the right one, you will have to work hard. Consultants in the store are interested in sales, so they offer the most expensive options. But they are not always the best. Let's figure out what to pay attention to when buying.
Furniture type
Seats for kids come in different varieties. Their main difference is in the design. In addition to the standard ones, there are other options.
Growing transformable furniture
The main advantage is the ability to change the size. Therefore, it is suitable for children of different ages. True, there are restrictions. Manufacturers recommend their products for children who have reached a certain height: 95 cm for armchairs or 120 cm for chairs. Some models are produced with footrests, which makes their use especially convenient. Such a product serves for a long time, "accompanying" the student throughout his school years.
Chair
Comfortable seat on a support with wheels. Most often they are called computer chairs. Suitable for educational activities. Equipped with a lifting mechanism, so they can be easily resized. Suitable for children of any height. They are often chosen when deciding which chair to buy for a schoolchild. However, such chairs do not always provide the correct posture during classes. Therefore, they should be chosen with caution.
Ergonomic models
Designs developed taking into account the work of the musculoskeletal system and the features of the anatomical structure of the child. Very convenient, available in different modifications:
Balance. The seat balances on the support point. To stay on it, the student has to take a balancing position, which is extremely useful for the spine and trains the back muscles.
Saddle. Provides the most comfortable and ergonomic posture. Back muscles and ligaments are not strained, and natural posture is maintained. Can be equipped with a comfortable backrest.
Sitting-standing. In this position, the legs are almost straight, while the pelvic and lumbar regions are securely fixed. Therefore, an asymmetrical pose is excluded. Recommended for high school students.
Knee. The system completely relieves the load from the vertebrae, and helps maintain posture. The back is tilted forward, the support falls on the stand at knee level.
Orthopedic systems
Designed to correct and prevent problems with the spine. Correctly selected furniture helps in the treatment of eye diseases and the musculoskeletal system. To achieve such a result, you should follow the recommendations on how to choose an orthopedic chair for a schoolchild.
The backrest is anatomically shaped, repeating the curves of the spine. Its base is rigid with pendulum-type supports, which helps relieve excess muscle tension.
The seat is at least 500 mm deep with a soft, beveled front edge. This shape prevents the blood vessels running under the knees from being pinched.
Adjustable height to allow for a comfortable yet correct position.
It is advisable to buy certified models to avoid getting a product that only looks like an orthopedic system.
Possibility of adjustments
In the debate about which chair is better for a schoolchild, adjustable models win. Not because they last longer. Their main advantage is the ability to provide the child with a comfortable and anatomically correct fit. Here are the important characteristics for choosing.
The legs of the person sitting should be bent at a right angle. If the angle is acute, the height should be increased. The edges of the seat are beveled, so as not to press under the knees.
The feet are completely on the floor surface. The use of footrests or special stands is allowed.
The top edge of the back is approximately at the middle of the shoulder blades or higher.
If you move the chair closer to the table, your arms rest on its surface at a right angle.
To meet these requirements, it is advisable to take the child with you to the store. This way, you can try on different models and make sure that they can be adjusted accurately. If this is not possible, measurements are taken at home. You will need the student's height and the length of the leg from the knee to the foot. The latter value is the approximate height of the product. On average, for a child 110-120 cm tall, a 30-33 cm model is purchased, for 120-130 cm - 33-36 cm, for 130-140 cm - 36-39 cm.
Armrests: necessary or not
In the recommendations of experts, which chair is better to buy for a schoolchild, it is clearly explained when an armrest is needed and when it is not. So, when a student is busy writing, reading, or creating, his hands lie on the tabletop. In this position, there is no need to additionally support the elbow. However, the child can lean on the support. In this case, the anatomical position of the vertebrae is disrupted, and the back muscles receive additional stress.
It is even worse when the student leans only on one elbow. This leads to an overload of several groups of back muscles, causing dangerous posture disorders. Therefore, when choosing a model for doing homework or other work at a desk, you need to take this information into account. Armrests will be unnecessary and even undesirable additions.
It's a different matter if you choose a chair for a computer desk. They are equipped with a pull-out keyboard stand. When it is pulled out, the hands of the person sitting at the computer hang in the air without support. This is very inconvenient, making normal work difficult. Therefore, in such a situation, armrests are needed. It is good if they can be removed for a while. Such a model will be universal. It will suit both a desk and a computer table.
Backrest shape
The correct position is largely ensured by the backrest, which helps the child’s body take the desired position and fix it.
Solid. Follows the curves of the back, and supports the body in the desired position. Can be installed on pendulum-type supports, which allows for maintaining the natural mobility of the spine.
With rollers. Additional elements allow for the most accurate reproduction of an anatomically correct pose. Provide additional support points that relieve the load from the spine.
Double. Consists of two independent elements that can change their position. This allows you to properly fix the pose. The student is in a kind of "corset", which is very comfortable for him. The double system is adjustable, adapting to certain sizes.
Another important point is the thickness of the filler. This is always mentioned by experts when telling what chairs or armchairs are recommended for schoolchildren. Too thin a layer is uncomfortable. It is hard for children to sit, they constantly change their position to sit more comfortably. Too soft a filler is also not suitable: the body literally falls into it, which is undesirable. Therefore, the optimal filler thickness is considered to be 30 mm.
It is not difficult to buy a suitable model. First, you need to determine its type, and decide which of the varieties will seem the most comfortable to the student and will fit into the design of the room. After that, it is worth getting acquainted with the rating of the furniture you like in order to get your bearings on the price and functionality. All that remains is to go to the store, preferably with your child, so that you can touch and try on a future purchase.
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