Good posture habits early in life yield strength, confidence and vigor later on. Young children with bad posture suffer abnormal spine growth and spinal disc degeneration. Later in life, that manifests as chronic issues like back pain, lethargy, arthritis, and osteoporosis. To ensure a strong postural foundation, a specialty ergonomic chair can help. Here are the best desk chairs for kids. These can help young bodies develop strong posture habits that last a lifetime.
Babies usually start sitting at around eight months old. Before they can sit, they must learn how to crawl. That builds strength in their legs, arms, shoulders, and back. That develops the balance and postural strength needed to hold the seated body upright.
By age of three, a child will double in height and quadruple in weight. During those years, there is rapid growth of the spine and nervous system. That is the best and easiest time to lay down a strong postural foundation for a child.
Ergonomic specs for American kids
Choosing the right-sized chair for kids is crucial. An ill-fitting one will negate back support benefits. In contrast, a good fit makes it easier for kids to develop healthy sitting habits.
Healthy sitting objective
Humans are not designed to sit for long periods. To counteract this reality, ergonomic chairs for all ages are designed to support neutral sitting positions. Those place the least amount of stress on a seated body over long periods.
The key to neutral sitting for children is to sit with feet firmly planted. To ensure this, most ergonomic chairs for kids come with a height-adjustable footrest. As well, ergonomic chairs for kids also include a height-adjustable seat.
Average sizes of American kids aged 2-14
This table includes the average sizes of Wisconsin schoolchildren. We use those to establish size guidelines for each chair in this review. A kids’ chair should have a seat pan height that allows the feet to plant firmly on the floor. To assess each chair, we use the average sizes of Wisconsin schoolchildren.
| Age | Grade | Size rating | Kids' chairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Pre-school | 2'7" to 3'0" | Sidiz Atti |
| 3 | Nursery school | 2'8" to 3'3" | Sidiz Atti |
| 4 | Kindergarten 1 | 3'0" to 3'6" | All models reviewed in this guide |
| 6 | K2 or Grade 1 | 3'5" to 4'0" | Same as above |
| 8 | Grade 2 or 3 | 3'9" to 4'5" | Same as above |
| 10 | Grade 4 or 5 | 4'1" to 4'9" | Same as above |
| 12 | Grade 6 or 7 | 4'5" to 5'2" | Models reviewed in this guide; AKRacing California; |
| 14 | Grade 8 or 9 | 4'9" to 5'8" | Same as above; Secretlab Omega; GTRacing Ace S1 |
Three gaming chairs snuck into the list for ages 12 and up. Those are among our recommended best gaming chairs for studying.
Home study ergonomic troubleshooting
Since 1635, healthy sitting habits have been non-existent in the U.S. school system. If you don’t teach your child good sitting habits, nobody will.
Ergonomic support for kids is even more important in the study-from-home era. Among older students, lower back injuries have surged. Chiropractors have suggested long periods of study on the floor, bed, or sofa as the problem.
Pre-pandemic, sedentary habits were already problematic. The average American child spent around three hours watching TV every day. They also spent around 2-4 hours using computers or smart devices. That worked out to around 5-7 hours of sitting every day. Factoring in study-from-home, that number is definitely higher in the lockdown era.
Ergonomic mentoring for kids
Studies show that when taught good sitting habits, children respond by improving their posture. That means instead of fighting screen-based sedentary time, you can take advantage of it.
All you need to do is buy the right chair and nurture your child as they use it. Look for a chair with a height-adjustable seat (or footrest) that lets a child sit with planted feet.
Best ergonomic chairs for kids aged 2-12
The following chairs are suitable for children age 2-12. All are designed to ideal to establish a neutral sitting posture as a child’s default sitting position.
Sidiz Atti (ages 2-5)
Amazon price: $249.99
School rating: Preschool to K1
Sidiz is a South Korea ergonomic chair company known for making innovative products. The Sidiz Atti is a great example. It’s one of the only truly ergonomic chairs for children aged 2-5.
Its ergonomic functions are brilliantly simple. Why haven’t other brands thought of this? The Atti has a height-adjustable seat range of 1.57 inches (4 cm). It also comes with a footrest to accommodate smaller bodies.
What’s more, it’s even has a recline function. Seated movement (dynamic sitting) is an important feature in adult-sized ergonomic chairs. Small position changes keep muscles active and circulation robust.
Sidiz Atti features
- Variable seat height: 1.57-inch (4 cm) height adjustment range.
- Removable footrest: use for smaller sizes; remove as the child outgrows it.
- Reclining backrest: position upright for desk work and in a recline for reading and relaxing.
- Upholstery: resiliant foam padding; PU leather skin.
- Hand straps: straps on both sides let the child easily move the chair.
- Warranty: three years.
Atti chair dimensions
- Seat width: 15.6 inches (40 cm)
- Floor to seat range: 8.46-10.4″ (21-26 cm)
- Total chair height: 17.5-19″ (44.5-48 cm)
- Size rating: 2’7″ to 3’6″ (78-107 cm); preschool to K1
Sidiz Atti advice
Standard chairs for 3-year-olds are often cheap plastic models with no ergonomic features. For instance, you can get a 4-pack of cheap stacking chairs for $88.82 on Amazon.
Those work ok, given that most kids that age can only sit still for around 10 minutes at a time. The Sidiz Atti is for parents wanting more than ‘suitable’ for their children.
It makes sense that the Atti was conceived and produced in South Korea. There, parents are obsessive about education. Good sitting posture yields both mental and physical benefits. As such, Sidiz Atti chairs are a practical investment for hard-core tiger moms.
Good posture habits can give your kids a massive edge early in life. While other kids study sprawled on a bed, yours can sit with crisp, clean neutral postures. After a few weeks of sitting that way, that can become a hard-coded habit that lasts a lifetime.
The Atti chair is available from Amazon’s Canada and United States stores.
Sidiz Ringo (ages 4-12)
Amazon price: $199.00
School rating: K1 to grade 7
The Sidiz Ringo fits sizes 3’6″ to 5’2″. Based on our sizing specs, that suits children aged 4-12 (K1 to grade 7). The point of the Ringo is to support neutral postures through a child’s early school years.
The point of the Ringo is to support neutral postures through a child’s early school years. Unlike the Atti chair, the Ringo has a fixed, non-reclining backrest. Chairs come in light green, blue, or pink PU leather designs.
Sidiz Ringo features
This chair is designed to grow as a child does. An adjustable footrest and seat height features make it easy for kids to sit straight with planted feet at all times.
That makes it easy for kids to enjoy a perfect ergonomic fit throughout their formative years.
- Functionality:Â depth-adjustable sliding seat; height & depth adjustable backrest; 4 seat & backrest sync levels.
- Comfort: padded seat and backrest.
- Extras: adjustable footrest is included.
- Warranty:Â 30-day money back guarantee; 3-year warranty.
The Ringo also comes with a lockable 360°. Unlock to let the chair spin freely. Lock into place when it’s time for the child to focus.
Ringo chair dimensions
This chair is designed to support kids between 4-12 years old (K1 to grade 7):
- Seat width x depth: 18.3″ (W) x 17-19.5″
- Floor to seat: 15.7″ to 19.7″
The backrest is height and depth adjustable. That allows four different height settings. Given how fast kids grow during pre-adolescence, this is a brilliant extra.
- Step 1: 3’6″ to 4’1″
- 2: 4’1″ to 4’4″
- 3: 4’4″ to 4’9″
- Step 4: 4’9″ to 5’2″
Sidiz Ringo advice
The Sidiz Ringo is rated to support children aged four and up. It offers similar features as competing chairs but beats all others with a 3-year warranty. Even so, it’s one of the cheaper high-end options on the market.
The Sidiz Ringo has an excellent pedigree, good warranty protection, solid ergonomic features, and a great price. On Amazon, models are available in pink, green or blue.
The Ringo chair is available from Amazon’s USA and UK stores.
Sitrite Ergonomic PC chair for kids
Amazon price: $149.95
School rating: K1 to grade
Sitrite is another South Korean company with shipping operations set up in North America and the UK. This model uses the same concept and build philosophy as the Sidiz Ringo.
Its purpose is to encourage healthy sitting habits for kids in their formative years. It has a cushioned seat, footrest, and back support features that cater to a range of sizes.
Sitrite chair features
Sitrite chairs provide a basic padded seat with many adjustments to suit growing bodies. The posture support is basic. The chair holds the body upright, supports the arms, and lets the child plant their feet on the floor or footrest for more spine support.
There are two features that help this chair cater to a range of sizes. First, the cushioned seat can slide forwards or backwards. This is an easy way to add more room for large kids and less for small ones. The Sitrite desk chair also comes with a removable footrest. This provides smaller kids the proper support to benefit from the chair’s ergonomics.
- Functionality: adjustable sliding seat; removable footrest; 360° swivel; seat height adjustment.
- Comfort: padded seat and backrest.
- Warranty:Â one year.
Sitrite sizing
The SitRite chair comes with a height-adjustable footrest to support average-sized 5-year-olds. When the child is big enough, you can remove the footrest and raise the height of the chair. The seat is also depth-adjustable. As the child grows, increase the depth the support their growth.
- Backrest and seat width: 21.85″
- Floor to seat range: 16.7″ to 19.6″
- Footrest support range: 9-inch foot-to-knee distance
- Chair height: 32.8″ x 35.8″
- Size rating: 3’2″ to 5’2″ (K1 to grade 7)
SitRite chair advice
This chair offers solid features and a 1-year warranty for a decent price. SitRite chairs provide comfort and support and to help a child maintain a neutral sitting posture. As the child grows, the chair can adjust to help them maintain pristine posture habits. By the time the child reaches school age, good posture habits should be ingrained.
Sitrite chair for kids on Amazon $149.95
The Sitrite chair is available from Amazon’s USA, Canadian, and UK stores.
FCD Computer Chair for Kids
Amazon price: $198.00
School rating: K1 to grade 7
FCD stands for “functional, comfortable, durable.” The FCD chair for kids offers similar features as other chairs, with a few extra tweaks.
FCD chair features
This model differs with a breathable fabric seat and more granular controls. Instead of fixed armrests like the preceding models, the FCD has height-adjustable ones.
The seat and backrest height controls work independently of each other. The seat is also depth-adjustable. On top of that, the backrest is split into two parts, with each having independent angle control.
- Functionality: adjustable armrests, seat depth, backrest height and seat height; lockable caster wheels; 360° swivel.
- Backrest controls: adjust height; adjust angles of each backrest half.
- Seat controls: adjust the seat height and depth.
- Armrests: height-adjustable (2″or 5 cm range); flip-up functionality to get them out of the way.
- Base: lockable caster wheels; 360° swivel.
- Comfort: padded seat and backrest; breathable fabric cover.
- Warranty: 1-year warranty.
FCD chair sizing
The FCD chair has a lower seat range by around four inches compared to the Ringo and Sitrite chairs. However, it doesn’t come with a footrest as the others do. Both types thus work out to suit similar size ranges.
- Seat width x depth: 17.3″ (W) x 11.4″ to 14.5″ (D)
- Backrest width: 16.9″
- Floor to seat range: 12.5″ to 20.8″
- Chair height: 18.5″ to 30.7″
- Size rating: 3’2″ to 5’2″ (K1 to grade 7)
Chair advice
The FCD chair offers good value for money. The clever backrest design makes it easily adaptable for a range of sizes. You can also lock and unlock the wheels. During leisure, unlock to let the child roll around the room. When it’s time to work, lock it into place to let the child focus.
During leisure, unlock to let the child roll around the room. When it’s time to work, lock it into place to let the child focus. On the downside, it has more moving parts and only comes with a 1-year warranty.
In sum, you get a bit more control and a lower price, with less expected durability.
FCD Kid’s Chair on Amazon $198.00
The FCD chair for kids chair is available from Amazon’s USA and Canadian stores.
ApexDesk Little Soleil DX Series
Amazon price: $140.91
School rating: K1 to grade 7
ApexDesk is an American office furniture company based in California. Little Soleil DX adjustable chairs are for kids or very small adults. These resemble FCD chairs, minus the armrests.
Little Soleil features
The Little Soleil DX comes with a thick padded seat and lesser adjustable features than the preceding chairs. For one thing, it has no armrests.
For another, the seat isn’t depth-adjustable. On the plus side, the Little Soleil is cheaper than the others.
- Functionality: height and depth adjustable seat; height adjustable backrest; locking casters; 360° swivel
- Comfort: padded seat and backrest.
- Warranty:Â one year.
Little Soleil chair sizing
Seating dimensions are similar to the other chairs. There’s no footrest, but the seat can lower to suit most 4-year-olds.
- Seat width: 18 inches (46 cm)
- Backrest width: 18 inches (46 cm)
- Floor to seat range: 12″ to 21″ (30.4-53 cm)
- Size rating: 3’2″ to 5’2″ (K1 to grade 7)
Little Soleil advice
This model suits those who find the Ringo or Sitrite chairs too expensive. You get slightly lesser features than the other chairs, but solid enough support for a child’s formative years.
Little Soleil DX on Amazon $140.91
The Little Soleil DX Series is available from Amazon’s USA, Canadian, and UK stores.
DD Upstep chair for Kids
Amazon price: $68.11
School rating: K1 to grade 7
This is the cheapest model on the list. It has the same footrest and height-adjustable components as the other chairs. Besides price, its main difference is the addition of ‘anti-hunchback’ straps.
These work like backpack straps, forcing a child with poor posture to sit straight. For kids with existing posture problems, these straps are useful.
DD Upstep chair features
This model comes with a padded seat and backrest. The backrest is adjustable independent of the seat. The seat is height and depth-adjustable. There is also a height-adjustable footrest, plus anti-hunchback straps.
- Functionality: height-adjustable backrest; depth and height-adjustable seat; adjustable foot plate; 360° swivel.
- Comfort: padded seat and backrest; breathable fabric cover.
- Warranty: 1 year coverage; .
DD Upstep chair dimensions
This chair will fit average-sized children aged 4-12. To customize the fit, you can adjust the seat height, seat depth, and backrest height.
- Seat width x depth: 16.5″ (W) x 13.3″ to 17.3″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 17.3 (W) x 17.7″ to 22″ (H)
- Floor to seat range: 16.5″ to 20.5″
DD Upstep chair advice
The DD Upstep chair for kids offers solid features for a great price. It comes with the necessary features to grow as the child does. For posture training, these models also come with a footplate and anti-hunchback straps.
The 2020 model of this chair contained no warranty information. Since then, DD Upstep has upped its game. The chair now comes with a 1-year warranty, 24-7 support, and fast free shipping. With proper after-care support, this is a great chair to consider.
Benefits of good posture for kids
Awareness of healthy sitting habits doesn’t exist in the U.S. education system. This is despite the obvious health, wellness, and cognitive issues caused by poor posture.
Even so, the science is clear. Children who sit with good posture are more engaged, alert, and confident than those who slouch. As a result, those who sit straight enjoy a higher level of cognitive processing ability.
Physical benefits
Sitting with poor posture overworks muscles and wears down spinal discs. Doing the opposite keeps the body in optimal alignment while sitting.
The biggest benefit is reduced fatigue. Good sitting posture lets the muscles work more efficiently. As a result, the muscles burn less energy. That leaves more energy to focus on homework, video games, other productive pursuits.
Mental benefits
The American Posture Institute did a study to show how posture habits manifest in classrooms. Distracted, disengaged students slouch. In contrast, engaged students sit upright, with their eyes focused straight ahead.
There’s a clear physiological link between poor posture and cognitive performance. Slouching compresses the rib cage, reducing oxygen intake by up to 30%. At the same time, circulation slows.
That combination causes a drastic reduction in the flow of synaptic connections to the brain. Those connections power memory, concentration, and the transmission of information.
That explains why students who slouch tend to perform poorly in school.
How poor posture hinders students
Students who sit with poor posture suffer from back pain, brain fog, and lethargy. In such a state, putting full effort into studies becomes impossible.
Spinal disc degeneration
Wolff’s Law states that bones develop based on the loads the body places on them. That explains how poor sitting habits early in life can alter bone development. Later in life, altered bone development leads to issues like arthritis or osteoporosis.
For instance, one study tested the back health of 154 ten-year-old kids. 9% of those tested were already suffering from spinal disc degeneration. None had a history of back pain, and all were asymptomatic.
Physical issues caused by slouching usually manifest between the late teens and early 30s. Even so, there are some early indicators of spinal health issues in kids to look for for:
- Chronic fatigue.
- Frequent back pain or headaches.
- Shoulders or shoulder blades are at different heights.
- The head bends forward more than the rest of the body.
- Tight muscles in the back of the thighs.
Brain fog
Poor posture has a negative impact on mental health. Studies show that poor posture makes people more fearful, hostile, nervous, passive, and sluggish.
The spine and nervous system are the main pathways sending information to and from body to the brain. When a child slouches, the brain receives negative physical input from the stabilizing muscles. That impacts a child’s functioning. Problems can manifest as slow learning, poor concentration, or sensory processing issues.
Worst gaming chairs for posture
Console gaming chairs describe living room chairs for use when playing video games. These chairs sit low to the ground to offer an optimal view of a television screen. On Amazon, these are popular sellers for a few reasons. First, most models are kid-sized. Second, most cost less than $100.
There are a few problems with floor rockers. For one thing, they aren’t very durable. Most come with a warranty of one year or less. For another thing, gaming rockers are bad for the back. They force the spine to curl into a ‘c’ shape. That flattens the lumbar curve, strains the neck, and misaligns the spine.
If keen to force your child’s spine into the shape of a boiled shrimp, check this review:
Conclusion
Children respond well to ergonomic interventions. When provided the right sitting equipment and taught how to use it, they adapt.
Leaving your child’s posture development to the public education system can be disastrous. Schools buy furniture in bulk, using one-size-fits-all principles. In elementary schools, children in the first grade use the same desks and chairs as fifth graders.
The practical solution is to teach good posture habits at home. First, buy an ergonomic chair designed for children. Second, teach your child how to use it. Third, monitor them.
Science supports the idea of working in 25-minute bursts. After 25 minutes, the brain tires and cognitive functioning slows.
Using that as a guideline, give the child a task like homework or a video game. If the chair has anti-hunchback straps, hook your child into them. 25 minutes later, unstrap your kid and let them run around. In short order, your child will get used to sitting upright. At the same time, they will get accustomed to the idea of working in 25-minute bursts. That will also teach them the importance of taking regular movement breaks between sitting sessions.
A child should outgrow their ergonomic chair in middle or high school. By then, they should have superb posture, strong core muscles, and plenty of vitality.
At that point, consider upgrading from a children’s chair to an adult-sized gaming chair. Those will help your teen to maintain their good posture habits as they enter adulthood.
