A typical school day is 6 hours long and between recess, lunch, and other activities, children are only standing for 3-4 hours/day and are never continuous. The instructional period is not more than 15 minutes long and children are always sitting on the floor or lying down they feel tired. In the first few weeks of using a standing desk with the children, they are a bit more tired at the end of the day. But the kids become more fit, they are able to stand for longer without tiring out.
This standing desk trend is also finding its way into the classroom, with the experts found the benefits of for children to spend more time standing and moving either at home learning or in school. Children always want the need to move around in class, whether by fidgeting, frequent excuses to go to the bathroom, or just the chance to move around. It is believed in children that standing can channel that need for movement, helping them focus on learning and avoiding the tendency to snooze off after sitting too long.
“Movement-friendly desks offer great benefits for all children, especially those with learning difficulties,” says Jonathan D. Carroll, M.A., who specializes in advocacy and educational consulting for children with ADD, ADHD, and executive functioning. “Standing up helps children access working memory, improving concentration and engagement. By allowing children to self-regulate when they choose to stand, adjustable desks promote independence and responsibility.”
In kids, sitting too much causes disease and orthopaedic dysfunction, and impedes children’s ability to learn whereas when standing, their bodies burn between 15% to 25% more calories during the school day than when they remained sitting. When it comes to obese students, the standing desks made a significant difference, increasing calorie use by up to 25% to 35%.
Advantages of using kids’ standing desks
- Small movements at standing desks, such as fidgeting, can consume more calories making them more engaged in activities. Classroom management becomes easier. They feel happier when they can move more and aren’t restricted to a chair. Their classroom behavior improves with active learning when standing thus having greater creativity test scores improve.
- Using kids’ standing desks, they stay focused when shifting their bodies and change positions. As a result, it prevents the body’s tissue adaptation to static and it does not compromise the child’s physiology like sitting does.
- Standing can also maintain the state of all the complex motor skills required for physical activities and reduce the sedentary time which reduces cell deterioration meaning kids will live longer and be healthier.
- Finally, standing reduces the epidemic of childhood obesity. Children are increasingly becoming sedentary due to playing online and watching TV too much. That inactivity has led to a shocking rise in overweight and obese kids. Standing counters that trend in two ways: by burning more calories while studying and by breaking the cycle of non-stop sitting. Kids who move in healthy ways in the classroom or home are more likely to continue those good habits.
Finding the Right Fit for Every Child
While the benefits can help every child, not all standing desks are the same. The wrong desk can negative consequences, from poor ergonomics to classroom chaos. To have the best learning environment, classroom standing desks should have easy adjustability with practical features for organization, group work, and storage.
The Important Features of the Best Kids’ Standing Desks
It’s important to look for features that will support all studying activities for years to come. In considering options, note these vital design elements:
- Height Adjustability
The most important element is height adjustability. Fixed-height standing desks could not accommodate the wide assortment of sizes of children, making some kids slouch over their studies while others strain to reach it. Also, experts agree that some learning tasks like testing and writing can perform better when seated.
It’s also imperative that the adjustability of the desk not cause disruption to the class. The best quality standing desks have silent pneumatic lifts that children can work on themselves. They can quickly adapt to a study norm where they can stand or whenever necessary, incorporating important skills of independence and self-regulation along the way
- Storage and Organization
Standing desks do not need to compromise the storage area in traditional desks. Desk manufacturers included compartments that can hold school supplies, preferably with separate spaces for Chromebooks, notebooks, and pencils. Some unique designs have hanging folders, backpack hooks, and even pop-up study carrels, keeping kids organized and floors clutter-free.
- Mobility
Teachers have the tendency to rearrange seating easily for group projects, presentations, and other class activities. Durable, locking casters let kids help teachers re-set arrangements at no time at all.
4, Durability
In time, study furniture will break down especially from naughty children. Therefore, durable materials and construction will make the desks more long-lasting. Check for a sturdy steel base, durable work surface, and substantial handles for moving parts. Surfaces like high-pressure laminate can be cleaned easily along with long life.
5. Price
There is no question that good-quality standing desks are more expensive than traditional desks. But this is a long-term investment that can benefit every child every day. Find the best product by buying from a reputable manufacturer that comes with a strong warranty.
6. Having a foot bar/footrest
It is recommended that standing desks that have a foot bar/footrest. The foot bar gives the children to get their low-backs to stretch out and manage standing better.
Would children benefit from having a standing desk?
There's no real right or wrong answer when getting a standing desk for children. It is the parents who decide what is beneficial to their children. The purpose here is to give them the means for an informed decision.
The decision is yours. Non-disruptive movement is accepted as a way to enhance children’s learning and health. Schools or homes that have standing furniture options will see positive results,
The height of a child’s standing desk doesn’t need an ergonomics expert. Just observe if the child using the desk is comfortable using it.
On a final note, there is no link between standing at home or school having any negative health problems. Peter Katzmarzyk, a professional of public health at Pennington Biomedical Research Center studied this question and he showed no link between standing and health problems. As a matter of fact, “mortality rates declined at higher levels of standing,” meaning that standing is not sedentary or hazardous.
Go to Flexispot.co.uk to find your ideal kids’ standing desks.
