Being a kid means not having to worry about things like ergonomic furniture and taking care of your joints, right?
Wrong!
While it might not be at the top of every kid’s wish list, there are numerous reasons why a standing desk for kids is a must. Beyond the fact that standing desks for children help prevent obesity, they are great for keeping a child’s attention focused. Whether your child is homeschooled, stuck at home because of the lockdown, or in need of a place to do homework in their room, a stand-up desk contributes to healthy habits and a productive work environment.
Top Benefits of a Standing Desk for Kids
Adjustable desks for kids help children stay healthier and be more productive. Here are just some of the incredible benefits of a child standing desk:
- Helps Reduce Fidgeting
- Enhances Alertness
- Burns Calories
- Good for the Heart
- Greater Task Engagement
- Reduce Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Is There Just One Adjustable Desk for Kids?
Understanding the benefits of standing desks is easy, but choosing the perfect one for your child isn’t always as simple. There are many different styles of standing desks and the one you choose needs to be supportive, comfortable, and able to adjust with your child’s height if they are still growing. While standing desks can be affordable, they are still an investment, so you want any height adjustable desk for kids to be able to last for years and not be outgrown like an item of clothing. Take a look at the options below to help you decide which standing desk is the best for your child.
Sit-To-Stand desks for Kids
A sit-to-stand desk is one that, as the name suggests, can be adjusted between the sitting and standing positions. Sit-to-stand desks have the advantage of being fully height adjustable so that your child reaps the benefits of having an active, highly adaptable desk. It also means that an adjustable desk for kids will still accommodate them after they’ve hit their growth spurt. A sit-to-stand desk may require manual cranking to raise and lower the height, or it might be electric. Either way, height adjustable desks offer good ergonomics and are able to be used by multiple people in the family as well as a growing child.
Cranked Sit-To-Stand Desks for Kids
The more basic type of sit-to-stand desks for kids is a manual version, which features a hand crank that can raise or lower the height of the desk. This option is generally less expensive than an electric desk and for good reason. While it has the ability to alternate between sitting and standing heights, adjusting this desk is not as easy as pressing a button. Every time your child wants to sit or stand, they have to crank the desk, which makes it less likely that they will change their position. The hand crank can also be a distraction, and it’s not as ergonomic as an electric desk.
Powered Sit-To-Stand Desks
An electric powered sit-to-stand desk, like the Yaasa Adjustable Desk Pro is designed for ease of use and maximum ergonomic function. While kids might not prioritize taking care of their bones and joints, an electric powered desk is a safe and fun way to help them stay active. To use this type of adjustable desk, you simply press a button, which will raise and lower the desk to the height of the user in any position. The Yaasa Adjustable Desk Pro can rise to a height of 48.7” and lower to 22.7.” If you do not want your child changing the desk’s settings, you can lock it at the start of their session so that the desk remains in one place.
Fully Standing Desks for Kids
While they are not as practical as sit-to-stand desks, a fixed/fully standing desk is an option for restless kids to do their work while standing. As you might expect, this type of desk is set at the height of a standing child and requires that they remain standing to use the desk. A standing desk is often preferred in industries like architecture, where studying and drafting plans is made easier in the standing position. However, children may prefer a tall chair or stool to lean on while they use this desk or they might prefer a sit-to-stand desk instead.
Exercise Desks for Kids
If you feel like your child isn’t getting enough exercise in their daily life, an exercise desk may be the perfect solution to help them workout while doing homework. Exercise desks generally are equipped with a pedal system, similar to a stationary bicycle, except with a desk on top. By allowing your child to move their feet whenever they want, an exercise bike built into the desk keeps kids active all day. Childhood obesity affects approximately 14 million children and adolescents in the United States, according to the CDC. By encouraging exercise in the classroom with this type of desk, schools promote an active and healthy lifestyle for their students.
Standing Desks for the Classroom
Every child should be able to benefit from a sit-to-stand desk, which is why many classrooms are turning to standing desks. Children in most classrooms are trained to sit still, but being sedentary all day is neither good for their physical nor mental health. By setting up a classroom with all sit-to-stand desks, children are encouraged to integrate movements that come naturally to them, rather than being confined to their chairs at all times.
Take a Stand Against Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is on the rise in the United States. In a culture that revolves around television, social media, and fast food, lifestyle choices can have a big impact on a child’s health. Unfortunately, letting the weight go unchecked can lead to negative consequences in the future. One study found that overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults.
So, what can you do about it? Besides encouraging a healthy diet and regular physical activity, a stand up desk promotes movement and weight management in kids. A study showed that standing desks for kids decrease sedentary behaviors in children while increasing calorie expenditure. That’s just the tip of the iceberg for what a standing desk does for a child’s health! Sedentary behavior can lead to hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems for children.
The Perfect Desk for Growing Kids? Yaasa Adjustable Desk!
If you’re looking for the best kid’s standing desk to promote an active lifestyle, look no further. The Yaasa Standing Desk is built to last with a lightweight, durable frame that’s easy to move around the house. This desk is not like your kid’s clothes that they will outgrow in six months.
It’s the best standing desk for students because they can use it from elementary school to middle school, high school and beyond. The Yaasa desk is ergonomically designed with an adjustable height that ranges between 26 inches to 45.7 inches at the press of a button. As your kids grow taller, so, too can the desk to accommodate them at every stage.
Here are some other important features of the Yaasa Adjustable Desk for kids:
Neutral Design: Like the Yaasa Mattress and all of Yaasa’s products, the desk is made with a sleek design that fits seamlessly into any environment. This means that no matter how many times your child redecorates, the desk will still look right at home.
Safety Lock Function: You don’t have to worry about your young child getting hurt by accidentally adjusting their desk because there is a built-in lock function. All you have to do is remove the key card that came with the desk and it will be set at a fixed height.
Whisper Soft Motor: Your child has enough distractions without a loud hum coming from their desk. While Yaasa desks are electronic, you’ll never know it! We like to think of them as the strong and silent type.
High Carrying Capacity: Amazed by the weight of your third grader’s textbooks? Don’t worry, the Yaasa Adjustable Desk can handle it. With a carrying capacity of up to 160 lbs, your child can safely stack everything up!
Standing Desks for Kids: The Bottom Line
Kids don’t always make the healthiest decisions, so make it easy for them. The next time your kid asks for advice, remind them to stand out and stand up with a Yaasa adjustable desk!
Medically Reviewed by Dr.Sarah Juul, DPT, OCS, FAAOM on June 16th, 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a standing desk?
A standing desk is a desk with a raised work surface to allow an individual to use the platform with ease while standing. While a standing desk is not necessarily adjustable, most modern standing desks are designed as adjustable desks to achieve specific ergonomically healthy positions based on height as well as to alternate between sitting and standing.
What are the benefits of a standing desk?
Standing desks have many benefits such as reducing back pain and improving one’s mood.
Learn more about the benefits of adjustable desks here.
How many calories does a standing desk burn?
When using a standing desk, an individual burns about 88 calories an hour compared to the 80 calories burned while sitting. While these additional 8 calories may not seem like much, adjustable desks offer many additional health benefits.
Learn more about burning calories with an adjustable desk here.
Should kids use standing desks?
Standing desks are to be used by multiple people in the family as well as growing children. Beyond the fact that standing desks for kids help prevent obesity, they are great for keeping a child’s attention focused.
How many hours a day should you use a standing desk?
A good rule of thumb is alternating between standing and sitting every 30 to 60 minutes. You can remind your child to switch or set a timer for them.
Are standing desks good for ADHD?
When standing, the body receives sensory feedback that provides improved body awareness and generally better alertness. This benefits kids who have ADHD so they are able to focus better on tasks.
Resources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7312723/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5580641/
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- https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/36/39/2643/2398317
- https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/8/939
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-2469-8
- https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/137/2/e20153087
- https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html
- https://jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(20)31352-6/fulltext
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2854915/
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