How to arrange a room for a student?

January 24 2023
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School is a new stage in a child's life. Parents try to provide their son or daughter with the best possible learning conditions - comfortable and conducive to learning. Hence their frequent questions, e.g. about the right ones furniture for the first graderor also desk height for the child. The conditions in which we learn are very important, because during the years of study, the young body is in the stage of intensive development, and the effects of neglect will be felt in the future. Now the problem has become even more current, because in the era of distance learning and more and more popular home education, the school has in fact moved home, and thus a corner or room for the student has become the main place to learn. While arranging it, the greatest efforts should be focused on choosing the right desk and chair. 

A desk and a study chair are elements that have a significant impact on the posture adopted by the child. The Institute's team of experts had the opportunity to repeatedly test such products as furniture for a first-grader or equipment for an older student's room. He also actively deals with rehabilitation and work with young patients on the correction of posture defects. If you are looking for inspiration on how to arrange a first-grader's room or you are not sure whether the arrangements of a student's room seen in stores will work in reality - we are in a hurry to help. .

What's in the student's room?

Student's room - the most important elements:

  • a separate study area;
  • friendly environment;
  • a well-fitting desk;
  • comfortable chair;
  • lamp;
  • additional shelves;
  • accessories.

Find a place to study for your child

Children often study at the kitchen table, on the couch in the living room, lying on the bed or on the floor. These are not good solutions. Pay attention to where your child is doing their homework and what position their body is taking. The optimal solution - as long as the housing conditions allow it - is a separate room for the student or your own study corner. Ideally, it should be near the window - then your child will be able to study in the daylight and will not strain their eyesight while reading, writing or solving tasks.

How to arrange a first-grade room?

When our child enters school age, smaller or larger changes in the organization of the space of our house or flat are usually necessary. However, before we arrange a corner or a first-grader's room, it is worth confronting the inspirations found on the Internet or furniture stores not only with the needs of our child, but also with the requirements on which their health depends.

When looking at ready-made room arrangements for a student, remember that the workplace is the most important of all the equipment. The comfort that adults try to provide for themselves should also be a guideline when arranging a room for a child. Care for proper development is an additional condition that should be taken into account in this task.

Take care of a friendly environment

The appearance of the room we are in has an impact not only on our well-being, but also concentration. They will certainly be conducive to science Sure arrangements of the student's room, warm wall colors and order. A child starting school needs a diametrically different environment than it has had so far. There should be no elements in sight that would distract or distract him from the tasks he is supposed to perform.

It is advisable that only books, notebooks, desk lamp for a student and other necessary teaching aids. Colorful posters, pictures, an excessive number of accessories and tools on the countertop, or toys can make it difficult to focus on specific tasks. So, before we start thinking about which desk organizer for a child to buy, let's make sure that is it really needed here and what should be in it.

Which desk should I choose for a student?

The right desk, which is what? It is a basic piece of furniture in a corner or room for a student - the child will spend a lot of time with it, and the posture taken while sitting has a huge impact on the spine. So what desk will be the best and what to consider when making a choice?

The size of the table top

When planning to buy a good desk, we should pay attention to the size of the top. The child must be able to position their hands correctly when carrying out various activities. There is often more than one notebook on a desk. Provide a place to spread a book or other aids necessary, for example, when creating art works. You also need to find a place for a computer or tablet on the student's desk.

Adopting the correct one body posture when using electronic devices, there are ready-made desk pads dedicated to these devices. If the computer has a separate monitor, position it so that it is level with the child's line of sight and the back rests on the chair.

Tilt angle and space under the desk

An equally important aspect as the size of the table top (and the height below) is the angle of its inclination. For the correct posture at work, it is beneficial to tilt the table top towards the child from 10 to 16 degrees. When sitting, this tilts the torso back, forcing our pupil to rest his back. At a traditional desk or table, you can put under the rear legs of the same thickness of pads (blocks, boards, slats, etc.). The disadvantage of this method will be items that slide off, hence the need to attach the organizer to the table top.

When choosing a desk, also pay attention to the space under the table top, i.e. a place for the correct positioning of the legs. It is advisable that it should be large enough for the child to easily slide the chair in and be able to move the legs. This has a significant effect on the blood circulation in the body, which also affects thought processes.

Desk functionality

An important aspect when choosing a good desk is its functionality. It should be equipped with elements to facilitate the child's work. Because at the desk there should be additional side shelves for books and notebooks, extensions that can accommodate accessories less needed for current use. It is also important that it has other solutions - for example, drawers that enable the practical use of handy utensils. Dividers or organizers for a child's desk will also be useful, helping to keep order.

Such solutions are conducive to better concentration while learning, because they reduce the number of distracting elements around. Thanks to this, we have less visual stimuli that can distract our student's attention.

The appearance and quality of the desk

It is worth applying a similar criterion when assessing the appearance of a desk. It is better to avoid unnecessary decorations and harsh colorswhich negatively affect a baby's visual and nervous systems, causing them to be distracted.

Leslaw Kluba

Physiotherapist, Deputy Head of the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

The expert advises:

When choosing a desk, pay attention to the workmanship and finish. It is important that it is easy to keep them clean - remove traces of crayons, pens, paints or glue. Pay attention to the durability of the raw materials - look at the way of wrapping the edges and edges. Ask the seller about the glues, varnishes and paints used - these are potential allergy triggers.

Jackets desk height for the child?

Parents often ask what the height of a child's desk should be. The key parameter here is height - it is necessary to adjust the height of the desk to the height of your child. To check it, apart from a desk, a proper chair is needed - our student should sit upright on it at the desk, keeping the arms vertical. With the right desk height, the elbow joint should lie or slightly stand out above the front edge of the table top.

Which chair to choose for a child?

A chair and a desk are an inseparable set. To choose a chair well, remember to take into account the dimensions of the desk - these two pieces of furniture must be compatible with each other.. A poorly chosen chair can lead to various types of pain in the bones and joints, and as a result - to curvature of the spine. Protect your child from these ailments and buy a piece of furniture with a high back that will support his entire back, including the cervical section.

Adjusting the chair to your height

First of all, pay attention to your baby's height. It's very important to do your homework the student did not take a hunched position, his feet were flat against the floor, and his hips and knees were at a 90-degree angle. If a child sit straight, with arms placed next to the body and elbows bent in such a way that the forearms rest freely on the desk top, then you will be sure that he will not be in any danger of any posture defects as he maintains the correct position.

Height-adjustable chairs are a good solution - thanks to this, you can adjust them yourself to the height of your child and the height of the table top.

Important support when sitting

Correct formation of the child's body posture, when sitting for a long time, will to some extent depend on the interaction of the movement apparatus and the chair (workstation). These passive pressures added up over a long period of time, with appropriately selected furniture, should not adversely affect the shape of the spine's curves. Incorrectly chosen, however, can have the opposite effect.

During conceptual work, such as thinking, listening, or talking, the back of the chair should support the spine just below the line of the shoulder blades. While writing or drawing the upper edge of the pelvis should be supported.

Leslaw Kluba

Physiotherapist, Deputy Head of the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

The expert advises:

If there is no front support on the forearms, the leaning in the chair puts enormous pressure on the baby's intervertebral discs. Hence, it seems necessary to perform individual physiometry of the student-chair-desk system, as the student's work should be carried out in accordance with ergonomic guidelines. That is why chairs with smooth seat height adjustment are preferred, which guarantee its optimal selection.

How can I have a good posture while doing homework?

Adoption Correct posture when doing homework, studying or writing while seated is conditional on compliance with the following rules:

  • Let us pay attention to the correct distance between the top of the thighs and the bottom of the worktop or drawersy. There must be free space for the legs to move freely.
  • Seat height let's adjust it so that the sections of the articular chain of the lower limbs, with both legs resting with their whole feet on the ground, always form right angles: between the hip joint and the torso - 90 degrees, between the thigh and lower leg - 90 degrees, between the lower leg and the foot - also 90 degrees.
  • The front edge of the seat should be slightly bent towards the floor - in order not to put pressure on the area of ​​the popliteal fossa and its vicinity.
  • Let's take care of the correct height of the table topso that when the child's arm is placed vertically in an upright position, the elbow joint lies or slightly protrudes above the front edge of the desk top.

In addition, it is recommended that the angle between the seat and the backrest be 95 to 106 degrees, with the deviation from the vertical towards the back, the radius of curvature of the backrest should be 300 mm, and the angle of inclination of the seat backwards (recess under the buttocks) should be from 0 to 4 degrees. Such parameters allow for proper stabilization of the spine, preserving well-shaped lumbar lordosis and compensatory thoracic kyphosis.

A desk lamp for a student

Another important element of the student's room equipment is the lamp. It gets dark very quickly in fall and winter - make sure your child has the right light for their homework. Thanks to this, it will not tire you out or spoil your eyesight. Lamps with movable shades and arms are the best. It is important to the beam of light was not white or fluorescent, but warm and yellowy.

The positioning of the lamp on the desk depends on Which hand does the child use when writing?. For right-handed people, the light should fall on the left side, and for left-handed people, on the right, then the child will not cover the light beam when writing. Additional advice in this regard will be provided by an ophthalmologist who will also check the child's eyesight.

Order promotes concentration

In the event that the desk has an insufficient number of drawers, cabinets and compartments, you can install above it an additional shelf. Ideally, the child should reach it on his own, without getting up. It may contain books or other school supplies. It is important, however, to they were not toys or other colorful gadgets that could be distracting.

Among the accessories needed at school, there are many colorful cutouts, felt-tip pens, drawing pads and folders. Make sure that all these things had their place, and it was not difficult for a child to keep order. The answer to the question of whether and which desk organizer for a child will be the best depends on this. Too many items on the desk are not conducive to learning and distract from the tasks to be done.

Recommended products

Leslaw Kluba

Physiotherapist, Deputy Head of the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

The role of parents

Consult your child on each purchase related to learning. Not only to check functionality and usability, but most of all to adjust the height of the desk to the height of your child. Involving the child in all decisions regarding school purchases and taking his opinion into account has an impact on his motivation and commitment. We should remember about this when buying furniture for the first grade as well as arranging a room for an older student.

Regardless of well-chosen study furniture, a completely separate issue is the adoption of the appropriate position by a learning child. No one can replace parents in the role of educator.

If you notice that your child adopts an incorrect posture - pay attention to him and explain why it is so important. In this way, you will take care of its comfort and healthy spine.

Author

Leslaw Kluba

Physiotherapist, Deputy Head of the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

EU funding
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