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The affect of poorly designed school furniture

The affect of poorly designed school furniture
A child transitions through many phases of growth throughout their school years. Emotional, cognitive and physical changes all occur regularly, and recent studies have shown that hinderances to a child’s physical growth can directly affect their ability to learn.
Within a classroom environment, children sit in thousands of different positions. Whether it be crossed legged on the floor, tilting back on their chair or slouching over a table, it is important to have high-quality school desks that supports a child’s growth from the bottom up.
There are four key ways that poorly designed school furniture can impact a child’s development:
1. The duration of time spent sitting - With the introduction of technology into classrooms, children are now spending more time sitting than ever before. It is estimated that children are now spending at least 9 hours per day sat down.
School furniture that is uncomfortable or encourages leaning for long periods of time is not only uncomfortable for the child, but it's also subject to more wear and tear, ultimately requiring frequent replacement.
2. Poor posture - A child’s spine begins to fuse and form posture patterns at approximately the age of seven. If a child is seated in a hard-backed chair during this phase, they are prone to muscle exertion which can impact the compression of their diaphragm.
If a child spends many hours per day over their school years seated in a hard-backed chair, their spinal shape, voice box and diaphragm will adversely change in reaction to the consistent unnatural seated position.
3. Anatomy development - No child is exactly the same size, and many experience puberty at varying ages. Because of this it can be difficult for a school to invest in school desks and school chairs that suit every child’s needs.
An excellent way to get around this, while still being cost effective, is to invest in high-end classroom furniture which is both ergonomic and adjustable.
4. Learning abilities - Poor posture not only emphasises stress on a child’s physical development, it also impacts their rate of concentration.
It has been well documented that cognitive ergonomics directly relate to poor school furniture design. This not only impacts a child’s ability to learn, it can create unnecessary stress on teachers and the learning institute.
The best way to encourage a child’s growth from the bottom up is to invest in premium and long-lasting school desks and school furniture, such as the extensive range here at Edu-quip.

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