Correct Sitting Posture for Kids – Important Tips!

Correct sitting posture for kids is important when sitting at a desk or on the floor. Good sitting posture helps increase attention, improve fine motor skills, support breathing, and decrease fatigue. The height of the table or desk and the size of the chair should be appropriate for each child. This supports good posture when sitting.

During my occupational therapy evaluations, I often assess students for a variety of concerns. They can include handwriting, fine motor difficulties, and attention (and many other areas) in the school setting. Part of my evaluation is to check the child’s posture in their classroom setting.

It’s important for me to see the size of their chair and the height of the table. In addition, I make sure they use correct posture for fine motor tasks.

I find that many young children often can’t even see what’s on their desk because it is too tall. And even older students are placed at bigger desks that are actually also too high for them.

I also often find that the chairs being used are too big or too small for the child.

In any of these situations, the seating arrangement negatively impacts school performance. Without proper supports, success with fine motor tasks, writing, and reading is impacted.

It’s important to see a child sitting in a chair, but I also observe how the child sits on the floor. I frequently see poor posture from weak core muscles and weak neck muscles. These kids’ bad posture typically consists of a rounded back and forward head posture. They they often shift positions due to muscle fatigue.

Poor posture negatively impacts success with many daily activities at school and at home.

The Importance of Good Posture for Kids

Correct sitting posture makes a difference in how children attend and focus during learning, and it supports how they use their hands for daily tasks.

Good Posture Improves Attention

Firstly, when children sit upright with a straight back and an aligned neck, they’re naturally using core muscles. This correct posture supports proper functioning of the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Kids with good posture have improved neural connections between the body and the spinal cord and brain. Additionally, they’re able to properly receive adequate blood flow they need for the brain.

With support at the core, breathing is easier. Good breath support gets more oxygen to the brain! Naturally, this helps the brain focus better for learning.

Additionally, an upright posture with the neck straight and head up keeps the brain and nervous system alert and attentive.

(Rounded necks and forward head posture decreases nervous system functioning, decreases alertness, and can lead to other health problems. For more info on this, check out this article from FamilyHealthChiropractic.com.)

Many educators and parents don’t think about their kids’ posture, but it’s a basic building block that children need. (And many are currently lacking and I see it getting worse, not better.)

Good Sitting Posture Supports Fine Motor Skills

Secondly, good sitting posture supports fine motor skill development. Kids that have a strong core are able to develop strength in the shoulder muscles. Stability at the core and shoulders allows the arms and hands to function more optimally.

A child’s forearms should be able to rotate back and forth (palm down, palm up) if the shoulders are strong and stable. Good posture also supports wrist stability so that the fingers can grasp more functionally and move freely.

This is important to ensure comfort and reduce fatigue during tasks such as writing, eating, and completing fine motor learning activities.

[Test this out by kneeling at a table or counter that comes up to your collarbone. Try to chop food, write a paragraph, or draw and color. It’s a little awkward and uncomfortable!]

In summary, proper sitting posture in kids is important for improved blood flow, improved attention, and improved fine motor control. It also improves comfort and reduces fatigue.

What Does Correct Sitting Posture in Kids Look Like?

Correct sitting posture in kids is important when sitting at a desk or table and when sitting on the carpet.

Children shouldn’t be in any one position for long periods of time. Changing position is important for their bodies and brains. It increases blood flow, prevents muscle strain, and increases attention and focus when they have opportunities to play and learn in different positions.

Check out Flexible Seating for the Classroom for fun and unique seating options that also support posture.

Correct Sitting Posture in a Chair at a Table or Desk

A child’s chair height and size should allow:

Feet to be flat on the floor
Ankles positioned at a 90-degree angle (right angle)
Knees bent at a 90-degree angle
Thighs parallel to the floor
Hips bent at a 90-degree angle
A slight inward curve in the low back

A child’s desk or table height should allow:

Relaxed shoulders (not lifted up toward the ears)
Elbows to rest gently along the sides of the body
Table height at or slightly above the elbow level

The surface height of the table or desk should be at elbow level when elbows are resting at the sides or up to 1-2 inches above elbow level. This depends on the age and size of the child.

For example, taller and older kids can work functionally at a table height up to 2 inches above the resting elbow position. But for young children, it’s best to try to keep the table height at elbow level or just up to an inch above.

Finding the correct chair size and surface height can be a challenge. It’s often a challenge for all of us school-based occupational therapists who are working with teachers and supporting students. We are excited when we find an adjustable desk that can be lowered; however, we come across a lot of fixed furniture in schools that cannot be adjusted.

There are different ways to make adjustments for children. If the height of a table or desk is too tall, a taller chair can be used with support under the feet so that the feet can be flat and resting comfortably.

Having the feet flat on the floor supports good sitting posture and allows the shoulder muscles to keep the arms stable during work.

Supports under the feet can include a sturdy rectangular box, foot blocks, an old thick book, Styrofoam wrapped in decorative tape, a stack of thinner books, or wooden blocks. I’ve had to get creative sometimes in various schools to find what is available for use!

Correct Sitting Posture When on the Floor or Carpet

Good posture habits are also important when sitting on the floor for circle time or class meeting time.

It’s important to discourage the w-sitting position on the floor. This is when a child sits with the knees together and the feet out to the sides of their bottom with toes pointing outward. This position is not good for the hips and the knees, and it also does not activate as many core muscles.

The ideal position that I try to encourage on the floor is sitting cross-legged with a straight back.

Occasionally I will come across a child who is not comfortable sitting cross-legged due to a medical condition. But most children, with practice can learn to sit in a cross legged position.

How To Encourage Better Sitting Posture

You can encourage improved sitting posture in children by checking furniture, teaching good habits, and by changing positions and moving frequently.

Make Sure Kids Have Properly Sized Desks and Chairs

Check every student at the beginning of the school year. As the year progresses, some modifications might need to be made. Especially for the students who struggle with fine motor control.

If you have a writing center in your classroom, make sure you have supports available if students need them. Offer different sized boxes for the feet, a couple of different sized chairs, etc.

Teach The Basics of Good Posture in Chairs and on the Floor

Discuss correct sitting posture with your students. Review good posture as previously described. Emphasize when it is expected.

Additionally, encourage them to find a chair and table of adequate size at home for homework.

Change Positions and Move Frequently

Changing positions throughout the day for different learning stations works on different core muscles. Flexible seating can offer opportunities for core strengthening.

Simple exercises and movement brain breaks encourage the activation and use of core muscles to help make kids’ bodies stronger.

The following blog posts provide additional support for children. The first three offer free printables.

40 Fun Core Exercises for Kids – quick and easy brain breaks that improve postural stability, easy to add to learning and play routines
Benefits of Vertical Surface Activities (30+ Ideas) – vertical surfaces help strengthen the shoulder. muscles, strengthen the forearm muscles, improve wrist position, and improve the visual presentation of work (which makes learning position in space and directionality terms easier.)
27 Easy Prone Position Activities to Improve Strength in Kids – I often encourage kids of all ages to lie on their stomachs for play and learning
Best Flexible Seating for the Classroom, OT and Kid Approved! – so many classrooms have cool flexible seating options, but I always like to suggest the ones that also support good sitting posture
30 Fun Movement Activities and Ideas for Elementary Kids – movement brain breaks support the vestibular system and help build muscles in the body and they also increase attention and focus

Acceptable Alternative Sitting Positions for Children

Encourage good sitting posture in your students when good handwriting is expected. However, you may have some students who need slight variations when completing other work.

Alternative Sitting Positions in a Chair

As an occupational therapist, I often allow the following:

Sitting on the front edge of the chair. (This helps kids with shorter legs to keep their feet flat on the floor and sit more upright.)
Students who are shorter than average may need to sit on their feet in a kneeling position. (This was my daughter’s preferred position during her K-2nd grade years. She was (and still is) very small for her age. It raised her up so she could see her papers better. And she was able to use her hands easier.)
One foot flat on the ground and the other tucked underneath them in the chair
Some students may need to sit on one leg and stand on the other.
Some students may prefer to have their feet hooked around the legs of the chair.

The last three seating alternatives gives the students added input to the feet and legs. This give proprioceptive input that sometimes gives more stability and it also helps them focus better!

Alternate Sitting Positions on the Floor

Other options are side-sitting, long sitting, or sitting on the knees.

Side-sitting on the floor is when the knees are both to one side and the feet are on the other side. (I’ve heard some people refer to this as the cheerleading sitting position.) This position is actually great for the muscles along the side of the core. Just make sure kids alternate sitting with feet to the right, and then feet to the left the next time or vice versa.

Long sitting is simply sitting on the floor with the legs stretched out straight in front of the body. This is often not ideal in schools during whole class carpet time due to a lack of space. It typically does not help children sit upright in this position; they often round their backs if they have tight hamstring muscles on the backs of the legs.

Sitting on the knees could be another option but it’s not good for long periods of time because it can cause the legs to “fall asleep” due to decreased blood flow! I also caution this position because if kids don’t have a strong core the end up sliding their bottom down in between their legs into the w-sitting position.

When sitting on the floor, it’s best to try to encourage a cross legged position during instruction times so that you can encourage good posture with straight backs and necks.

Correct Sitting Posture for Kids – Important Tips!