Signs that children are in the wrong sized seat can include swinging feet, constant fidgeting, slouching, or sitting incorrectly in the seat. If chairs aren’t fitted to the children who use them, those children are at risk for discomfort, which could lead to lack of focus and classroom disruptions. 

You can follow a few general rules to buying the right sized chair:

1. The child’s feet should lie flat on the floor when they sit all the way back in the chair. When a child’s feet dangle, the child can fidget, grow uncomfortable and generally disrupt the learning environment for not only that child but the children around them. It’s just like an adult who is sitting on a barstool and has their legs dangling, their feet start to go numb and their legs start to go numb over time, too. The same thing happens for children; they grow uncomfortable and then restless.

2. The child’s knees should be at a 90-degree angle when sitting with their back in the chair. 

3. The seat of the chair should be 7”-8” from the underside of the table. This allows children to comfortably fit their legs underneath and rest their elbows on the top of the table.