Flexible seating has become really popular in schools and classrooms. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s the practice of adding nontraditional seating to a space to encourage movement, improve health, and provide students with some freedom to learn in a position that suits them. For example, a teacher may get rid of the traditional desks and chairs and place sofas, cushions, and standing desks around the room instead.
The idea behind it is that it allows students to move around freely as they learn, reducing a sedentary lifestyle and encouraging decision-making skills. It also allows students to learn in the position that leads to the most productivity, helps them stay comfortable, and promotes teamwork and collaboration.
You may not have a classroom full of 25 students to prepare for, but if your family is spending more time at home right now, bringing flexible seating into the space where you work from home or your children do their schooling may have some of the same benefits as it does in the classroom. Here are some awesome ideas for flexible seating for your family.
Recliners
It can be tempting to do work or schoolwork from the bed, but many experts recommend leaving your bed for sleeping only. Keeping work and rest areas separate can help improve your sleep and increase productivity. But that doesn’t mean you don’t often want to lay back with your tablet or laptop and do your work from that position. For this reason, consider adding a recliner to your home.
Benches
If you have young children, and you’ve ever watched them read or do school work, you know they can move into all sorts of positions. A backless bench encourages some of the most popular childlike positions, like straddling a seat or laying on your stomach, all while providing you with room to spread out your books and technology.
Sofas and Loveseats
You probably already have at least one sofa or loveseat in your living room, in front of the TV. Your family may even sit there to do your work or schoolwork, but chances are you experience many distractions in your living room or family room. Consider adding a sofa or loveseat to your home office or the room where your children do their schooling. This allows for some comfort and, again, lets them spread out without sitting at a desk.
Stools
Stools are great for older children and teenagers because they encourage good posture. Consider adding them to a high desk, table, or bar for a different approach to the traditional desk and chair for your middle and high schoolers. They’re also easy to move around if your kids want a change of scenery or need to work together on a project, and they can even use the flat surface for a desk when they’re sitting at a sofa or loveseat.
Exercise Balls
Teachers use exercise or stability balls in classrooms because they allow kids to fidget and move without getting out of their seats. The same can apply to your elementary-age children at home. However, they’re a great option for adults too. They help improve posture, strengthen your core, improve breathing, reduce back pain, and they may even help you burn a few calories throughout the day.
Cushions
Some people, especially kids, just like to be on the floor while they work, and cushions provide a soft comfy place to do that. Like exercise balls, they provide a fidgety kid with a place to move around while staying in one spot. You can also use them with low tables—like coffee tables—as an alternative to a traditional desk or table and chair.
Rocking, Rolling, and Swivel Chairs
Even if you or your children sit at a table or desk, you may feel the need to sit actively. For this reason, skip the dining room table chair, and go for a chair that rocks, rolls, or swivels instead. Once again, this allows your family to fidget or sit still as needed, all while completing work.
Standing Desks
Standing desks are becoming more and more popular in schools and offices around the world. The reason? A sedentary lifestyle can lead to an early death. These desks are tall enough so that you can stand with your elbows at a 90-degree level and continue to type or write.
As you continue to work from home and share your space with your kids while they learn from home, don’t feel pressured to buy all new furniture. Consider renting with CORT Furniture Rental instead. We have a number of seating options and everything else your family needs to turn your home into a multifunctional space where you can live, work, and play without breaking the bank. Just visit our website, find what you need, and we’ll handle the rest, bringing your selections right to your home.
