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  • Writer's pictureSMILE
    • Jan 28, 2021
    • 5 min read

COVID-19 Tipsheet # 6

Virtual Learning: Ergonomic Workspaces for Kids


By: Asha Mabalay-Bynoe and Emily Rankin, McMaster University Occupational Therapy Students


Ergonomic means to design spaces to meet the needs of people. This can include:

  • Increasing productivity

  • Adjusting movement

  • Reducing discomfort

Why is ergonomics important? Having access to an ergonomic workspace helps to reduce:

  • Fatigue

  • Stress

  • Discomfort/ Pain

Image 1: Child sitting in a wheelchair using a tablet.

How To Make an Ergonomic Workspace for Your Kids


Tip 1: Find a Good Posture

Lower Body


CHECK:

  • The back of your child’s knees should comfortably fit against the front edge of the chair.

  • Both of their feet should be flat on the ground. The feet should not be dangling.

  • You should be able to draw an imaginary straight line from their ankle up to the knee in this position.

  • You should be able to draw an imaginary corner of a square (90 degrees) at your child’s knee and ankle joints

Considerations

  • If you are using an adult-sized chair for your child, consider placing a stool or laundry basket underneath their feet

  • If your child is sitting at the kitchen table, consider letting your child sit on a pillow to raise their height

Upper Body


CHECK

  • No leaning forward

  • No hunched shoulders

  • Arms should be bent at the elbows and forearms should be able to comfortably rest on the working surface without raising shoulders. can lay flat on table surface without raising shoulders

  • Arms should not be fully extended to access devices

Considerations

  • If you are using an adult-sized chair for your child, consider placing a pillow or rolled-up towel behind their back to provide them with back support.

  • If your child experiences upper body fatigue consider enabling device voice commands

Image 2: Examples of poor sitting posture in children

Is your child sitting in a wheelchair?

CHECK

  • The child can reach the device without leaning forward

  • The child can easily adjust the device for video meetings with their class


Image 3: A person sitting in a wheelchair while using a tablet with a tablet stand.

Considerations

  • If your child has a tilt wheelchair, consider using a gooseneck tablet stand to accommodate the tilt (if using a tablet)

  • If your child has a tray on their wheelchair consider placing their device on their tray to give them better access to the device if you are unable to bring their chair close enough to a table

  • Placing the device on a preferable side to accommodate for reflexes, or if your child has a preference for one side



Image 4: Gooseneck tablet stand


Think Outside of the Box!

It can be hard for your child to sit at a desk all day!


If your child is having difficulty with sitting in a chair for long periods of time or does not sit at a desk, try these alternative positions


  • Kneeling on the floor at a coffee table

  • Standing at the kitchen counter or dining table

  • Sitting on an exercise ball

  • Sitting with their back against the wall with their legs straight out



Image 5: Child sitting on the floor with legs straight out, and a laptop placed on a stack of books.



Image 6: Various positions for children when sitting on the floor.


Tip 2: Adjust Device Placement

Is your child using a Computer or Laptop?

If your child uses a computer for learning considers the following for positioning your device:

  • The computer should be placed so that it is eye level. Your child should not have to bend, twist or strain their neck forward to use the screen.

  • If your child is looking down at a screen, you can place a book or similarly shaped box (e.g. board game box) underneath the laptop or computer screen.

  • The mouse and keyboard should be within reach and your child should not have to lean forward to use them.

  • A separate keyboard and mouse that attaches (using cord or Bluetooth) to a laptop can also be purchased to promote good posture.



Image 7: Child using books to raise the laptop to eye level, a stool to support feet and wireless keyboard to support upper body ergonomics in an adult-sized chair. (Link to picture source: https://ptandme.com/how-to-make-an-ergonomic-school-space-at-home/)


Is your child using a Tablet or Smartphone?

When using a tablet or smartphone the natural tendency is to look down at the device. This can cause pain or strain of the upper back.


Below are links that describe how to create device stands using cardboard, these will help prop up your child's device and reduce forward bending of the neck:

Tips

  • If your child is looking down at their screen with a device stand, place the stand on books or boxes.

  • The stand should be placed within reach and your child should not have to lean forward to use the device.