Kid sized desk, has anyone tried one of these?

[sassenach]

I was sitting in an odd position today and I realized just how hard it is to write with your arm up high. My kids do school at the kitchen table, and I think I need to change that. We have little space and less money, so I'm wondering if something like this will work- Table Mate II. If you have used this or something like it, I would love your input. Also, if you have an equally cheap and compact option, please chime in. I have already checked craigslist. Thanks!

[Ravin]

DD has a regular sized desk, but her chair ($15 in Ikea as-is) can adjust height.

[My3Monkeys]

We ended up getting little classroom desks on craigslist. I am SOOOO not a school at home type of mom, so we still do a great deal of flopping around on the floor when we work together, but the desks are good for workbook time.

[KC in KS]

My kids got a little toy card table & chairs for Christmas. It's totally a toy, but DD asked to do school on it one day, and her attention span was MUCH better, simply because she can sit comfortably!

 

Here, you can see it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Disney-Tinker-Fairies-Activity-Chairs/dp/B004HSG8G6/ref=pd_sbs_k_7

 

$34 new.

[AngieW in Texas]

Ikea has a nice table with adjustable height and angle and it's very portable. It's only $18.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10151814

 

 

I'm planning to get it for my 18yo to take to college. Her dorm room will have a desk, but she won't do any schoolwork at the desk if her laptop is there, so she needs a separate tabletop for her laptop. I also want her to try out the different chairs at Ikea to see which one she likes. These look promising:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20086724

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S79877709

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90163889

Edited April 27, 2011 by AngieW in Texas

[In The Great White North]

We had little desks and a little table when they were really little, but often as not, they used the kitchen table for drawing anyway. If you don't have much room, I wouldn't bother.

 

Does it bother them to write with their arm up high (doesn't bother me so it may not bother them)? Have you tried having them sit on phone books?

[Dmmetler]

I bought a little school desk/chair for my DD, in bright purple. She loves it. It's used more for drawing than for school, since most of our school time is spent flopped on the floor reading and talking, but anything involving a lot of writing is done at the desk.

[JennyD]

We live in a tiny apartment, but I wouldn't give up our adjustable kid-sized table for anything. They do all writing/drawing/crafts there (which also makes it easy to contain mess) and it's surprisingly handy when we have other little friends over for meals.

[Chris in VA]

We used a little table and bench combo from Ikea for K and first grade, but then switched to a kitchen table (it's in the schoolroom area in the basement). It was a little high for dd at first. It's important for handwriting for kids to be able to put their feet on the floor (or so they say, ymmv), so we put a stool at her feet and had her sit on a cushion. Much cheaper than getting another table, and I don't like desks b/c I like to sit beside her and we need room to spread out.

 

Maybe you could just try a stool and a cushion for a while until they grow taller. Alternatively, you could cut the legs down 3 inches or so.