What makes a good study/desk chair? Recommendations?

[Tita Gidge]

Mostly I want to know if I'll regret buying the kids those nifty swivel chairs.  They're asking but I'm going to be annoyed if they keep rolling around into each other like bumper chairs LOL and hollering out, "Hey! Watch me!" as they spin around until they're green in the face.

 

But I'm also considering padded formal dining room type chairs. I, personally, like to sit cross-legged in my chair to work so I always liked wider, padded chairs.  Something like this or this.

 

Or the standard wood chair.  I don't know if it matters whether there's a bum cut-out or a flat surface to sit upon. Also unsure whether it matters if the seat part slants backwards like this - that can't be comfortable for schoolwork, can it? Better for relaxing after a meal, right? 

 

We're evolving from mostly sofa-time and conversation/discussion to independent seatwork for 1-2 hours each day. The table sits on hardwood, no rugs, in the middle of the room. We're going for function, not looks.

 

Anything highly recommended or highly warned to avoid, be it brands or type?

 

 

[Tap]

I have 2 obedient children and one who requires constant motion with no regards to obedience.

 

The two older kids worked at our dining room table (wood chair with bum divot) or in their rooms.  Dh had a padded dining room style chair for years. We offered him any office chair he wanted within reason and he kept his padded dining chair.  DD14 picked a nice full swivel-raise/lower-upright/recline office chair and she has always loved it.  When dh closed his office last year, ds18 decided to upgrade to dhs nice leather office chair that was no longer in use.  

 

For dd8, I use an exercise ball by itself, or her exercise ball chair if she just needs to sit and listen, but it is not the right height for our table.  The dining room table is still a bit high for her so she sits at the kitchen counter and uses the swivel bar stools (wood with bum divot). She needs to move, so to try to contain her would be inconsistent with trying to teach her.