Kids Furniture Buying Guide
Your child’s furniture should be well-designed, safe and easy to clean. Fortunately, most manufacturers recognize these needs and build children’s furniture accordingly.
Tables, Chairs and Desks
Naturally, height adjustments are necessary with growing children. As your child grows, so should his furniture. Here are some tips for selecting the right furniture pieces such as desks and chairs.
Desks
Desks are multi-functional and come in a wide variety of styles and finishes. Things to consider as you shop:
Sled Desks – These versatile desks are ideal for many simply because of its one piece design. With the classic school desks of days gone by, sled desks are easily recognized and often come with plenty of storage such as under the desktop or the seating area. They come in a wide variety of materials, including wood or plywood as well as several finishes.
These desks are usually no more than 16″ wide and 17″ high, making it a compact selection.
Kids Table Desks – Table desks are designed most often with wood as its material. They offer sturdy legs and sometimes with drawers to keep crayons and pencils stowed away. Most often made with wood products, such as pine, oak or walnut, it’s common to find them constructed of plywood and rubberwood or plastic. They come in a variety of heights, although generally are around 24″ high, and colors are many as well, depending on your child’s age and color preferences.
Plastic Desks – Generally more lightweight with round corners, these are a great selection for kids under the age of six.
Chairs
Just as with the multitude of selections in desks, there are many chairs available to complement the other furniture in your child’s room.
Benches – These have seen a surge in popularity in recent years. Because they’re so versatile and the newer designs are complete with storage bins underneath the seating areas, these are a parent’s favorite first choice. With either lateral slats for storing higher objects, such as books or horizontal shelves that are great for shoes or toys, bench seating offers the solution for smaller rooms. It’s not uncommon for the bench seats to have removable casters, adding more attraction. Most often constructed of wood, such as oak or birch, these are easily fit into any budget.
Chair sets are also great considerations and are both affordable and easily stored when not in use. Available in sizes according to age, you can purchase chair sets without having to buy a matching table. Material selections include rubberwood, plastic or wood.
Rocking Chairs – A classic childhood favorite, there’s nothing more exciting for little ones than to have their own scaled down versions of a rocking chair. As with traditional wood rocking chairs, you’ll find these with the slat seating and either slat or spindle back designs. For younger kids, there are the one-piece plastic designs, but for children from the ages of five or six and up, you’ll want to consider rubberwood or wood materials.
Have rough and tumble little ones? Consider foam chairs. These are great for an added security feature, especially for those who are energetic. Made completely of foam, these 17.5″ high chairs are becoming increasingly popular.
From baby beds to toddler beds to full size beds, parents well know the ever changing needs in bedding as their children grow. Ensure your selection is in compliance with federal safety regulations and that it hasn’t been recalled for any reason.
Baby Beds/Cribs – Often, baby beds become family heirlooms. As such, many feel their crib selection is an investment in family. Today’s new designs easily transition from cribs to toddler beds to full size beds that can follow your child into adulthood.
Mattresses are easily replaced as your child grows and the bed transitions.
Toddler Beds – Great for kids who have outgrown their cribs but who might still be too young for a standard bed. Available finishes include wood and rubberwood.
Standard Beds – Once toddlers have outgrown their beds, it’s time to transition to a standard bed. Many styles and finishes add personality to your child’s bedroom. Mattresses can be replaced over the years and these beds often follow them into adulthood.
