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Jul 01, 2023

The Best Kids’ Desks 2022

Lauren Ro is interested in baby gear (she’s a new mom) and the ins-and-outs of decorating a home. Prior to the Strategist, she was a writer at Curbed, and before that was Wes Anderson’s assistant.

Lauren Ro is interested in baby gear (she’s a new mom) and the ins-and-outs of decorating a home. Prior to the Strategist, she was a writer at Curbed, and before that was Wes Anderson’s assistant.

Lauren Ro is interested in baby gear (she’s a new mom) and the ins-and-outs of decorating a home. Prior to the Strategist, she was a writer at Curbed, and before that was Wes Anderson’s assistant.

At the center of any workspace is of course a desk. And whether you’re looking to upgrade your child’s homework space or fully deck out their school-from-home spot, picking a desk that fits their size and needs is essential. But one piece of advice: Don’t discount your child’s preferences. “They should have a say and perhaps even design or create the desk or work area,” says Laurie Block Spigel, a writing teacher and homeschooling parent who runs the website Homeschool NYC. “A personalized desk that has room for the things they need, and is also inspiring, is best.”

To help you find the best desk for your kid, we spoke to 12 experts — including teachers, educators, and parents — about their favorite desks for kids at every price point. Read on for their picks, which we’ve organized by age group from preschoolers through high-schoolers.

Best for preschoolers and kindergarteners | Best for elementary-school students | Best for junior-high and high-school students

Age appropriateness: Julia Niego, a certified educational therapist and a consultant at Organizational Tutors, says that anyone looking to buy a desk for their child should start by considering “the age and development of the child, and the work they’re going to be doing in this space.” Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist and a member of the faculty at Columbia University’s Teachers College, agrees. “A younger student will likely be focused on places to store crayons, markers, and some toys,” she says, “while an older child will need a surface area for laptops, other electronics, and a place to plug in.” Because the needs of a preschooler are so different from those of a high-schooler, we’re not naming a best overall pick for all ages and instead picking a best overall for each age group: preschoolers and kindergarteners, elementary-school students, and junior-high and high-school students.

Dimensions: Size matters. “The desk that my 16-year-old likes to work at is a different size than what my 9-year-old is using,” says Andrea Thorpe, a 12-year homeschooler of three and the founder of website African-American Homeschool Moms. The dimensions are important for you, the parent, to understand too, so you can make sure there’s enough space in your home.

26.6”L x 16”H x 20”W

Even the youngest of learners need a place to do their work. Tze Chun, the mother of a 3-year-old and founder/CEO of online gallery Uprise Art, chose this bentwood table-and-chair set from ECR4Kids for her daughter. As it happens, Chun says she actually found it on the Strategist, where contributor Laura Perciasepe wrote about how it looks like a much more expensive piece from Herman Miller. “We were looking for a desk-and-chair set for our living room that could live alongside our other furniture without sticking out like a sore thumb,” says Chun. Because the middle of her living room was the best spot for her daughter’s workspace, Chun says the desk’s super-discreet look, coupled with the fact that it can transform into a coffee table and two ottomans (or small side tables) at night when her kid isn’t using it, made this a no-brainer. Importantly, she adds, it’s a more-than-serviceable substitute for her daughter’s at-school desk. “It’s a great height for her to put puzzles together, either sitting or standing, and the past six months she’s been using it as her ‘work station’ while her Montessori school has been closed.”

24.8”L x 18.9”W x 17.8”H

Rose Aka-James, a homeschooler and member of mater mea, an online community for Black moms, chose this set from Ikea for her 3-year-old son who loves to do arts and crafts and different types of hands-on activities. “I needed a desk that was durable, easy to set up, and, most importantly, easy to clean,” she told us, adding that the Lätt checks all her boxes. “I knew I’d be homeschooling and we would be spending a lot of time at this desk, and this is cost-effective and simple for our needs.”

16”H x 23.5”Dia

For something in the middle of those two prices, this Crate and Barrel set is a stylish option. Chun has this table-and-chair set in her daughter’s room as a workstation specifically for arts and crafts. “We put her caddy of supplies in the middle; this way she can walk around the table or sit to make her drawings and collages,” she says, adding that the desk works so well, she even bought a second one for when her daughter goes to Grandma’s house. The chairs are light but sturdy, she promises, adding that the set “takes up a very compact footprint and the table has no sharp corners to worry about.” Plus: “Glue-stick residue and crayons wipe off very easily.” While it’s not a huge discount from the best overall set above, it’s a good price for such a nice-looking set.

54”L x 24”W x 18.5”H

Architecture and design critic Alexandra Lange says that she used her Elfa desk for years before her daughter started using it as her school-from-home desk. (While Lange’s daughter is using it at 9 years old, Lange says it’s probably best for kids up to 7 years old because the desktop is long, but not very wide, so it becomes harder to fit more supplies that may be needed as kids age.) It has a melamine desktop and comes with six mesh drawers that Lange promises can hold a lot. You can even add a roll of craft paper to the desktop, so that your child will always have a surface to draw on. The rounded-corner version Lange bought is no longer available, but this straight-edged version is the exact same otherwise.

According to Hafeez, choosing a desk that grows with your elementary-school-age child would be a wise investment. “Buying an adjustable desk with various height settings means you won’t have to replace the desk as your child’s needs change.” The Einstein Kids desk Hafeez recommends is no longer available, but it’s similar to this souped-up version that Melissa Young, an engineering manager at Vox Media, has for her 5-year-old twins. (Technically, she has two — one for each child.) Although they are currently in kindergarten, Young says she plans for the twins to use these well into their elementary years, noting that the desk can go high enough for her to use it, too (she’s five-foot-three). “My hope is that the desks will grow with the kids,” she says. This is larger than Hafeez’s pick, and it has both a tilting section and a flat area on the desktop. The desk, she adds, is “really sturdy and big enough for their materials and a laptop.”

37.8”L x 22.9”W x 28.4”H

This Ikea desk that Niego recommends is a more affordable option if you want something adjustable. “It’s just a simple desk, but it can be adjusted to three heights as your kid gets taller,” she says. By simply turning the knobs on the legs, you can have three different heights — 23 inches, 26 inches, and 28 inches. For an extra $25, you can get a made-for-this-desk storage unit that stands right on top of it.

52”L x 22.9”W x 29.9”H

Stony Pak, a professor of education and mom to fifth- and second-grade boys, also stresses the importance of every kid having a designated workspace if possible. “A desk with some materials like pencils and paper in a quiet area makes it much more conducive to doing schoolwork,” she says. Pak’s fifth-grader uses the Alex desk from Ikea, which she likes for its small footprint and its two slim drawers that provide plenty of storage. Another nifty feature she told us about is the desk’s built-in cable-management system, which allows her son to easily store and access his chargers for all the devices he needs.

24”L x 42”W x 30”H

Lora Appleton, the founder of children’s design gallery kinder MODERN and Female Design Council, says that one of her favorite proper desks for children grades two and up is the wooden Stash Desk from Bludot, which her son uses at home. “He’s in sixth grade and it is meeting all of his needs,” she says. “There’s room for his Chromebook and desktop-attached camera, with plenty of space to still write with pens and pencils.” Its single drawer offers just the right amount of storage, she adds.

47.3”L x 15.8”W x 28.1”L

As many of our experts have noted, if you buy a desk that can grow with your child, they can have it from elementary school all the way through their teen years. But for those who may be shopping for their teen’s first home desk, we heard about a few that experts say are great for older kids. Homeschooler Emily Nicholson says that she uses this minimal desk for her ninth- and seventh-grade sons. In her experience, avoiding too many drawers or shelves actually helps with organization at this age. “All kids do is stash their papers and junk without cleaning or organizing,” she says, which is why she likes that this one has small drawers that offer just enough storage without becoming bottomless pits of clutter. It also has a fairly large workspace for spreading out.

28.8”L x 19.6”W x 29.5”H

If you’re looking for something more compact or just want a more affordable option, this desk is about the same as the Besta Burs above, but just smaller (and $170 cheaper). Nicholson also owns and uses this one for her middle- and high-schoolers, and as with the desk above, appreciates its small drawers.

Retired teacher Gabe Lewis (the mom of former Strategist senior editor Casey Lewis) says that having ample surface area is so important, especially for older students who rely even more on laptops and iPads (in addition to their other supplies) while schooling from home or doing homework. She originally recommended this HOHO Computer Desk for teenage students, noting that it’s “wide enough to spread out, but not so deep to take up much room.” Her pick is no longer available, but this wood desk from IOTXY has nearly identical measurements. It’s just a bit wider, which is even better for older students in need of more workspace. It doesn’t have a shelf below to hold books, which Lewis liked, but it does have two drawers, and it’s made entirely of wood, which Lewis says is a bonus: “It’s been studied that the more nature you can bring to a workspace, the better it is for your mental space,” she says.

57”L x 18”W x 30”H

Older students will probably have the most opinions on their desk, which is why Hafeez suggests this model as a fancy option “for teens developing a sense of personal style.” She says the desk’s sleek silhouette and gold hardware make it look clean and modern, while its ample surface and seven drawers make it multifunctional and offer plenty of storage. Adding to its functionality is a very teen-friendly built-in power strip with four outlets, which should be plenty for all their school gadgets.

• Rose Aka-James, a homeschooler and member of mater mea• Lora Appleton, founder of children’s design gallery kinder MODERN and Female Design Council• Tze Chun, the mother of a 3-year-old and founder/CEO of online gallery Uprise Art• Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist and a member of the faculty at Columbia University’s Teachers College• Alexandra Lange, architecture and design critic• Gabe Lewis, retired teacher• Emily Nicholson, homeschooler• Julia Niego, certified educational therapist and a consultant at Organizational Tutors• Stony Pak, a professor of education and mom to fifth- and second-grade boys• Laurie Block Spigel, a writing teacher and homeschooling parent who runs the website Homeschool NYC• Andrea Thorpe, a 12-year homeschooler of three and the founder of website African-American Homeschool Moms• Melissa Young, engineering manager at Vox Media

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