Standing desk for kids basically rewards squirming
The success of the standing desk in modern offices has trickled down to schools.
FluidStance already makes balance boards and standing desks for adults, but it's taking to Kickstarter with a classroom-friendly version, called UpGrade.
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The company describes its board as a way to increase a person's, or child's, range of motion, to "elicit subtle, constant movement," compared with simple standing.
The board resembles a a wide skateboard without wheels, and rocks back and forth while a person perches on top. This forces users to focus on their balance. Research from the company claims the activity increases heart rate. FluidStance says though the movements are subtle, the benefits can be substantial.
Studies have shown that sitting for large portions of the day can be terrible for adult health. Kids in class are equally susceptible to inactivity, and some argue more so.
A 2015 study from the University of British Colombia examined the cardiovascular effects in young girls who sat for long periods. Results showed that the children's blood and arteries changed, signs that would raise health concerns for adults.
However, UpGrade comes with a hefty price tag. The board for kids is $129 for early backers; three boards with the height adjustable desk comes in at $947.
For the first 300 purchases of the UpGrade system, FluidStance will give a matching system to a school of your choice or donate the system to Stand Up Kids, an organization that wants to give all public schools access to standing desks.
The Kickstarter project had raised $18,000 of its $45,000 with 23 days to go at the time of writing.
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Topics Health Family & Parenting Gadgets
Chelsea Frisbie was interning at Mashable as the Lifestyle Section Intern. A SUNY Oswego Alum, she graduated with a degree in Broadcasting and Mass Communication and a minor in Gender Studies, and while there received several awards for her three talk shows and work in local news. Her favorite pastimes include watching Dr. Phil, practicing her Emmy acceptance speech, and subtly sneaking feminism into her daily conversations.
