One of the biggest challenges ADHD students face is trying to stay focused while learning when movement has to be limited. Thankfully, there are dozens of creative styles of chairs for kids with ADHD available!
In this post, we’ll review some of the best alternative seating options for kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other special needs.
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Our family has tried many types of seating for our ADHD and autistic kids. We’ve found great options for adults and older kids as well as for little ones.
Disclaimer: We are not doctors, healthcare professionals, or mental health professionals. This post should not be construed as medical, legal, or professional advice.
Why not use a traditional chair?
ADHDers often need continuous movement to stay focused. They are full of excess energy that needs a positive outlet. Without active seating options, the energy shows up as negative classroom behavior.
In our family, we also noticed this at other times in the day when children are often expected to sit still for long periods of time. Some examples include the family dinner table, in the doctor’s waiting room, or at church.
We found that providing different seating options in some of these situations made it much easier for our neurodivergent kids to manage their attention and behavior. It also helped us parents not to feel the need to constantly correct our young children.
Best ADHD chairs for movement
These chairs help reduce the impact of ADHD symptoms by promoting proper posture and core muscle strength. Besides inviting young users to wiggle, they challenge muscles that otherwise would slack off in regular chairs.
This makes them excellent chairs for kids on the autism spectrum too.
The constant, slight balancing movement can lead to longer concentration spans and more productive study sessions (Source: NLM). Plus, they’re portable and uniquely vibrant, adding a playful vibe to any learning nook.
Wobble Cushion Balance Disc – Wobble Disc & Wiggle Seat, Wobble Seat
We’ve purchased several of these wobble seats (also called wiggle cushions) over the years to use at our dining table. Our kids love them, and since they are relatively inexpensive, it’s easy to replace them when they break.
They’re quiet and portable, so you can easily bring them to church, or the doctor’s office, or anywhere your child might need to sit still for an extended period of time. The knobby surfaces also provide sensory input.
KORE Design Wobble Stool Chair
This wobble chair was super popular in the second grade classroom I volunteered in! Kids would often sit in it to read, or when listening to the teacher read. It also fits into small spaces easily.
ActiveChairs Kids Wobble Stool, Flexible Seating
This is another great option for a wobble seat. If you’re looking for adjustable wobble chairs, this company has several that allow you to change the height.
Gaiam Kids Balance Ball Chair – Classic Children’s Stability Ball Chair
Stability balls (also called exercise ball chairs or therapy balls) are another flexible seating option. These chairs require active sitting, helping to build muscle tone to support good posture.
We don’t currently own balance ball chairs, but every time my kids visit a place with one of these balls, they immediately gravitate towards it. Adults with back pain may also find this a helpful seating alternative.
Y- STOP Hammock Chair Hanging Rope Swing Chair
The most popular seat in our home! My teen daughter requested this hammock chair for her room, and it’s been a total game changer. It really helps her feel more calm and reduces anxiety.
Swinging is a great way to support the sensory needs of many neurodevelopmental disorders (ADHD, autism and more).
Rocking and gliding chairs
We’ve had several rocking chairs or gliders in our home over the years when we had nursing babies. The rhythmic motion is excellent for calming anxiety and focusing attention. Plus, rocking chairs and gliders easily blend into a standard living room.
Foundations SafeRocker Standard Glider Rocker
Swivel stools, swivel chairs, and roll chairs
We have so many different swivel chairs and stools around our home, both for desks and for dining. Our bar stools have a swivel top, and you can often find our kids rotating on them during meals.
Almost all of our desks utilize rolling swivel chairs, and we love them because it allows for near-constant movement without being disruptive to others.
When you’re purchasing a swivel chair, make sure it has strong casters and adjustable height. It’s also helpful to get ergonomic chairs that are designed to promote a comfortable sitting position.
HON Volt Armless Chair
Fitness Seat, ADHD Chair Stool
Standing desk chairs
A standing desk is fantastic for promoting blood flow and reducing fatigue that comes from sitting all day long. Brian and I will often switch from our regular desks and office chairs to the standing desk when we need a break.
ADHD brains thrive on novelty, so a standing desk chair lets ADHDers shift from seated to semi-standing postures without fuss.
When they get tired of sitting still, they can push the limits and perch higher up, almost like a stool. This improves blood circulation and keeps the ADHD mind alert. It’s like offering two chairs in one!
Primy Drafting Chair Tall Office Chair
Vari Active Seat – Adjustable Ergonomic Standing Desk Chair for Adults
Spinning chairs
If you have preschool age kids, definitely get a spinning chair! Sit and spin chairs allow for movement and don’t require any more space than a standard chair. I wish we’d had one of these chairs for our kids when we lived in small apartments.
Kids Sensory Swivel Chair
Kneeling chair or stool
A kneeling chair can be a great choice to alleviate back and leg pain. It offers support for a healthy posture by using different core muscles than a regular chair.
Ergonomic Kneeling Chair, Adjustable Stool for Home and Office
Best chairs for sensory stimulation
Beanbag chair
Sensory chairs (such as bean bag chairs) often have fabric-covered surfaces that provide comforting tactile input. Many children report feeling “wrapped in a hug,” helping reduce stress during homework or quiet time.
Sofa Sack Bean Bag Chair – Plush, Ultra Soft
Sensory Chair for Kids (Peapod chair)
This is an inflatable chair that envelops kids in a soft cushion. It’s especially great for autism and sensory processing disorders.
Chair bands
Chair bands are super helpful for modifying your current chairs in a way that allows for more sensory stimulation. You simply stretch the extra large, extra strong elastic band across two of the chair legs, and kids can kick or bounce their feet on the band.
We bought a set of chair bands for our dining room chairs so that our wiggly kids could have something to kick that wasn’t their sibling (LOL!)
Chair Bands for Kids with Fidgety Feet
Sensory swing
This is different from the hammock swing, in that it’s more like a cocoon. There are some sensory swings that hang from a beam in the ceiling, or you can get a freestanding version. The compression is comforting to ADHDers and autistics.
Harkla Sensory Swing for Kids & Adults
Swing Stand Frame with Sensory/Pod Chair
How to choose the best option for your child’s needs
As you’re looking over the choices for ADHD-friendly chairs, think about where you plan to primarily use the chair. Will it be a fixed location, or do you need the option to move the chair around?
Another thing to consider is whether your child needs sensory input, physical activity, or both?
For our family, we’ve found it most effective to have several different types of seating options available for our kids’ different needs. If you have the budget for it, try several kinds of seats and see which one your kids find most helpful.
You may also enjoy these posts:
- Best ADHD watches, timers and clocks
- Calming ADHD-friendly bedroom ideas
- Autism books by autistic authors
- How to talk to an autistic teen
- Executive dysfunction, sensory challenges and time blindness in ADHD
©️ Copyright Jennifer D. Warren 2025
