Few parents and teachers are aware of the proper habits they should teach children to help them maintain good posture and stay healthy. Pain that occurs during growth can hinder learning at school and lead to absenteeism (2). Furthermore, bad habits developed during childhood can lead to serious health conditions in adulthood.

Fortunately, children are great learners: now is the time to teach them the best practices that will help them stay healthy and prevent the risk of illness.

What should we say?

There’s no specific age to start talking to your child about ergonomics. The various stages of growth can cause your child to feel very tired and even experience muscle aches. It’s therefore important to regularly raise your child’s awareness of these issues, adapting your language to your child’s understanding as they grow.

You’ll find that everyday life is full of opportunities to teach your child the basics of physical ergonomics, and that you can approach this topic in a playful way. In doing so, you’ll help them become more aware of their body and its limitations. This is especially beneficial for children who have difficulty managing their bodies and emotions. A discipline such as psychomotor therapy can be helpful for them, as it is based on the connection between body and mind and aims to support their development by helping them reestablish a harmonious relationship with their bodies and reconnect with their emotions (2).

The 5 Rules of Physical Ergonomics for Children

To help your child understand physical ergonomics, you can start by going over these 5 basic rules together. Explain to your child that by using the right movements, they’ll feel good physically and become stronger.

1. I'm stretching

Every morning, to start my day off right, I get up slowly and take the time to stretch! Once I'm standing, I stretch my arms as high as I can toward the sky.

For parents: Children are more flexible than adults. It’s in their best interest to maintain this flexibility to prevent it from turning into stiffness and causing pain in adulthood. Regular stretching is an excellent way to achieve this, as is yoga (see the next section).

There are also more specific stretches that are recommended. For example, if your child has spent a long time in front of a screen, encourage them to stretch their eyes: without moving their head, have them look up, down, to the right, and to the left. As a general rule, it’s best to avoid prolonged screen use, particularly because it can have negative effects on posture—such as static muscle tension from holding the device, a hunched back, and so on.

2. I stand up straight

Throughout the day, I make sure to keep my back as straight as possible, for example when I bend down to pick up a a toy, or that I'm sitting in my chair.

For parents: Suggest that your child play the "chair game" to practice keeping their back straight: they should bend their knees and pretend they're sitting on a chair.

If it's too hard, he can stand against a wall. Tell him to pull his belly button in as far as possible, press his back firmly against the wall, and count to 10 together while holding the position.

3. I'm moving

What should we play today? I can race around the yard or the park, play with a ball, jump rope, play hopscotch, play hide-and-seek…

For Parents: It is recommended that children engage in vigorous physical activity for 1 hour a day (3). On weekends, you can spread this time out over the day: 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon, for example. To mix up the activities, tap into your children’s creativity!

You can also suggest that your child take up a more structured sport (in a club or organization), which will help them develop habits for staying in shape and leading a healthy lifestyle.

4. I eat a balanced diet

My body needs fuel, just like Mom and Dad's car: to keep the engine running, I need to fill up on gas; just like my muscles need fuel to work, I need food! So I try a little bit of everything and eat a varied diet to stay healthy and grow strong.

For Parents: A healthy diet should include three balanced meals a day and snacks as needed. Shown here is a sample plate for your child (4). The size of the plate may vary depending on your child’s appetite, but the proportions of the different food groups should remain the same.

5. I drink enough

I make a point of drinking water regularly throughout the day—I don't wait until I'm thirsty! Just like food, water helps my whole body function properly.

For Parents: To ensure your child drinks regularly, make it part of their daily routine (when they wake up, at snack time, before dinner, etc.).

Learn about ergonomics while having fun

To put the above rules into practice with your child, play with them! Here are a few ideas for games to play at home to help them develop good ergonomic habits while having fun.

Doing yoga

Yoga is a practice that helps your child explore their body and better manage their emotions. By regularly practicing different poses, your child will gain flexibility, strength, concentration, and self-confidence.

Here are a few examples of poses to do with your child:

Play the "Shape" Board Game (5)

Séverine Haudebourg has created a board game for exercising as a family. Download it here, roll the die, and follow the instructions! Another activity idea to try with your kids: create your own Snakes and Ladders game with movements of your choice… why not try some yoga poses?

Play every day!

Children’s daily lives offer many opportunities to practice good physical ergonomics. They will be more likely to accept and incorporate these recommendations if they are illustrated and presented as games.

The pothe knight's position so I can tie my shoelace

When I tie my shoes, I bend my legs like a knight in shining armor and keep my back straight.

The butterfly pose to stretch my legs

Sitting on the floor, I place my feet together, sole to sole, and move my legs like a butterfly taking flight.

The Right Way to Pick Up My Toys

When I need to clean up my room or pick up a toy from the floor, I bend my knees and, if necessary, put one knee on the floor. I keep my back straight so I don't hurt myself.

Ergonomics and Homework

Homework time is a good opportunity to talk to your child about ergonomics. Take the time to help them set up properly—at their desk, if possible. Too many children still sit at the living room or kitchen table on a chair that’s too low, which leads to numerous problems with posture and concentration:

• This position causes the eyes to be too close to the paper or notebook, leading to eye strain;
• A chair that is too low in relation to the table causes the shoulders to rise and the elbows to shift, leading to neck tension;
• The kitchen or living room can be noisy, which may make it hard for your child to concentrate—not to mention cause you stress, since you have to keep reminding your child to refocus.

Encourage your child to maintain good posture by providing them with the right equipment and guidance. Sometimes all it takes is a few simple adjustments to create a comfortable workspace for your child: a small cushion on the chair to raise their seat, a thick book to rest their feet flat on, and so on. This will help them better develop their ability to concentrate and learn.

These basic rules of physical ergonomics—along with the educational games that can go along with them—will give your child the tools to adopt better posture in everyday life. This will help your child stay healthy as they grow and prevent more serious health issues from developing in adulthood. Don’t hesitate to lead by example yourself: your body will thank you, and your child will learn naturally by copying your movements!

(1) Source: BRUNET, C. “On the Use of Ergonomic Furniture in Elementary Schools: Benefits and Conditions for the Success of a Prevention Project.” Professional Study – ENSP – MEN, 2005.
(2) Source: tousalecole.fr
(3) Source: mangerbouger.fr
(4) Source: Government of Quebec. A Quick Look at Nutrition for People with Diabetes. Communications Division of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, 2014.
(5) Source: HAUDEBOURG, S.: http://webetab.ac-bordeaux.fr/Primaire/64/EPS64

Image credits: ©AdobeStock – ©Ergo Ressource Group