DIY Child's Desks

Basic Design

• The most important aspect of your design is getting the desk height correct. You want your child to be comfortable when sitting and working.

  If your child has a favorite chair that will be used at the desk, use that as a guide to what its height should be. A proper chair height allows your child to place her feet flat on the floor while her knees bend at a 90-degree angle. The top of the desk should be about eight inches taller than the top of the seat, about 10 inches if you plan to include a storage area under the top.

Storage Compartments

• Underdesk storage compartments are a great place for your child to store her pencils, crayons and paper when she is not using them. They provide a quick way to tidy up, as well, since she will not have to carry her equipment elsewhere.

  Make a compartment/top by building a shallow box, then attach the top with hinges at the back edge. Be sure to make the top overhang the front and sides by a small amount; this will give little hands an easy handle with which to open it. Then you can attach four legs to the box to create your desk, or you can use it as a component of a school desk.

School Desk

• A school desk is a chair with a desktop connected to it. While there are many ways to build one, the easiest way is to cut out a plywood support large enough to be part of both the chair and desktop. Use this support as one side of the chair, taking the place of two legs; attach the seat and the back to it and then add the remaining legs to finish the chair. You can then let the child sit on the chair to help you figure out the perfect position for the desktop, and attach it there.

  You can also add a storage box under the chair, so it really resembles a school desk.

Computer Desk

• These days, children need a good computer desk almost as much as an adult. If you build a box that can serve as a small storage cabinet (with short legs under it, if you choose), you will find that your desk will be done quickly. Just build the cabinet to the correct height, then add a desktop that extends to one side and support that side with two more legs. You can put shelves or drawers in the cabinet if you like.