Best Children’s Desks Reviewed & Rated for Quality

In a Hurry? Editors choice:
VIVO Height Adjustable
Test Winner: VIVO Height Adjustable
Amazon Link
There are many common items of furniture in everyone’s home. One very common item that many do not necessarily think about is a desk. However, the majority of homes have one. A desk can be used for a variety of things. It can be used for anything from a workspace, a space to figure out and pay bills, or, for some people, a space to collect old mail and newspapers. Even though there are many reasons a desk may be used, most homes do have one. A desk is very important for children as well. It's where they study, play and create. In an effort to help our readers find the best desk for their child's needs, we've reviewed and rated a wide variety of different models. Check out our list below and find your favorite model today!

Standout Picks

VIVO Height Adjustable
The aspirations of an art desk are vast. There are a lot of things they try to bite off in order to be the one desk you might need to use, for any reason what-so-ever. For the most part, it’s extremely good at such a thing. So when the time comes to acquire your child a desk that will serve many a purpose, an art-style desk is probably your best bet. Heralded for their quality, and the make of their products, the VIVO Children’s Desk is one of, if not the best option on the market for kids work and play station.
Amazon Link
$119.99
Sauder Pogo
Heading in the completely opposite direction, the Sauder Pogo Desk for Children attempts to simulate the normalcy that your child will be striving for, every day of their life, from this moment onwards. There’s something about the tiny version of a normal looking adult thing that is both adorable, and desirable. There’s a whole wing of children’s toys that attempt to replicate grown-up versions. Like drivable cars, kitchens, and this desk. Visibly, it’s something out of an IKEA catalog, but it has some very useful tricks up its sleeve.
Amazon Link
$118.29
VTech Touch and Learn
When you stop and think about what a “kids” desk looks like, you probably pictured this product. Don’t get us wrong, there is a ton of value in a product like this -- hence why it is currently on our list, and I’m currently writing this entry. But we felt that picking a majority of desks suitable for kids throughout their young lives meant more. The VTech Touch and Learn is a wonderful product that can do wonders in the development of a tiny mind.
Amazon Link
$69.07
South Shore Axess
Back on the track of adult desks for young humans, the South Shore Axess Desk with included Keyboard Tray can lift your child from their extreme youth, all the way through their teenage-hood. It may not be much to look at for the little ones seeking colors, and fun, but we’re looking at a very sturdy, and pretty pieces of furniture on the market
Amazon Link
$96.43
Target Marketing Systems
It’s often a problem you don’t think you have to solve until you do, and at that moment you wish that you could go back and tell your formal self to be more considerate of the space at hand before purchasing a piece of furniture. Well, Target Marketing has its market targeted. Offering the perfect amount of desk for the corner of rooms, minimizing the space that must succumb to your workstation needs.
Amazon Link
Calico Designs 55120
The Calico desk is the epitome of sleek style and minimalism for the sake of ultimate customization. But it’s also extremely functional, and rather neat looking.
Amazon Link
Guidecraft
Calling all greeting card parents, and their crafty children! We’ve found the mecca of wondrously awesome desks for your children who are little craftspeople. We’ve all met them. Those toddlers or kids that are just inclined to make things. Macaroni wreaths, pictures for the fridge, or their own Valentine’s cards (yeah kid! Stick it to the corporate valentine day card zombies). The Guidecraft Media Desk is designed to do exactly what its name suggests, guide you easily through your crafting needs.
Amazon Link
Mount-It! Workstation
Billed as a “school workstation” it’s awfully similar to the number one item on our list, but differs in enough of the categories to find its way all the way near-ish the bottom of our list here. The Mount-It! (why are you yelling?!) Children’s Desk and Chair Set is, in form, the essential desk for children to grow up on. It’s formed and designed like a school desk but is made to scale with your child for a limited time.
Amazon Link
$138.99
KidKraft Large Avalon
Have you ever wanted to buy an art desk for your child that they might be able to convert into a vanity later in life when they choose to start wearing makeup? No? Yeah. Thought that was a bit of a stretch. But the KidKraft Large Avalon Desk definitely has some of the appeal of a classically designed vanity (sans mirror obviously). This craft-centric workstation is a perfect addition to the room of any artistic young mind.
Amazon Link
Lipper International 564P
Should you, be the parent of a burgeoning tiny Hemingway or Kerouac, or perhaps you were plucked from your fictional prose future and thrust into the heap of drafts that is parenthood, the Lipper International 564P Desk and Chair set is a flawless excuse to return to a time where poetry was alive. If you’re looking to raise a writer, and get a head start on that internet conflict and external complex, then look no further.
Amazon Link
$156.99

Criteria Used for Evaluation

Durability

The quality of building materials in nearly everything should come into consideration when you spend your hard earned cash. It is even more essential when looking at purchasing a piece of furniture.

As most furniture is used by you, or by someone, there will come plenty of opportunities to wear or worry when it comes to the make of your piece. When it comes to furniture that your child is going to use, that is amplified by both the idea that your child might be less careful, and your child might be harmed if something were to break.

In each of our choices, we carefully examined the listed building materials and scoured the reviews for signs of poor manufacturing. A task you should also do when shopping online for things like a desk or workspace for children.

Finding something with quality metals, and real wood isn’t impossible but is also not the norm in furniture manufacturing these days. Pay close attention to the build, and you shouldn’t have a problem when it comes to the use of your chosen piece. Or, at the very least, you won’t be shocked if something does go wrong.

Use

Some might look at a room full of desks and consider that there aren’t many variables among them. But they’d be extremely mistaken.

Most desks are considered for their modular properties, and every desk set-up is different in one way or another, therefore it was crucial to us that we seek quality desks but with a variety of designs and ideal use cases.

You’ve got art desks for those with the need to craft creations. You’ve got writing desks for the future Rowlings of the world. And you’ve got an option for everything in between.

It’s key to also note that desks, desktops, or workstations can be used for all sorts of things. So while some of the features included with the desk might be geared towards a specific type of desk work, having enough space and versatility to be used for many things is important.

Size

Size is a very important factor when it comes to choosing the right desk for your child. Not only do you want to make sure that it fits in their room without it getting in the way, but your child has to feel comfortable when working from their desk. A model that suits your child's size will also help with forming their posture. and studies show that comfort and good posture can help boost productivity!

Style

The look of a desk isn’t the most important part. But as it’s a piece of furniture, and there are other pieces of furniture around it, the aesthetic of the piece you buy will probably need to fit into the decor you’ve already got set up in your space.

Our particularly beat-generation style writing desk has that uniquely mid-century wooden look, while others like our number nine pick would fit in on a Hollywood set from the Monroe era. Others, like a handful near the top of the list, are more modern pieces that resemble most of the furniture that is made and manufactured today.

Other bits of flare are more of a concept, or opportunity to add your own. Some of our options are great blank canvases that would look absolutely amazing with some personalization from your youngster.

Value

Of course, the biggest criteria for finding the perfect piece of furniture is the proper combination of price and build. The price has to reflect a quality product, but also not force you to break the bank for something that might be outgrown eventually.

For the most part, our entire collection here floats around the one hundred dollars mark, though a few go a bit higher, and a few fall a tad shy of that mark.

When it comes to things made out of wood, or metals, or high-quality composites of wood board, there is more than a direct correlation between the price that you face as a consumer, and the cost that the manufacturers are required to play in order to get them out the door. Markup retail prices aren’t a huge thing when it comes to furniture, so you can rest assured that the correlation is far closer to the worth of the product than other types of goods.

BEST CHILDREN’S DESKS REVIEWED & RATED FOR QUALITY

1. VIVO Height Adjustable

Where to buy
Amazon Link
$119.99
VIVO Height Adjustable
Amazon Link

The aspirations of an art desk are vast. There are a lot of things they try to bite off in order to be the one desk you might need to use, for any reason what-so-ever. For the most part, it’s extremely good at such a thing. So when the time comes to acquire your child a desk that will serve many a purpose, an art-style desk is probably your best bet. Heralded for their quality, and the make of their products, the VIVO Children’s Desk is one of, if not the best option on the market for kids work and play station.

Grows Up

The scariest thing when talking about, or seeking to purchase something for your small child is the burning of money. We’re talking about everything under the sun. Everything of a fixed size. Clothes, sports equipment, and yes, even desks. Kids grow up and grow out, and their size is never the same from one hour to the next. We don’t stop growing for quite some time. The VIVO Children’s Desk is a complete work of art in its simple ability to grow with your child -- only up to a certain extent obviously. The dek and the chair both have the adjustability to raise or lower with the height and size of your child.

Fully Fledged Art Station

VIVO doesn’t cut any corners when putting together the build for their children’s art-style desk. When many companies or manufacturers are willing to excuse laziness because of the target audience, it’s nice when someone doesn’t. The VIVO Children’s Desk has a full art supplies drawer, with separators and organizers galore to house your utensils and papers. The tilting surface of the art desk makes it easy to get up close and personal with your work, and it folds down flat to keep it useful for other arts, eating, and many other things.

Cost and Value

You’re going to have to pledge up a bit of dough in order to give your child a spectacular desk for all of the things they might want to do with it. This particular option is an astounding all-around brilliantly usable desk that won’t be outgrown quickly. It is made out of extraordinarily well thought out products and high-quality materials.

Amazon Link
$119.99

2. Sauder Pogo

Where to buy
Amazon Link
$118.29
Sauder Pogo
Amazon Link

Heading in the completely opposite direction, the Sauder Pogo Desk for Children attempts to simulate the normalcy that your child will be striving for, every day of their life, from this moment onwards. There’s something about the tiny version of a normal looking adult thing that is both adorable, and desirable. There’s a whole wing of children’s toys that attempt to replicate grown-up versions. Like drivable cars, kitchens, and this desk. Visibly, it’s something out of an IKEA catalog, but it has some very useful tricks up its sleeve.

Chest of Toys

Aside from its stunning ability to appear like an adult piece of furniture, the Sauder Pogo Desk for Children has one of the biggest toy chests or cupboard for all of the loose goodies you could possibly have around. It’s the twenty-first century after all. There’s no need here, and now, to keep a large truck in your child’s space for the sole purpose of keeping all of their playthings in order. This giant storage bin along the side of the desk is a key for the decluttering.

Trust & Growing Up

There are far too many things in the world that you can overthink as a parent, and a million books that can give you advice on which direction to take, and how to take said direction. Here, we’ll help you with a very small, and easy to do step. Treating a child like an adult conjures a growth of responsibility and self-respect that almost nothing else in their life might. Getting something that resembles an adult piece of furniture is a great way to subsequently communicate to your child that you respect them as such.

Cost and Value

It’s a prime piece of furniture. And one that will last quite a while. Unless your child grows up to be on the large side of human beings, you may never have to replace this desk (though it will become far less comfortable to work on as they grow larger.

Amazon Link
$118.29

3. VTech Touch and Learn

Where to buy
Amazon Link
$69.07
VTech Touch and Learn
Amazon Link

When you stop and think about what a “kids” desk looks like, you probably pictured this product. Don’t get us wrong, there is a ton of value in a product like this -- hence why it is currently on our list, and I’m currently writing this entry. But we felt that picking a majority of desks suitable for kids throughout their young lives meant more. The VTech Touch and Learn is a wonderful product that can do wonders in the development of a tiny mind.

Many Colours

With a removable and replaceable table-top board that range from alphabets, shapes, foods, and colors, the Touch and Learn system is a fantastic way to introduce communication, comprehension, and understanding to a child. The bright, and fun characters and colors on the boards draw the eye in, and there’s even a speaker and activity teacher built right in that will prompt your young one to play and learn along with it. It’s an invaluable tool, and also a desk! Game cartridges feature over 100+ vocabulary words, 20+ activities, and 20+ songs.

Storage and Sturdy

There’s a large chance that a desk is going to take a bit of a beating from a toddler (this product is technically rated for children two years and up), so the sturdiness of the VTech Touch and Learn Activity Desk Deluxe should ease your mind quite a bit. In addition to that, there is tons of onboard storage for utensils, beverages, and shape blocks.

Cost and Value

At around fifty dollars, you can’t argue that a fun, interactive, and educational desk isn’t a good value for your child. Especially considering the versatility (it can be converted to an art easel or chalkboard). There’s a dizzying amount of value in this desk, and if we weren’t so keen on offering children something that will mean more for longer, the VTech Touch and Learn Desk would be much higher on our list.

Amazon Link
$69.07

4. South Shore Axess

Where to buy
Amazon Link
$96.43
South Shore Axess
Amazon Link

Back on the track of adult desks for young humans, the South Shore Axess Desk with included Keyboard Tray can lift your child from their extreme youth, all the way through their teenage-hood. It may not be much to look at for the little ones seeking colors, and fun, but we’re looking at a very sturdy, and pretty pieces of furniture on the market

Wire Management

It may not be something extremely prevalent in a young person world, the act of working on things with electronics as tools, but there will come a point down the line where it happens. The South Shore Axess Desk has a wonderfully built-in set of cut-outs on the backside of the desktop and selves that help ease the clutter of cables if and when your child needs that kind of set-up.

Grown

It was essential that we put a handful of real desks on this list, things that would be great to get your child, something that they will use for years to come. There’s no need to buy a piece of furniture that will be outgrown quickly, and there are very few actual uses for those minuscule plastic children’s desks. This is a big kid desk because your kid will get there. It’s much more resourceful to get them a desk that can withstand, and a higher chair, than a tiny desk the stretches, not an inch.

Cost and Value

It’s not expensive, and it will fit your child’s need for years to come. Made with high-quality materials, with an ease of assembly not often seen outside of Swedish furniture stores, the South Shore Axess is an astounding value, a small fit, and a wonderful workspace for all of those important years in a young person's life.

Amazon Link
$96.43

5. Target Marketing Systems

Where to buy
Amazon Link
Target Marketing Systems
Amazon Link

It’s often a problem you don’t think you have to solve until you do, and at that moment you wish that you could go back and tell your formal self to be more considerate of the space at hand before purchasing a piece of furniture. Well, Target Marketing has its market targeted. Offering the perfect amount of desk for the corner of rooms, minimizing the space that must succumb to your workstation needs.

Tucked Away

Plenty of well-planned opportunities for activities are foiled by the surroundings of said plan. An environment plays heavily into the ability those have to take their freedom of fun to the next level. Tucked into the corner, the Target Marketing Systems Wood Corner Desk is an essential amount of desk, with the ability to be as out of your way as it possibly can. It’s wonderfully simple footprint grants the user a ton of space to do work without living in the middle of your room.

Timeless

No, time does not stand still at this desk. The constructs of time and how it rolls blissfully forward regardless of how great or horrid this moment may be, are unchanged. The Wood Corner Desk from Target Marketing Systems does, however, resemble an ancient design with a classic feel and retro styling. It’s antique looking, almost. Fancy, even, depending on your tastes.

Cost and Value

Everything on this list so far has been in the one hundred dollar price range, and the Target Marketing Corner Desk is no different. We’ve offered a ton of different flavors on the same budget thus far, all with amazing construction, extended use cases, and appeal for many different age groups. The value of the space you’ll save, the beauty of this piece of furniture is apparent right away.

Amazon Link

6. Calico Designs 55120

Where to buy
Amazon Link
Calico Designs 55120
Amazon Link

The Calico desk is the epitome of sleek style and minimalism for the sake of ultimate customization. But it’s also extremely functional, and rather neat looking.

Colorful Life

It’s an uncommon occurrence for a very useful piece of furniture to also come in interesting, off-beat colors that can help bring some life to your pastel room. For younger folks, that might be essential in your choice of a desk. The soft blue, coral pink, and lavender purple truly stand out, while there are black and beige options for those that would rather put the color on their workspace themselves.

Endlessly Original

There’s no harder task in designing furniture than coming to a finality that is both extremely useful and full of so much potential. We (the human race) often work better or harder when their environment reflects the comfort of our own personality. With plain surfaces and pin-hole grates all over the place, the Calico Designs 55120 Corner Desk is begging to have photos and stickers pinned all over it. There’s a million avenue to take, and all of them wind up somewhere really awesome.

Cost and Value

The Calico System is going to fetch a high price. But if you consider the ability to turn this desk into a reflection of self -- something young people strive for -- it makes up for the cost in its versatility. The make and build of the piece is also a very strong case to consider when spending a little bit extra to bring a desk into the life of your child that will serve them well for years to come.

Amazon Link

7. Guidecraft

Where to buy
Amazon Link
Guidecraft
Amazon Link

Calling all greeting card parents, and their crafty children! We’ve found the mecca of wondrously awesome desks for your children who are little craftspeople. We’ve all met them. Those toddlers or kids that are just inclined to make things. Macaroni wreaths, pictures for the fridge, or their own Valentine’s cards (yeah kid! Stick it to the corporate valentine day card zombies). The Guidecraft Media Desk is designed to do exactly what its name suggests, guide you easily through your crafting needs.

Corkboard

Photos of friends, family pictures, or just cut-out magazine clippings of youthful crushes, the corkboard has for a long time been a beautiful way to add a bit of flare and personalization to a given piece. The back of this desk surface is completely corkboard and awaits a unique touch of its owner's personality in order to transform this desk space into a wonderful place for self-expression through the art of craft! … or your homework. You have to do that too.

Shelves For Materials

Like its more expensive counterparts or the more adult-focused versions, the Guidecraft Media Desk and Chair Set are designed with the sole purpose of having all of your craft needs at hand. Whether it’s the surface area needed to have a bunch of pen holders, or (as is the case here) a handful of horizontal paper-sized shelves to separate your crafting materials from one another. Either that or your child can use them to keep inbound and outbound invoices organized. But we’re going to assume they don’t have any of those.

Cost and Value

There’s a hefty price tag on the elegance and resources this desk and craft area can supply your child. At double the price of most of the desks on this list so far, it may be of great value to you if you’ve got yourself a crafty critter in your litter. But may not be your best option if your child is less artistically inclined. The build and use of this desk justify the price as it stands out above most others in both of those categories.

Amazon Link

8. Mount-It! Workstation

Where to buy
Amazon Link
$138.99
Mount-It! Workstation
Amazon Link

Billed as a “school workstation” it’s awfully similar to the number one item on our list, but differs in enough of the categories to find its way all the way near-ish the bottom of our list here. The Mount-It! (why are you yelling?!) Children’s Desk and Chair Set is, in form, the essential desk for children to grow up on. It’s formed and designed like a school desk but is made to scale with your child for a limited time.

Comfort and Learning

Humans are tricky creatures, and instilling your child with a sense of discovery, learning, and yearning to be better from a young age is a great thing to do. Attaching those systems, ideologies, and habits with respect to the sight of a working school desk could play a huge role in ensuring that they are comfortable when soaking up knowledge sitting at such a desk. Some might think bringing “school life” into your home defeats a purpose that doesn’t actually exist. Comfort breeds ease, and there’s ownership here.

Grows Up

The scariest thing when talking about, or seeking to purchase something for your small child is the burning of money. We’re talking about everything under the sun. Everything of a fixed size. Clothes, sports equipment, and yes, even desks. Kids grow up and grow out, and their size is never the same from one hour to the next. We don’t stop growing for quite some time. The VIVO Children’s Desk is a complete work of art in its simple ability to grow with your child -- only up to a certain extent obviously. The dek and the chair both have the adjustability to raise or lower with the height and size of your child.

Cost and Value

At nearly twice the price as the product of a very similar build, you’d be better off noticing that the build quality is slightly higher than previous items of similar use on this list. There’s room for improvement in the cost department for sure, but the storage and use of this product are off the charts.

Amazon Link
$138.99

9. KidKraft Large Avalon

Where to buy
Amazon Link
KidKraft Large Avalon
Amazon Link

Have you ever wanted to buy an art desk for your child that they might be able to convert into a vanity later in life when they choose to start wearing makeup? No? Yeah. Thought that was a bit of a stretch. But the KidKraft Large Avalon Desk definitely has some of the appeal of a classically designed vanity (sans mirror obviously). This craft-centric workstation is a perfect addition to the room of any artistic young mind.

Moviestar Legacy

Looks aren’t always everything -- I’ll repeat it, for the children reading this … LOOKS AREN’T ALWAYS EVERYTHING -- and that is especially prominent in the case of purchasing furniture. Generally, furniture pieces have uses and those pieces need to perform their intended use to the specs that you need them too. Desks need storage, space to work, and quality materials, all without taking up too much space or costing an arm and a leg. So when you look at the KidKraft Avalon Desk and you are spun through time to a world of old fancy Hollywood with clutched pearls and dazzling lights, know that the aesthetic of this desk is unbeatable.

Quick! To The Craft Mobile!

Holy craft batman! (not to force another mention of pop culture or film and television into a single product review) but this desk has an abundance of space both on its desktop shelves and in the front drawer, to hold any and everything you might need to get crafty.

Cost and Value

A premium desk, at a premium price, will no doubt sway some potential purchasers away from the KidKraft Large Avalon Desk. But if you’re looking for a brilliantly beautiful piece of furniture that will do all of your child’s art projects justice in actual use, then look no further than this piece of Hollywood glam.

Amazon Link

10. Lipper International 564P

Where to buy
Amazon Link
$156.99
Lipper International 564P
Amazon Link

Should you, be the parent of a burgeoning tiny Hemingway or Kerouac, or perhaps you were plucked from your fictional prose future and thrust into the heap of drafts that is parenthood, the Lipper International 564P Desk and Chair set is a flawless excuse to return to a time where poetry was alive. If you’re looking to raise a writer, and get a head start on that internet conflict and external complex, then look no further.

Aesthetic

There’s something about the classic furniture of old. The wooden, handmade desks where authors and poets of all shapes and sizes cursed by the gift of wordplay would strive to break new ground. The look and feel of the Lipper International leap from the writing room in Hemingway’s Cuban villa and would make the best of the beats blush with anticipation. It’s sleek and classic.

Storage

Under the main top of the classically handsome wooden desk is a large open bin that would be very tricky to fill up to the brim with eccentric clippings, and paperbacks of inspiration. Toys? Sure! They’ll fit under the canopy of this flop top. But does the next Maya Angelou need toys? Probably not. It will fit all of your scraps, your red string (for conspiracy work), and roughly a million pencils.

Cost and Value

How dare you try and put a price on the future of a dying vocation! I jest. There is a time and a place where those of the world fall in love with a generation that they may not even live in, nor have they ever experienced. Generally, this is a desire that is prayed upon by designers and manufacturers. The price for retro or vintage is steep, but not here. Under a hundred dollars for this beautiful classic, that comes equipped to hold all of your desk needs, the value is high with the Lipper International.

Amazon Link
$156.99

Sources

  1. Anuli Akanegbu, Ed Tech Magazine, Educational Site
  2. Linda Stanberger, Our Pastimes, Lifestyle Site