Flexible seating ideas for classrooms can be either floor seating options or different types of chair seats. Examples of flexible seating for floor seats are floor pillows, balance balls, lap desks, scoop seats, donut yoga balls, and seat cushions, Examples of student chairs for flexible seating are bungee chairs, office chairs for students, wobble chairs, and bean bag sofas. Flexible seating is great for students who have learning disabilities, ADHD, ASD, and so much more.

I love to find awesome classroom organization ideas. As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a commission for purchases using my links. The ideas below are tried and true flexible seating ideas for classrooms.

Chair Based Flexible Seating Ideas for Classrooms

Round or Square floor pillows: These pillows provide a comfortable, safe space for your students to sit, think and learn. Use it in your classroom or your reading area. You can choose a cover to match your classroom decor. This is one of the most popular flexible seating ideas for classrooms. For more floor pillows and seating mats, see classroom rug alternatives in this blog post.

Balance Ball Chairs: This ball is easy to inflate and comes with two plugs. The material is tough and easy to clean. It is comfortable for students, and I love that it has little legs so that it doesn’t roll all over the place when not being used. It suits a low table. I would highly recommend it for the classroom to provide sensory input and flexible seating option in a safe and successful way. This one from LakiKid comes in black or blue.

Lap desks or Surf Desks: Lap desks can be used for when you want your students to sit on the floor, on designated sit spots, that mark their assigned place. Kids enjoy them and you can sanitize them every day. They can be easily packed away when not in use, one on top the other, in a stacker.

Scoop Seats: These scoop rocker chairs are comfortable and students like to rock in them. They are stackable for storage and can be stored in milk crates.

Donut yoga balls: These are great flexible seating options in a classroom. They are usually matched with tables that have been lowered. Students can bounce on them without falling off because the donut shape prevents it from rolling around. They come in different sizes too.

Use seat cushions on the floor: Seat cushions are great for a small group seating area in your classroom. The Big Joe bean bag chair is for the teacher.

Floor Seat Flexible Seating Ideas for Classrooms

Use wobble chairs: Wobble chairs can provide just the right amount of movement to help students stay focused and on task, without needing to be up and around the classroom all the time. When teachers are asked about flexible seating ideas for classrooms, this is how most of them do it. These wobble chairs wobble just the right amount. Some wobble chairs wobble way too much but these are just right.

Bungee chairs: A middle school teacher uses these bungee chairs for her students as a flexible seating option. She says that her students like them so much, that she had to make a ‘share the chair’ schedule for them.

Tables and chairs for small groups: These small tables can seat four kindergarten students.

Rolling office desk chairs for students: Lightweight but durable rolling chairs are suitable for older students. A fifth grade teacher has had eight of these chairs in her classroom for the last four years. She just has to tighten the back support knob as it gets loose but otherwise, they have held up well for her students.

Bean bag chairs: This fourth grade teacher has a very comfortable bean bag sofa to help create a comfort zone for her students. It is affordable and comfortable.

I hope this has helped you find flexible seating ideas for classrooms. More ideas will be added soon.