Best Mattress For Kids (2024)

Kids and Sleep

Everyone needs sleep, but kids need even more rest because they’re growing and developing. However, getting sleep isn’t the same as getting good sleep, especially for growing children. That’s why a comfortable mattress is crucial, as it helps achieve restful, deep sleep; adequate support; and just enough pressure relief.

Why is Sleep Important for Kids?

According to a 2019 study¹, poor sleep patterns in childhood can lead to obesity later on in life. Not getting enough sleep can also increase the risk of diabetes, poor attention span, mental health issues, injuries, and problems with behavior. A good night’s sleep can help your child focus better, learn faster, and perform better at school, sports, and home.

How Much Sleep Do Kids Need?

How much sleep your child needs depends on their exact age. However, it’s typically between 9 and 12 hours of sleep for kids and teens up to 18 years old. Kids aged 6-12 years need no less than 9 hours of sleep and no more than 12 hours. Those aged 13-18 need between eight to ten hours of sleep each night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention².

What to Consider When Shopping for a Bed for Kids

Age

Young Children and Toddlers

As your young kid(s) start getting older, their bodies will grow accordingly. This should be reflected when you purchase a mattress. Of course, it doesn’t mean you ought to buy a new one every year. You need to account for that growth, and if you make the right call, a good bed could last for 8 to 12 years.

Thanks to contemporary solutions and high-quality mattress materials, we have more freedom to choose what we like and what’s good for our specific needs. Memory foam mattresses, for instance, conform according to the pressure our bodies apply to them. On the other hand, latex and coils tend to have better cooling.

High-quality sleep is undoubtedly one of the most important factors to consider for your kid’s health. Investing in a premium mattress made out of quality materials should be weighed carefully. It should eliminate the need to change it every few years, and it’s much better for health and posture.

Teenagers

Kids grow really fast, and if you are going to invest in a mattress, you’ll want to be sure it’s one that is versatile enough to adapt to your child’s growing body. During the teenage years, especially, your kid could grow to be the same size as many adults. Think about expected growth in both height and weight and how that may affect the suitability of a mattress over time.

Depending on the space, you may consider a Twin XL instead of a standard Twin-size mattress for your teen, especially if you and the rest of your family tend to be taller than average. This is also a popular size for many dorm room bed frames, so the investment in a Twin XL mattress could potentially follow your kid to college and enable you to save on the expense of a new bed.

Learn More: Best Mattresses for Teenagers

Mattress Size

The size of the bed and the mattress, respectively, would usually pose a significant difference in the price. The larger the mattress is, the more it may cost you. There are traditionally four kids’ bed sizes to choose from.

View Our Complete Guide: The Ultimate Mattress Size Chart

Single Size

The single bed is one of the most frequently purchased bed sizes for kids. There are a lot of great benefits for this size mattress: It’s usually cheaper than all other dimensions, fits in a small room or sleep area, and can fit young children without any issues.

The major downside with this is some kids, especially when they become teenagers, will not fit in bed properly. However, this can be an exceptional buy for younger kids that have outgrown their cribs, and you can buy a new size as they grow out of it.

See Our Comparison Here: Twin vs. Single Bed Size

Twin-sized Bed

This is a common choice for many people due to limited availability concerning bedroom space. The dimensions are usually around 38 x 75 inches. This is typically the least expensive option, and it’s perfect for a kid up until the age of 12.

Check Out Our Full Guide: Best Twin Mattress

Twin-XL

The XL option adds five more inches in length, providing additional growing room for the children. It measures 38 x 80 inches. This isn’t a lot more expensive compared to a Twin-sized bed (and sometimes there is not a difference in price), but it could potentially be used for a while longer, depending on how fast your kid grows. Some people sleep in this type of bed for most of their college years without any issues.

Get More Info: Best Twin-XL Beds

Full-Size

Should you be able to afford the additional amount of money, this may be the best fit for your needs. It’s 54 x 75 inches, leaving enough room for growth, and it’s likely for your children to use it well into their 20s.

Read More: Best Full-Size Mattress

Firmness

Getting the comfort right on the first try can be vital. Even adults can get cranky when they don’t sleep well, so imagine what could happen to your kids.

One of the most important things to consider when it comes to comfort is the firmness of the mattress. Should it be firm, or should it be soft?

When looking for optimal firmness, you ought to consider the weight of your kid. This parameter is referred to as Indentation Load Deflection, or ILD. It’s complicated, so here are the general standards that you should consider:

• Soft beds – these are appropriate for ILD of less than 25 lbs.
  

  ---

• Firm beds – these are appropriate for ILD of more than 31 lbs.
  

  ---

• Medium-firm beds – consider these for ILD between 25 to 31 lbs.
  

  ---

Of all these, the golden middle ground tends to be the medium firmness as this can accommodate the vast majority of children throughout most of their junior years.

For More Info: Mattress Firmness Scale

Support

The support of the mattress relates to the capability to correctly align the spine. It’s important that your child can grow up sleeping with good support, as this can help support normal health and growth.

The thing that you ought to consider is the proper spinal alignment. Of course, apart from the bed and its structure, you also have to take into account the pillow being used. You can instruct your kid to avoid using more than one pillow if they experience neck or back pain. Additionally, sleeping on your side with your knees bent towards your chest can often reduce pressure.

Involve your child in the buying process and let him or her tell you what feels best.

Off-Gassing

Off-gassing is the process that follows immediately after unpacking the new mattress. It carries a characteristic and robust smell that differs in its essence, depending on the type of material you’ve decided to go for. It’s highly advisable that you allow airflow to do its thing for a few days to prevent any potential headaches, as this could potentially happen in the first few weeks.

While it’s not viewed as harmful, it’s easily something you could avoid. Just keep the windows open in the room and allow your kid to sleep in another room for the next few days – it should pass quite quickly. Off-gassing is commonly found in memory foam mattresses, so it’s ideal to research if this style is right for you and your child.

Also, you can go for GREENGUARD-certified³ products that focus on lower emissions and safer mattress materials. CertiPUR-US®4 is another certification that’s important to ensure foams meet strict health and safety standards.

Budget & Value

Many people place too much emphasis on the price tag of a mattress they are shopping for, sometimes thinking an affordable price represents a better deal. This is not always the case, and when you’re shopping for one for your child, it’s best to ensure the quality of materials does not compromise their health and is durable and flexible enough to grow with them.

A cheaper product may not save you money long-term. Beds that wear out quicker will need to be replaced sooner, especially as your child continues to grow. If you have to replace the product often, you will probably end up spending more money than if you had invested in a better value from the start.

When evaluating a brand’s price tag, also look for things that can increase long-term value. The durability of better quality building materials, fabrics, and better stitching will help it hold up over time, which will often save you money. You may also want to look at safety certifications, as developing lungs often need additional consideration around manufactured materials.

View Our Full Guide: Best Cheap Mattresses and Best Murphy Bed Mattresses

Mattress Toppers

A mattress topper is a great way to adjust the solution to the needs of your growing child. Keep in mind that every young child grows at an individual pace and it’s quite reasonable for them to outgrow the mattress you’ve purchased. With this said, if your child starts to gain weight faster than expected, this should to be reflected in the firmness of the mattress.

Instead of spending another small fortune on a brand-new bed, you could easily add a topper to your current one and adjust the firmness accordingly. This can save you time, effort and money. However, it isn’t an alternative to a mattress with great support, so if you have a product that is sagging quite a bit, you may need to buy a new one or add a more supportive bed frame.

The Best Type of Mattress for Kids

Memory Foam Kids Mattresses

Memory foam is a material intended to respond to both body heat and applied pressure. Therefore, the more you lay on it, the more it can conform to the contours of your body. We refer to this as “hug,” and it’s most commonly associated with this particular product type.

Additionally, the material tends to isolate motion perfectly and typically won’t disturb your kids’ sleep if two of them sleep on the same mattress. If you want to go for this particular type, it’s appropriate to choose GREENGUARD Gold or CertiPUR-US certificated products. This can help ensure safety/emissions standards.

Read Our In-depth Guide: Best Memory Foam Mattress

Innerspring Kids Mattresses

Quite a lot of parents prefer innerspring constructions as they are durable (if they have a proper gauge), and can typically take a beating. As we mentioned in the beginning, young children sometimes apply more wear and tear to their mattresses than anyone in comparison.

There are two different types of innerspring constructions: open coil and pocketed coil. The former is less expensive because they tend to be less durable as the coils are padded directly with the top layer of the mattress. Pocketed coils are wrapped individually, which is why they are also a bit more expensive in comparison. They should also endure an entire load of your kids and the pressure applied by their jumping and playing, which can make them a better option for some.

Read Our Full Guide: Best Innerspring Beds

Latex Kids Mattresses

The most impressive characteristic of latex mattresses is their enhanced durability. Furthermore, they shine with superior levels of support. They offer many features also brought by memory foam, and it’s necessary to take a further look at the individual specifications of the beds and compare them thoroughly before making a final decision.

Air Mattresses for Kids

This inflatable bed typically promises a lot of quality, convenience, and comfort. Air beds can offer a good night’s rest, but they are not intended for prolonged and permanent usage. While delivering the excellent opportunity to turn any space into a bedroom, they shouldn’t be used as the primary bed of your kid. However, they are easily portable, lightweight, and convenient, and you can bring them with you on family trips, sleepovers, and vacations.

Best Bed for Kids FAQs