Discover how firm or soft the perfect kid’s mattress should be. Besides firmness, find out which mattress is best for your child, from baby to toddler and beyond.
As a father of two, I know the struggle of figuring out how to choose the perfect mattress for your kids. It’s not just about comfort – it’s also about making budget-friendly choices and investing in products that last. There’s a lot to consider, from mattress firmness to size. Finding the best option for your little ones can be quite a challenge.
I decided to give you a hand and show you all the possibilities that you have. We’ll dive into questions like “How firm should a kid’s mattress be?”, “is a firm or soft mattress better for growing bodies?” and “What’s the best firmness for a child’s bed?”.
From understanding the difference between medium and firm mattresses to determining what firmness is best for your child’s needs, I’ve got you covered.
How To Choose a Mattress for:
Need more help?
Let’s dive in!
Uncertain about which mattress to get? Take a look at this list of the best kid’s mattresses. I have put lots of hours into this guide, and you’ll find the ideal mattress for your child!
0-2 Years Old: How To Choose a Mattress for Your Baby
When it comes to babies, sleep is a top priority. I remember the sleepless nights with my little ones, and trust me, the right mattress can make a world of difference. It’s not just about comfort; it’s also about safety and durability.
Let me walk you through the important factors to consider when choosing a baby mattress.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Baby’s Mattress
- Firmness is key for a baby’s mattress: Look for a mattress specifically designed for infants, as they offer the appropriate level of firmness. Pediatricians and sleep experts agree that a firm mattress is best for babies. A study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that using a firm sleeping surface can reduce the risk of SIDS by more than 50%.
- Indentation Load Deflection: Mattresses designed for infants typically have an ILD rating of 30 or above, ensuring the surface is firm enough to provide a safe sleeping environment.
- Avoid second-hand mattresses: If you are not 100% sure where the mattress is coming from and how long it has been used, I would avoid second hand-mattress. They can pose safety risks because of their lack of support. The manufacturer could have recalled them because of safety standards. For more information on this subject, check out this article to know if using a second-hand mattress is okay.
- Water protection: Look for a mattress with a waterproof cover to protect against spills and accidents. Also, ensure the mattress meets safety standards, like CertiPUR-US certification.
- Materials: Regarding materials, eco-friendly options like organic cotton or natural latex are great. They’re gentle on your baby’s skin and better for the environment, which is a win-win in my book!
- Size: A standard crib mattress (52 5/6″ x 28 5/8″) should fit snugly within the crib frame. There should be no gaps between the mattress and the crib to ensure your baby’s safety.
What is the Best Mattress for Babies
For our second child, we chose this Milliard crib mattress, our best choice. Yes, it was more expensive than the first crib mattress we bought. In the long run, we use the same mattress in his junior bed. Totally worth it!
Choosing the right mattress for your baby is all about safety, comfort, and durability. Considering these factors and following expert advice, you’ll find the perfect fit for your little one’s peaceful slumber.
And now, let’s move on to the next stage of parenthood: the ever-energetic toddlers!
2-4 Years Old: How To Pick the Ideal Mattress for Your Toddler
When your little one starts climbing out of their crib or reaches about 35 inches tall, it’s time to consider a toddler bed. This milestone means they’re ready for more independence and a bed that suits their growing needs.
As a father of two, I’ve been through the toddler bed transition, and I’m here to help you find the perfect mattress for your growing child.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Toddler’s Mattress
- Firmness: A slightly softer mattress than used in a crib is ideal for toddlers. Look for a mattress with an Indentation Load Deflection (ILD) rating of 25-30. This provides the right balance of support and comfort for your growing child.
- Size: A toddler bed usually uses the same standard crib mattress (52 5/6″ x 28 5/8″), but you can also opt for a small single (30″ x 75″) or a twin (38″ x 75″) if you want a bed that grows with your child. Ensure the mattress fits snugly within the bed frame, leaving no gaps to avoid entrapment hazards.
- Waterproof: Choose a mattress with a waterproof cover to protect against spills and accidents.
- Eco-friendly Materials: I recommend considering materials like organic cotton, natural latex, or CertiPUR-US-certified foam for your toddler’s mattress. These options are gentle on the environment and your child’s skin.
What is the Best Mattress for Toddlers
If you don’t want to spend money, you can use the mattress that was in your child’s crib. However, before you make this change, it’s important to see if the mattress is still in the best condition. It would be best if you inspected it. And if you find any bumps, lumps, sagging, rips, or bugs, throw it out.
If this happens, you’ll need to buy a new mattress. One of the best choices you can make is to buy a full mattress. If you have enough space and budget, this is one of the best options that you can make.
When it was time to change our little girl to a grown-up bed, we bought a good mattress that would last her for a long time. After extensive research, we knew we had to go for this full-size memory foam mattress. It was more comfortable than my own bed!
For more information on mattresses for toddler beds, check out my article about the proper dimension for a toddler’s mattress.
Ready for the next adventure? Let’s talk about school-age kids!
5-12 Years Old: Which Mattress is Best for Your Growing Child
As a father of two, I know the struggle of keeping up with our ever-growing kids. A supportive and comfortable mattress is essential for their growth, development, and overall health.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Kid’s Mattress
- Firmness: A medium-firm mattress is generally recommended for children in this age range. It offers the right balance of support and comfort while accommodating growth spurts.
- Size: You should definitely consider upgrading to a twin (38″ x 75″) or even a full (54″ x 75″) mattress for your growing child. This offers more space and comfort for their ever-changing needs.
- Material: For 5 to 12-year-olds, a hybrid mattress that combines innerspring coils with memory foam or latex is a popular choice. This combination provides support, contouring, and durability for your growing child.
What is the Best Kid’s Mattress
Again, we are talking about the same restrictions: space and budget. While a full mattress continues to be the best option, the truth is that you can get either a twin, a short-twin, or a twin XL as well.
I truly believe that a kid’s day will depend on his night of sleep. For some unknown reason, our friend’s son had difficulties getting a good night of sleep. When it was time for them to buy him a new mattress, they paid a little extra to get the best mattress for their kid. They got this twin XL adaptive memory foam mattress. This change made a difference; now, the boy can get a good night of sleep. Plus, the mattress is so good that he will probably still have it when it’s time to go to college.
Now, let’s go one level deeper into what you must consider when buying a mattress for your child.
Things To Consider When Buying A Mattress For Kids
While having a good night’s sleep is important for all, the truth is that it is even more important to kids. According to a study, the lack of sleep or the sleep quality can affect your kid’s life in many aspects. It may start by having more difficulty focusing at school, behaving badly, or showing some signs of ADHD.
So, you want to make sure you can choose the best mattress for your kids so they can have a good night’s sleep every night.
Here are the different things that you need to consider:
- Firm Mattress: The mattress firmness you buy for your kids ultimately depends on their age. But, the truth is that most mattresses for kids come with a medium firmness which should be appropriate for kids of all ages. But, if you believe the mattress is still not firm enough, consider buying a mattress topper to help you adjust its firmness.
- Density of The Mattress: When looking for the best mattress for your kids, the denser it is, the better. You can test the density of a mattress by its firmness. The last thing you want is for the mattress to start sagging and breaking down. One of the best tests you can do to check the density of the mattress is to press your hands together at the sides of the mattress. If you can push it easily, it’s not dense enough and won’t last.
- Soft Mattress: As mentioned, the firmness of the mattress you buy for your kids depends on their age. When looking for the mattress, you will probably find the ILD, the Indentation Load Deflection. While this can be complicated to understand. It would help if you remembered that soft beds are appropriate for ILD of more than 25 pounds. Firm mattresses are appropriate for ILD of more than 31. Medium beds are suitable for ILD between 25 and 31 pounds.
- Sleeping Posture: You probably already heard that a good mattress needs to be firm to improve your posture. But times change, and soft padding is assumed to be better since it can help your spine retain its natural curvature. Nevertheless, suppose you’re looking for a mattress for your baby. In that case, you want it to be firm so he doesn’t accidentally smother. But young children can use a regular bed and can even use thin memory foam mattresses.
- Waterproof: When looking for a mattress for your kids, you must ensure it is waterproof. After all, you know how babies and kids are. While they are still babies, you can count on pee, poop, spill bottles, and even throw up. And when they get older, the problems won’t go away overnight. So, ensure that the mattress you buy is waterproof or, at least, a cover to protect it. Besides a waterproof mattress, consider adding waterproof mattress pads. For more information, check out this article about why I need a mattress pad.
- Washable: Mattresses tend to accumulate dust mites which can be a problem for all kids, especially the ones who suffer from allergies. It would be best to ensure that the mattress you buy is washable.
- Cleanliness: While all new mattresses need to be cleaned for dust mites before they are sold (it’s required by law), the reality is that dust mites will start developing sooner or later. But, by maintaining the mattress clean, you’ll be preventing their build-up. With this in mind, consider cleaning the bed sheets every week and airing out the cover for about 2 hours.
- Eco/Green Materials: One thing is for sure: we love our kids and want them to be safe, whether they’re awake or sleeping. So, consider buying an eco/green mattress. These mattresses don’t include harmful chemicals such as polyurethane, VOCs, phthalates, flame retardants, or any other fumes or heavy metals. The best way to guarantee that you’re buying an eco/green mattress for your kids is to look for the CertiPUR-US certification.
- Chemical: Many mattresses available in the market include some chemicals. But you know how they can affect the health of your kids, and you want to avoid them. So, as we said above, look for the CertiPUR-US certification on the mattress.
- Off-Gassing: When you get a mattress at home, you will notice a strange smell when you unpack it. This is called off-gassing. This smell and its intensity vary depending on the material used to make the mattress. Nevertheless, no matter which material you choose, you need to ensure that you have good airflow in the room before you unpack the mattress. This will prevent any potential headaches. While the off-gassing is not harmful, it can bother you. So, leave the mattress in that room for a couple of days until the smell dissipates.
- Innerspring: One of the main advantages of innerspring mattresses is that they last longer than foam. And the only reason is the fact that they include coils that are made of steel. The main purpose of using coils is to ensure the mattress can support the pressure over time. So, it would be best to look for a mattress with at least 150 coils. The lower the number of coils, the less time the mattress will last.
- The Endurance of The Materials: While you may pay all attention in the world to your kids and their mattresses, here are some kids that will love to destroy their beds either by jumping on top of them, or spilling liquids, among so many others.
- Mattress Topper: Kids grow fast, and when you notice, they already gain a lot of weight since you bought the mattress. While this signals that they are growing, this may mean that the mattress is no longer good for them. Since it won’t be able to be firm enough for their new weight. So, instead of buying a new mattress, you can buy a mattress topper that allows you to adjust the firmness of the mattress to your kid’s new weight. Our friends got this gel memory foam topper for their kid’s bed, and I absolutely believe they got the best mattress topper on the market. It’s a cool gel-infused memory foam made in the US with the CertiPUR-US certification.
- Kids Safety: When you want to buy a new mattress for your kids, remember that they won’t have any side supports as they used to have on their cribs. So, to keep them safe while sleeping, you need to check the bounce of the mattress. Avoid mattresses with a lot of bounce since your kids may accidentally be bounced off their beds and hurt themselves.
- Think Of The Future: Buying a mattress is not something you do every day or year. A good mattress can last for a very long time. So, you want to ensure you buy one durable enough to last from the toddler’s bed up to adolescence.
Which Mattress Size Should You Choose For Your Kid?
Another important aspect to consider when buying a mattress for your growing kids is its size. The truth is the best mattresses can last between 8 to 12 years. So, you must choose carefully.
| Mattress Size | Dimensions | Julie’s Favorite |
|---|---|---|
| Crib | 52 5/6″ x 28 5/8″ | Milliard Crib Mattress |
| Small Single | 30″ x 75″ | Coming soon |
| Twin | 38″ x 75″ | Coming soon |
| Short Twin | 34″ x 75″ | Sunrising Bedding 8-Inch Hybrid Natural Latex |
| Twin XL | 38″ x 80″ | Tuft & Needle Twin XL Mattress |
| Full | 54″ x 75″ | 8 Inch Ventilated Convolution Memory Foam Mattress |
| Full XL | 54″ x 80″ | Coming soon |
| Queen | 60″ x 80″ | Coming soon |
| King | 76″ x 80″ | Coming soon |
| California King | 72″ x 84″ | Coming soon |
The most common sizes parents usually pick for mattresses for their kids tend to be twin, twin XL, and full mattresses. However, the age of your kids also plays an important role in the equation.
The Different Mattress Sizes That You Can Choose
Most parents tend to choose the twin mattress for their younger kids since they believe they suit best their small bodies. Besides, they are also the most affordable option. However, it would be best to consider that you’ll probably need to buy a new mattress when your kid is about 10.
- Crib Mattress Size – 52 5/6″ x 28 5/8″: There are different types of crib mattresses that you can choose from. The most important factor is that it needs to be firm, not soft, to help prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Besides, it should provide good support. After all, babies spend a lot of time sleeping in their cribs.
- Twin Mattress Size – 38″ x 75″: Twin-size mattresses are one of the preferred choices by parents. After all, they are the most affordable mattresses. Nevertheless, when buying a mattress, you need to think about the overall picture. The truth is that your kids are growing every day. So, what can be a great size for a mattress today? It won’t fit in just a few years. Julie’s favorite:
- Short Twin (Narrow) Mattress Size – 34″ x 75″: This is the kind of mattress that is perfect for your kids if their room is small. However, as your kids become teenagers, they won’t simply fit in the bed properly.
- Twin XL Mattress Size: 38″ x 80″: So, you need to decide if you prefer to save some money now and then buy a new bigger mattress in the nearest future or if you prefer to spend the money on a full mattress now. If you have smaller kids who can still take advantage of this mattress, you should go for it. If you don’t have any smaller children and you’re not considering having more kids, then you should opt for a full mattress if space and budget allow you to.
- Full Mattress Size: 54″ x 75″: In my opinion, this is the right size for a mattress for your kids. The truth is that they are growing daily, and buying a high-quality mattress will last for many years. While the length of this mattress is the same as twin mattresses (75 inches), the width is larger – 54 inches.
For more information on the difference between kid’s bed sizes, check out this guide I created about the difference between a toddler bed and a twin bed.
There are two main factors in selecting a size: the space you have and your budget. The truth is that a full-size mattress should be considered the best choice. You would have room for cuddling, to read your kids their favorite stories, and they would have a good mattress for many years. Still, it all comes down to space and your budget.
What Are The Different Materials for Kid’s Mattresses
Finally, the final aspect to consider when buying the best mattress for your kids is to look at the materials. The truth is that mattresses can be made out of many different materials. Some are more expensive, others more durable, and others provide more comfort and support.
So, let’s check out each one in detail so that you know what you can expect from each mattress:
- Memory Foam Magic: Memory foam mattresses have become incredibly popular due to their ability to maintain a cool temperature and respond well to pressure. If you’re considering this option, look for the CertiPUR-US certification to ensure it’s free of harmful chemicals and minimal off-gassing.
- Friendly Foam Mattresses: Foam mattresses are an affordable alternative to memory foam, providing decent support and pressure relief. They’re not as durable or motion transfer-resistant, but they can still be a good solution. To learn more about foam mattresses for kids, check out this article.
- Innerspring Delight (Open Coil & Pocketed Coil): Innerspring mattresses are popular among parents because they’re durable and can handle kids’ rough play. You’ll find open coil options for those on a budget or pocketed innerspring coil mattresses for improved contouring and a higher price tag.
- Lovely Latex Mattresses: Latex mattresses boast impressive durability and support. Since they share many qualities with memory foam mattresses, comparing them before making a final decision is wise.
- Green & Allergy-Friendly Mattresses: Green materials are ideal for kids with allergies. Hypoallergenic mattresses like this one can be a great choice, as they naturally resist bacteria and dust mites.
- Awesome Air Mattresses: Air mattresses are convenient for travel or occasional use but not recommended for everyday sleeping. We keep this air mattress handy at home for sleepovers or unexpected guests.
For more information on a kid’s air mattress, you need to look at this article I’ve written about how a toddler can sleep on an air mattress.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many things to consider when looking for the best mattress for your kids. There is a lot to consider, from the different aspects to consider to the sizes and materials it should have.
I hope this guide has given you the knowledge you need to get the best mattress for your child.
Sweet dreams and happy parenting!
P.S. If you’re looking for best mattresses for your kid’s bed, but you’re short on time, you should check those top mattresses for kids I have found. After researching for the best mattress to buy for my kids, I became an expert on kid’s mattresses.
Is your child about to outgrow his bed? Or maybe it’s time for an upgrade? Perhaps with that new mattress, you should consider a new bed. Here’s some inspiration:
- House bed: ideal to make bedtime more fun
- Kid’s bunk beds: perfect for a shared bedroom
- Lofts bed: excellent for small bedroom
- Short bunk bed: also great for a small bedroom
- Bunk beds with drawers steps: best for extra storage
- Bunk beds with desk underneath: the best option for school kids