Shopping for the best mattress and bed for kids might seem like a simple and painless process. But actually selecting the most appropriate mattress for your child is no easy task. Sleep habits vary between kids of all ages and taking time to choose the right mattress might be more important than you imagined.
There are so many intricacies that are involved with selecting the best mattress for your kids, so how do you know which is best? In this guide, we’re going to highlight the key factors that will help you find the most healthy, comfortable, and best overall mattress for your kids.
Growing Bodies And Mattress Size
As a child gets older, their body will grow. This should not mean purchasing a new mattress every year due to the outgrowing of their current mattress.
One of the most important factors when selecting the best mattress for your kids is mattress size. The smaller the mattress, the quicker it is outgrown. Single, Super Single, or Full size mattresses are typically the best choices for children. Additionally, the Single and Super Single are going to be the most affordable.
While the Full mattress is a bit more expensive, it does serve as an excellent size to allow for growth all the way to adulthood. Additionally, when your children are young, a Full mattress allows you to comfortably lie with them, yet also allows for them to grow into the mattress and retain the constant comfort of the same childhood mattress.
A high quality mattress can last 8-12 years. It may cost a little bit more initially, but the benefit to your child’s long-term health and sleep will be well worth it.
Best mattress sizes for Kids – Single, Super Single and Full
Comfort & Quality
Many kids experience soreness, poor sleeping habits, and a multitude of other uncomfortable sleep related issues. These issues tend to be directly correlated to a low quality mattress that provides minimal comfort for the child.
Hand-me-downs and cheap mattresses tend to be the underlying cause surrounding this correlation. Although a better fitting mattress can be a little pricier, it is worth the cost in the long run. If a young boy or girl is forced to sleep on an uncomfortable mattress, they can develop poor sleep habits at a young age. If a high quality mattress is purchased, the comfort levels tend to skyrocket for the kids, creating an easier night’s rest.
High quality sleep is extremely important for a child’s health. The benefit to your child goes well beyond just sleep. Quality sleep impacts their school performance, mood level, and a litany of other correlated factors. Good sleep creates good kids.
Support
Although comfort and support are often interpreted as the same dynamic, they are two completely different topics.
A supportive mattress will help maintain good spinal alignment during the night, while comfort deals more with preference regarding feel and firmness. If a child is not supported properly throughout their night’s rest, it can inhibit normal growth and have other negative impacts on their health. As a child grows, it is extremely important that their mattress supports their growth.
Additionally, as the child gets older, you should engage them in the purchasing process. Once your child reaches a certain age, they can typically describe their sleeping patterns, whether it’s on their back, stomach, or side. Some mattresses are better or worse suited for different sleeping positions. For example, a very soft mattress is not ideal for stomach sleepers and a super firm mattress can create pressure points and poor support for side sleepers. As you children get older and begin to develop a more consistent sleeping style these positional preferences become more important when selecting the best mattress.
Best Mattress For Kids
Sleepopolis recommends the following mattresses for kids.
The following mattresses:
- Provide room for growth
- Provide ideal comfort and long-lasting quality
- Provide exceptional support for healthy growth
- Provide varying feel and firmness levels (especially important for older kids who have an established sleeping style / position)
Recommended Products
- Our Cheeky Bon Bon mattresses and beddings are ideal for young children.
- Our Inkagu single and super single mattresses for more suited for older kids
- Our Kids Beds Collection.
- Learn more about our bunk beds.
