Best Mattress for Kids - Firm or Soft, What Type is Best?

Even though you want your kids to be up on time for school, you don’t want them getting up early because they have a bad mattress. To get your kids to sleep well and be well-rested for a day of school, friends, and homework, check out some of these best mattresses for kids in our mattress reviews. There won’t be anymore falling asleep during school when you have one of these twin mattresses set up in their room.

According to our tests, the best mattress for kids is the  Ghostbed Classic. This timeless mattress is built to last and keep your kid well supported throughout the night, which means they stay asleep longer and wake up feeling more refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Why Good Sleep is Important for Children

Children should sleep on the right mattress to enhance sleep quality. This should be backed by keeping the mattress clean throughout, which might be difficult with kids. Click here to read about cleaning pee stains.

Growth

Getting the recommended amount of sleep is important for everyone. But it is especially important for children who are still going through their formative years. Getting less sleep can do more harm than good, but there are instances where some children will have problems going to sleep or staying asleep which might require some form of treatment.

Sleep is one of the most integral parts of growth. Children who get an adequate amount of sleep show development in the areas of behavior, memory, learning, attention, and overall physical, emotional, and mental health. Children who do not get the recommended hours of sleep can be at risk for depression, obesity, or high blood pressure.

Sleeping Recommendations

There are different sleep recommendations for children depending on their age ranges. Children will typically spend more time asleep than they spend awake, and during those times it will be important to remain safe and sound to grow properly.

For infants, the recommended amount is 12-16 hours. Children 1-2 years old will need 11-14 hours, children 3-5 years old will need 10-13 hours, and children 6-12 will need 9-12 hours. Teenagers 13-18 years old will need 8-10 hours.

Important Factors for Choosing the Best Mattress for Kids

Remember, each child has unique needs, so there isn't one best mattress for kids to suit all children. Factors such as the kid's preferred sleep position, size, and available space may play a pivotal role in which bed is best for them. 

When selecting the best mattress for kids, considering specific factors that affect the value of sleep and the sleep experience in general may help you settle for the perfect mattress for your child. 

Size

The size of your kid's mattress will depend on different factors, such as your child’s size, age, and the ability to let your child grow into it as they grow older.

Depending on these factors, you will need to get your child a crib mattress, a toddler mattress, or a kid mattress. When they grow taller, you will be able to upgrade your child’s mattress to a full-size mattress or a twin xl size mattress. Toddler beds or crib mattresses will quickly be outgrown. Tip for the creative parents out there, crib mattresses can also be converted to pet beds after you kid outgrows it!

Durability

Kids love to play rough more often than not, and one way they love to play is by jumping up and down on their beds. You will need to find a mattress for kids that will remain strong through moments of the play, through all of the sleepovers they will have, and all the times they will be sick in bed.

Most mattresses can last for ten years, although a few factors can cause some compromises to the overall durability.

Ability to Let Children Grow into the Mattress

Children can grow faster than you may think so they will need a mattress that will allow them to have enough space to sleep even when they are taller.

While smaller mattresses are sometimes more affordable, there is a big chance that your children will eventually grow out of it. To save the most money, get your child a high quality, durable mattress for kids that they can grow into.

Comfort and Support

Children will need proper spinal alignment and comfort levels to keep themselves and their bodies happy, just like adults do. It is best to avoid a kid's mattress that's rough and saggy to prevent your child’s body from getting shifted out of alignment.

To determine which mattress will work best, it will be best to take advantage of the trial period that most mattress stores offer so you can test the mattress' firmness and comfort level of the bed before making a final decision. You should be looking for at least a 100 night sleep trial for most memory foam mattresses, crib mattress, and pillow top mattresses, especially if this is their first big kids bed. Pressure relief is also very important, especially in a big kid bed where your child has more freedom and space to move around. If your kid sleeps on the side, pressure relief will be key.

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Sleeping Position

Your child's preferred sleeping position plays a vital role in how comfortable the bed feels. Side sleepers usually prefer a slightly softer mattress that allows the wider parts of the body, such as the shoulders and hips, to sink in more. Stomach and back sleepers tend to opt for a firmer mattress to help support their midsection and prevent excessive sinkage. If your kid moves around a lot at night, look for a mattress that balances contouring and support to accommodate all your kid's potential sleep positions. 

Mattress Firmness Level

Mattress firmness plays a significant role in how much support and contouring it offers. Generally, softer mattresses allow the sleeper to sink into the surface and enjoy more contouring. On the other hand, firmer mattresses tend to offer more support. While mattress firmness preferences are largely subjective, your kid's body weight and preferred sleeping position can impact the ideal firmness level.

Temperature Regulation

Some beds trap body heat, while other models allow it to dissipate. For kids prone to sweating or overheating at night, a bed with excellent temperature regulation will keep them more comfortable. Hybrid, innerspring, and latex mattresses are usually more breathable than all-foam mattresses. However, it's also worth noting that some all-foam models have features that help them sleep cooler. 

Contouring

This refers to how a bed forms to your kid's body. Mattresses with more contouring are known for redistributing the sleeper's weight and relieving pressure buildup from the shoulders and hips. Kids suffering from pain at night may benefit the most from this pressure relief. 

Edge Support

This refers to how secure the edge of your kid's bed feels when they sleep or sit near it. If the edge doesn't feel secure enough, your child won't be able to use the entire bed surface as they might feel like they could easily roll off.

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Materials

The materials that the mattress is made of and the quality of those materials will factor into the overall comfort, support, durability, and overall quality of the mattress. A mattress is built with either latex, wool, foam, other various types of fabric, springs, or coils.

For foam mattresses and latex mattresses, you will focus on the density and the origin of the foam mattress material in order to determine the quality of the mattress. For inner spine mattresses, however, you will want to focus on the quality of the coils.

Safety Standards

Any mattress that you get for your child should be non-toxic and fulfills safety guidelines. Your child will likely spend most of their time in their beds. So it is important that they are surrounded by eco-friendly materials that will not be heavily affected by environmental factors.

Affordability

An affordable mattress is still a good mattress to have if it has all of the amazing qualities you are looking for. Setting your budget before you go searching for a mattress will help you narrow down your selection.

Off Gassing

Off gassing is the period where the mattress has a chemical smell. This is especially relevant in mattress-in-a-box style beds. Letting a mattress air out during the off gassing period is best for kids. You can also add a mattress cover to your kid mattress or toddler bed. 

Crib Mattress vs Big Kid Mattress

If you have a toddler, you'll want to look specifically for a crib mattress, as opposed to a big kids bed. A kid's best chance at a good night sleep starts with the right type of mattress. Toddler mattresses are normally twin size or a crib mattress, depending on how old your kid is.

Crib mattresses are more specialized, once your child outgrows that, you'll have more options when it comes to kid mattress options. Since most kids are fine on a twin mattress, you'll open up a ton of possibilities with big brand mattresses offering different comfort layer options for a mattress for your child. You'll want to look for a bed with a lifetime warranty and a good sleep trial, since a twin bed can last for most of your child's time living with you.

Once you're looking at a twin mattress, as your kid what type of feel they prefer. Is it a firm mattress or a soft one? Perhaps it's something in between. A firm mattress for a child who prefers a softer feel won't last long and can prevent them from getting good sleep. Even if you have a 10+ year warranty, that generally won't cover comfort preferences. You can only use your year warranty for defects with the mattress.

Other Accessories

Mattress Toppers

Mattress toppers can be placed over your child’s mattress in order to increase or decrease the softness and comfort level if the mattress is too firm or soft for them. This comfort layer can do a lot if your child doesn't like their mattress. Foam mattresses can really benefit from an extra comfort layer. They will be useful in helping your child rest in a comfortable sleep position that is catered to them.

However, they will not solve the problem of a sagging mattress when it comes closer to the time you will have to replace the mattress. If your kid's mattress is sagging, you'll have to buy a new mattress for your child. Adding foam layers on top won't help that. If you have a 10 year warranty or more, getting a new mattress is best overall if the company will replace it for free.

Pillows

While you may have the best mattress for kids, you'll still need a pillow to help align your child’s neck, head, and spine correctly and provide an extra level of comfort to them. A kid's best night sleep also has to do with the pillow you choose. While a good mattress is best, and choosing the right mattress type helps too, having a good pillow is also important. The type of pillow you get for your child may be determined by their preferred sleeping position.

Different types of pillows serve different purposes for each type of sleeping position. Placing pillows on or between different parts of the body can also help with proper alignment.

Mattress Protectors

Mattress protectors will come in handy to prevent your child from making big messes on their mattress. Kids tend to make a lot of messes for many reasons, so their mattresses must be protected from stains to maintain a decent level of durability.

Protectors can also help to keep the warranty of the mattress in place. This is because a warranty becomes void when the mattress is exposed to liquid damage. So, as you shop for the best mattress for your kid, it's also a good idea to grab a mattress protector to help safeguard your investment against accidents and spills. 

Conclusion

The mattress that your child uses can make a big difference in the quality of sleep every night. Also, a kids bed is better if its certipur is certified. The best memory foam mattress, or mattress of other materials is up to you. Get an affordable, all-natural, high-quality mattress that fulfills all of your requirements. Make sure it has just the right comfort level for your child. Other additional features will also help to add to the quality of the best mattresses for kids. Pick one from our mattress reviews and help your child sleep and grow properly.