Go For A Supportive Mattress
The support of the mattress relates to the capability to correctly align the spine. It is quite important that your kid can grow up sleeping with the perfect support as this can help ensure 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 to prevent malformations. Additionally, sleeping on your side with your knees bent towards your chest can often reduce pressure.
Involve your kid in the buying process and let him or her tell you what feels best.
When Will My Kid Outgrow Their Mattress
The good news is that you probably wont need anything bigger than a queen-size bed. Growth charts developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that from ages 4 to 18:
- A typical girl will grow anywhere from 3 to 1 tall to about 5 9 tall
- A typical boy will grow anywhere from 3 2 tall to 6 2 tall
Those height ranges fall safely within the length of a standard queen . On the other hand, if your childs dimensions are more like that of a budding pro basketball player, you can get extra length with a California king .
Things To Consider When Buying A Childrens Mattress
Support
You might think support is more important for adults and seniors, since theyre more likely to suffer from sleep-related back pain, but children need proper support toomaybe even more so. Their bodies are changing and growing at a rapid rate, and this can frequently cause growing pains.
Finding a mattress that offers pressure-point relief, spinal alignment, and recovery will help reduce the likelihood and severity of the aches and pains they experience during growth spurts.
Allergies and VOCs
- CertiPUR-US is a certification that means a material was created without ozone-depleters, flame retardants, mercury, lead, formaldehyde, and phthalates. In addition, it means that the material has passed an indoor air quality standard and has low VOC emissions.
- OEKO-TEX is a certification for fabrics and textiles found to be free of harmful chemicals and safe for human use. This organic certification means that textile and fabric products are made according to strict guidelines on the use of petroleum-based fertilizers, pesticides, and synthetic products.
Price
Lastly, you will want to be mindful of your budget. Luckily, mattress manufacturers know that the budget for a childs mattress is typically much smaller than that of adults, and many well-known companies have designed value options. These types of mattresses are perfect for kids, especially if you are considering buying two for a bunk bed.
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How To Help Your Child Sleep Better
The two best things parents can do to ensure that their children develop healthy sleeping habits are creating a bedroom environment optimized for rest and helping kids develop a sleep schedule.A recent sleep study of 300,000 children in North America, Europe, and Asia found that children whose parents set strict bedtime guidelines had better sleep hygiene than children without consistent routine.Setting up the bedroom with the best mattress for kids and having strict bedtimes will ensure your kids have energy-charged mornings each day. Making kids comfortable during bedtime will guarantee they will fall asleep faster. With so many distractions, some kids find it really difficult to switch their minds off before bed – even if you have upgraded them to the best mattress possible! To help your kids develop the best routine, you can also encourage the following pre-bedtime habits:
- Swap TV and games for some bedtime reading
- No sugars before bedtime
- Warm baths to create calmness
What Makes The Dreamfoam Essential Stand Out
- It comes in at a very affordable price.
- Its made with several cooling features, making it a great choice for hot sleepers.
- Its a great option for back sleepers, as it offers a good balance of comfort and support in this position.
Comfort is important, but parents shouldnt overlook support when mattress-shopping for children, especially if they sleep on their back or stomach. The Leesa an all-foam mattress featuring comfort and support layers, followed by a base layer on the bottom. While the memory foam layer is quite soft, the proprietary LSA200 foam on top is responsive and firm, allowing for proper support. Its a great choice for any sleepers looking for a firmer feel.
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Does The Type Of Bed Frame Matter
If buying for babies or toddlers, these bed frames will require smaller mattresses than usual. Given how quickly children of this age grow, it can often make more sense especially from a cost perspective to skip these varieties all together and go for a single-sized bed.
Most mattresses have a lifespan of around ten years, so by regularly flipping and rotating the mattress every six months, you’ll get the most restful nights for your money, setting the scene for a change when they hit double figures.
Make Sure It Is Durable
From jumping on the bed to spilling nighttime snacks, kids are harder on mattresses than adults.
Most mattresses will last about 10 years, including innerspring, foam and hybrid varieties, but the total lifespan of your mattress will depend on the materials used.
Look for high quality thick foam or wrapped steel coils, or consider opting for a latex mattresses, or mattress with latex layers, which are said to last a few years longer than the average mattress. Flipping and rotating the mattress will also help ensure it wears evenly. Investing in a high quality mattress and purchasing a mattress protector , will go far in extending the life of your childs mattress.
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How To Choose A Mattress For A Child
If youre a new parent or find yourself buying bigger shoes for your youngster almost every week, chances are you only want the best for your kid. Knowing how to choose the right mattress for a child is one thing you can do to help your childs sleeping habits and promote healthy growth.
Continue reading to learn the right size and firmness you should look for in a mattress for your child and when you should start shopping around for a new one.
Finding The Best Mattress Firmness For Your Kids
Getting the right mattress feel is important to help your child get the best nights sleep. Children are lighter and smaller than adults, so softer mattresses tend to give them a better nights sleep but every child is different.
Children have different support needs to grown-ups, for healthy development, your childs mattress should be firm enough to keep their bones aligned and to prevent them from sinking in.
A droopy mattress could cause spinal alignment issues for your child and cause problems for them as they grow up. Mattresses with the right level of support will also help to protect your child from accidentally rolling off the bed in the middle of the night.
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This Mattress Is Just $112
Amazon
At just $100, you cant beat the price of the Linenspa Innerspring twin mattress in a box. But this firm mattress also has plenty of other perksand a huge fanbasethat make it worth considering. It features steel coils for constant support, along with a quilted fabric cover and foam layer to help your child sleep comfortably. It is fairly petite at 6-inches in height, making it another option for bunk beds, trundles and toddlers. Just beware that those coils make for good bouncing conditions for more active kids.
Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Hybrid Mattress
The more supportive version of the popular Bowery mattress, the Brooklyn Bowery Hybrid comes with a layer of support coils that keep your spine aligned all night long. This bed comes in a medium-firm setting, and is best for back and stomach sleepers.
The Bowery mattress is made with three layers of proprietary foam, and one 6 layer of pocketed coils. The combination of comfort and support that these two materials makes for a bed that will allow your child to move easily, but settle in nicely once they find a comfortable position.
The Bowerys build also marries pressure-point relief and cooling gel, so your child stays cool, comforted, and properly supported while they sleep. Best of all, Brooklyn Bedding has its own factory where they build all their mattresses, meaning they can offer a high-quality, handcrafted product at a value price point.
The Bowery is CertiPUR-US® certified and comes with a 120-night trial and a 10-year warranty.
Read our full Brooklyn Bowery Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.
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Can A Mattress Help With Growing Pains
Growing pains, most common in kids ages 6 to 9, are severe muscle cramps and aches that occur during the night. For young sleepers with growing pains, lying on the wrong type of mattress may aggravate the condition. Moving frequently during the night can also make growing pains worse.
A supportive mattress relieves pressure on the lower back and pelvis, which can help make these common childhood aches and pains less frequent. Read our article on growing pains to learn more about relieving your child’s aches and pains.
Follow Your Usual Bedtime Routine
It may be a cliché, but keeping calm and carrying on is exactly what you need to do when it comes to helping your child let go of their cot.
The change from cot to bed is big enough, so any switching up of the bedtime routine will only make things worse. If you can keep everything as normal as possible, try reading their favourite bedtime book and treating it as if it were any other evening.
Alongside this, dont linger any longer than you normally would. The second they feel as though theres a reason for you to be there, the second theyll sense something is wrong. As hard as it may be for you, say goodnight, switch off the light and walk away relaxed .
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Is Sleep Important For Children
Youve probably heard many times that a good nights rest is imperative for your overall well being. That is doubly true for children, who are constantly developing, both mentally and physically. Studies conducted on the matter have shown that getting the right amount of quality sleep can improve behavior, attention, and memory, and can even prevent obesity and depression.
Best For Full Beds: Tuft & Needle Original Mattress
Featuring open-cell cooling technology, this full-size mattress by Tuft & Needle helps regulate airflow to keep kids comfortable all night long. And that’s just one of its layers: The mattress is also made up of foam, cooling gel beads, graphite, and knit fabric. These materials are basically the recipe for cozy, supportive, and sweat-free sleep. Amassing over 24,000 five star reviews from customers, this bed is clearly a winner. Shoppers say it’s an excellent “first big-kid bed” and “comfortable right out of the box.” This bed offers a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year limited warranty.
To Buy: from $548.25 , tuftandneedle.com
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Add A Mattress Topper
A bed topper is a great way to adjust the solution to the needs of your growing kid. Keep in mind that every young child grows at the individual pace and its quite reasonable for them to outgrow the mattress youve purchased. With this said, if your kid 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 will 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.
Best For Twin Beds: Sleep Number Sleepiq Kids K2 Bed
Thought Sleep Number only made adult beds? Think again. The SleepIQ Kids K2 Bed features the adjustable design the brand is known for, plus a “monster detector” and an under-bed light for middle-of-the-night bathroom trips. Using the Sleep Number setting, you or your child can adjust the firmness of the bed. There is a head-tilt function that elevates their head for when they’re watching a movie or feeling congested as well as a sleep tracker to manage their quality of rest. “Although you would think this a hefty investment for a child, when they sleep restfully and longer you will see the value,” one reviewer said. The smart mattress is recommended for children 4 years old and up.
To Buy: from $799, sleepnumber.com
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How Do I Create An Allergy
Does your child suffer from asthma, allergies or sensitive skin? Hypoallergenic mattresses, pillows, duvets and mattress protectors have been designed to create an environment where dust mites cannot live, providing a healthier sleep environment for your child.
Create the ultimate hypoallergenic package with the following items:
- Anti-allergy fillings to guard against dustmites
- Machine washable at 40°C
- From only £26.00
For more information on how you can create an allergy-free bedroom for your child, check out our buying advice for allergy suffers and hypoallergenic mattress guide.
What Size Mattress Should I Get For My Child
As your child grows from a toddler to a young adult to a teenager, expect changes in their mattress needs.
These are the ideal bed sizes for the following age groups: toddlers, young children, and teenagers.
- Toddler beds: Usually crib-size mattresses
- Young children’s beds: Twin or twin XL
- Teenager’s beds: Twin XL or full-size
It’s important to remember the bed size might also change depending on the size of both your bed frame and room.
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Choose The Best Materials
Material is incredibly important to consider and could change the type of mattress you buy for your children.
For example, some foam mattresses can release volatile organic compounds into the air through a process called “off-gassing.” VOCs and off-gassing can cause respiratory irritation and headaches. Some VOCs are even associated with an increased risk of cancer and other health conditions.
To avoid these materials, you should look for organic mattresses with a GOTS certification, a Greenguard label, or a CertiPUR-US label. These certifications ensure your mattress is made without harmful toxins and has low VOC emissions.
Additionally, some mattress materials are better for allergies than others. Latex, in particular, is naturally resistant to dust mites. Memory foam also helps inhibit the spread of dust mites. A hybrid mattress that combines an innerspring base and a comfort layer of memory foam or latex can be a good option for kids.
Make sure the mattress cover is also made from a hypoallergenic material, like organic cotton, too.
Can My Child Use A Second
Unfortunately, children often sleep on old, hand-me-down mattresses and beds. If your mattress or bed isn’t good enough for you – it’s not good enough for anyone else. Here’s why:
1. Reduced support
Over several years, an old mattress will lose its ability to offer the support and comfort it once did. This means your child will experience an uncomfortable night’s sleep.
2. Poor hygiene
Each year, we lose around half a pint of body moisture and shed a pound of skin during sleep. The buildup of dead skin cells, dust and moisture can lead to increased bacterial growth, mould and dust mites. This creates an unhealthy sleep environment for your child.
If you have an old mattress that you no longer want, we can take it away and recycle it for you!
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What Size Bed Should A Four Year
It depends! Most children are switched from a crib to a toddler bed between the ages of one and two. After that, the next change will be from toddler bed to Twin bed.A toddler bed tends to be around 45″ shorter than the average Twin bed, so when you decide to switch them over may depend on how fast your child is growing. You may find that your kid still comfortably fits in their toddler bed at the age of four, but wed say that by five years-old you should begin transitioning them to a Twin mattress.
What Other Mattress Materials Are Good For Allergies
Children who have allergies may benefit from synthetic mattresses as their fibres are less likely to attract bacteria and mites, although the same effects can be gained with natural latex, cotton, pure wool or silk these are naturally hypoallergenic, so if your bed doesn’t contain them, think about using these in the future.
That’s not to say open and pocket sprung mattresses are a no-no for children with allergies though antibacterial, hypoallergenic mattress protectors will also stop symptoms in their tracks.
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Top Choice: The Little Green Sheep Natural Junior Mattress: ~299
If youve never heard of the Little Green Sheep company before then heres a quick rundown. They only sell toxin-free, natural and handmade products. If youre concerned about things like eczema or rashes, then this may be the best mattress for your kids that you can buy. Its available from moses basket size up to single and is supportive enough for all aged kids.
Note that the junior single is the thinnest I have come across at just 13cm, but it is surprisingly snug and cosy, with medium firmness , and can be used on a UK sized bunk-bed. I was also impressed with the personalised and efficient customer service , and the delivery times are pretty good too. It is however quite pricey, so if your budget doesnt quite stretch this high, then take note that most of my other recommended mattresses are much cheaper.
