The Best Mattress Type for Children
Importance of a Good Mattress for Children
Sleep is important for all of us. As adults, the recommended hours of sleep range between seven to nine hours. Anything below this range can lead to an increase in health issues. But even without specific health issues, we know what it can be like to navigate a day when we’ve only had a few hours of sleep.
For children, the importance of sleep is even more pronounced. Proper sleep helps with physical and cognitive development and gives them the energy they need each day. The younger the child, the more sleep they’ll need.
- 1 to 2 years (babies/toddlers): 11 to 14 hours of sleep (naps included)
- 3 to 5 years (pre-schoolers): 10 to 13 hours of sleep (naps included)
- 6 to 12 years (grade-schoolers): 9 to 11 hours of sleep
- 13 to 18 years (teenagers): 8 to 10 hours
No matter the age range, a good sleep cycle is of critical importance for children, and that’s why you want to ensure you have the right mattress for their needs.
If your children are struggling with their sleep and part of that reason is due to issues with their mattress, then you’ll want to address this as soon as you can. Good sleep is core to a healthy child.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Mattress for Children
When selecting a mattress for your child (or children), there are a few points worth keeping in mind along the way.
Age and Growth
The mattress you opt for will need to account for how old your child is, how tall or broad they are, and how much they’re expected to grow in the coming years.
It might be easier to buy your 15-year-old son or daughter a king single bed with the knowledge that they won’t be outgrowing it, but purchasing a single bed for a 10-year-old comes with the knowledge that they still likely have a lot of growing to do.
It’s possible that, depending on growth spurts, they may need to upgrade to a single long bed or king single bed in a few years. Staying mindful of these factors allows you to account for the best option: can you afford a taller bed now to account for their future growth or will you be okay to handle that cost when the time comes?
Age can also play a role in the kind of bed frame you buy. If you have two children around the same age who are still relatively young, they could be sharing a room using a bunk bed or trundle beds. As such, they will need to opt for whatever mattress fits that setup. As children grow, the bed frames will need to change.
For very young children, such as toddlers, you may still use a bed frame that includes a railing around the edges to prevent them from accidentally falling out. Again, the mattress will need to fit within its frame.
Comfort
When choosing a mattress for your children who are of preschool age or older, consider what they find comfortable. Everyone is different, so while one of your children may be fond of firm beds, another may prefer a softer feel.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have to opt for a soft mattress and firm mattress, but this information is helpful. You could buy medium-firm mattresses, then add a soft pillowtop for your child who prefers a softer feel.
A comfortable sleeping experience means they’ll get much better rest, which is a win for them and you.
Waterproofing
Young children have accidents; it’s a simple reality of growing up. So, for children who may still be having occurrences of wetting the bed, it’s good to have waterproofing solutions on hand.
These come in the form of waterproof mattress protectors, waterproof underpads (a pad you place on or below bed sheets), and even waterproof mattresses — though the latter is less common and more expensive than a simple waterproof mattress protector.
These are very simple ways of protecting your mattresses and making any accidents simple to address whenever they occur.
Types of Mattresses Suitable for Children
For children, depending on their age, you’ll likely choose between three different mattresses: single, king single, and double.
Single mattresses are the smallest and best suited to toddlers and young children. They offer plenty of space for children in this age range and are the most affordable mattress to choose from.
King single mattresses offer more width and length than a single bed, with the length being of particular note: a king single has the same 203 cm length as a full king bed. Because of their length, king single beds are better for older children, especially teenagers.
Beyond the single mattress options are double mattresses, which can be good options for older kids and teenagers - especially if your children feel they need more width from their beds.
Double beds are slightly shorter than king singles when it comes to length (188 cm compared to 203 cm) but are much more spacious width-wise. It’s worth sitting down with your teenage kids to ask them what they’d prefer: a king single bed for more length or a double bed for more width.
Safety Considerations for Children's Mattresses
There are a few safety-related factors to keep in mind with purchasing a child’s mattress.
First, for very young children (particularly infants and new toddlers), it’s good to use a firm mattress. This is especially true for infants who can’t move around freely, as a firm mattress gives them a stable surface to lie on. It also reduces the risk of issues like suffocation, which can happen to an immobile infant if a mattress is too soft and malleable.
For younger children, you’ll also want to ensure the fit of the mattress works well with the bed frame you have. If there are gaps between the mattress and bed frame, these are possible areas where a child could get a limb trapped.
Other safety considerations include ensuring the mattress is hypoallergenic if your children suffer from allergies or asthma, edge support that lessens the likelihood of a child falling off the bed, and the aforementioned waterproofing for potential accidents.
To get started on your child mattress-buying journey, check out our range of mattresses by size to see what’s available.
If you happen to have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us or learn more about us today.
