In many ways, finding the right kids mattress is more complicated than shopping for an adult mattress. Of course, you want to find a bed that’s durable enough to withstand accidents, spills, and active kids. But you probably don’t want to spend a fortune on a mattress that your little one might outgrow in a few years.
The Slumber Yard is here to make the mattress buying experience easier. Below, you’ll find our picks for the best kids mattress, including easy-to-clean and organic options. You’ll also get tips and advice for choosing the right children mattresses for your little ones.
Top 5 Best Kids’ Beds
- Editor’s Choice :Tuft Needle OriginalStarting at $745 Shop Now
- Most Comfortable Kids’ Mattress :Purple KidStarting at $499 Shop Now
- Easy-to-Clean :Saatva YouthStarting at $750 Shop Now
- Best Natural & Organic Mattress for Kid :Latex For LessStarting at $1299 Shop Now
- Best for Big Kids :Dreamfoam Bedding Arctic Dreams 10Starting at $219 Shop Now
Compare The Best Beds For Kids
Editor’s Choice
Why Tuft & Needle wins as editor’s choice
The original Tuft & Needle mattress is the quintessential “good value.” It consists of two layers of foam, but it’s a durable and comfortable mattress for toddlers and children. Tuft & Needle uses neutral-foam, so you won’t get the “stuck-in-the-mud” feeling you often get with memory foam. It’s one of those beds nearly everyone acknowledges as being comfortable and we think it’s a great choice for kids.
Tuft & Needle’s best features
- Comfortable neutral-foam construction appeals to a broad range of sleepers.
- Works well for all types of sleeping positions.
- Affordable price point makes it great for growing kids ($350 for a twin).
Why we picked this bed
We think, all things considered (design, simplicity, price, and comfort), it’s one of the best mattresses for toddlers and kids because the neutral feel is so hard for anyone to say anything negative about — even picky kids. You also can’t argue with the price.
Most Comfortable Kids Mattress
Why Purple Kids wins as most comfortable kids mattress
As the name would indicate, the Purple Kids mattress is made just for little ones. It’s only available in a twin size, but it uses the same proprietary material (Hyper-Elastic Polymer) found in other Purple mattresses. As a result, the bed has a unique, gel-like feel that’s unlike any other mattress on the market.
Purple Kids’ best features
- Comfortable and supportive feel, thanks to Purple’s Hyper-Elastic Polymer
- Comes with a kid-friendly machine washable cover
- Hypoallergenic with CertiPUR-US and Clean Air GOLD certifications
Why we picked this bed
We’re huge fans of Purple, so we love that they came out with a mattress just for kids. Thanks to the proprietary foam, this bed is supportive, durable, and comfortable. Combine that with the machine washable cover, and it’s no surprise that we think Purple Kids is one of the best twin mattresses for kids.
Easy-to-Clean
Why Saatva Youth wins as easy-to-clean
If you have kids, you know that nighttime accidents are unavoidable. Luckily, the Saatva Youth mattress makes clean-up much more manageable thanks to its water-resistant finish and internal waterproof barrier. For that reason, we’d rank it as the best toddler mattress on our list. Plus, this flippable bed is designed to grow with your child, with one side meant for 3 to 7-year-olds and the opposite side created for 8 to 12-year-olds.
Saatva Youth’s best features
- Reversible mattress means you’re getting two beds in one
- Innerspring layer offers enough support and durability for growing kids
- Includes complimentary white glove delivery and setup
Why we picked this bed
Saatva is recognized for its luxurious (yet affordable) beds, and this kids mattress fits right in with its other products. We think parents will appreciate that it’s spill-proof and flippable, as well as the fact that it is available in three sizes (twin, twin XL, and full).
Best Natural & Organic Mattress for Kids
Why Latex for Less wins as best natural & organic mattress for kids
Organic mattresses are usually quite expensive, but the all-natural bed from Latex for Less offers exceptional comfort at an affordable price point. Its flagship model is available in two heights, but the 7” version is best for kids since it’s designed for people under 100 lbs. It has the latex foam feel that you’d expect, which is perfect if you like a mattress that feels buoyant and responsive.
Latex for Less’s best features
- Budget-friendly price for a latex mattress
- Flippable construction allows you to experience two different firmness profiles
- Works well for all sleeping positions
Why we picked this bed
If you’re looking for a natural and organic latex foam bed for your child, it makes sense to go with the Latex for Less 7” mattress. Since it’s made for people who weigh less than 100 lbs., it’s a great way to score a typically pricey type of mattress at a lower cost.
Best for Big Kids
Why DreamFoam Arctic Dreams Hybrid wins as best for big kids
If you have a big kid at home and don’t want to break the bank on a new bed, the DreamFoam Arctic Dreams Hybrid is an excellent choice. Owned by Brooklyn Bedding, DreamFoam is a budget-tier mattress brand, which is ideal for parents with growing children. This bed offers support, durability, and the comfortable feeling of memory foam — all at a budget mattress price.
DreamFoam Arctic Dreams Hybrid’s best features
- Hybrid construction offers additional support for heavier children and teens
- Includes a cooling panel to keep hot sleepers comfortable at night
- Appropriate for all sleeper styles and body types
Why we picked this bed
To put it simply, the DreamFoam Arctic Dreams Hybrid is an all-around accommodating bed. Since it’s a hybrid, it’s better equipped to support larger bodies than an all-foam bed would be. You’d usually pay a decent chunk of change for a hybrid bed, but you can score a DreamFoam twin for around $400 (before discounts).
Why Trust Us
Get the kind of sleep you’ve only dreamed of with some help from our team of mattress experts. We personally test more than 175 of the best sleep solutions from over 60 leading brands on-site, so you can be sure you’re getting unbiased reviews, fair comparisons, and personalized recommendations.
The Review Team
Best Mattress Size for Kids
Not all mattress companies produce a full range of sizes, so before you get your heart set on a certain brand, make sure they actually sell twin, twin XL, or full-size mattresses. Bed frames made for kids’ bedrooms are going to be one of those three sizes. That includes bunk beds and trundles.
We recommend a twin mattress for kids under 12 years old. Most children will be just fine with the twin until they are in middle school or high school. From there, the twin XL mattress starts to make more sense. But, once your kids are in high school, the full size mattress is the best option.
Important Considerations When Looking for Children’s Mattresses
We’ve given you our list of top contenders and why each one made the list. But we thought we’d also provide you with some tools to narrow down the options or help you determine if something else you’re considering will work for your kids. Below, we’ve broken down the categories we consider when making decisions about mattresses. For the record, we considered both online and mail order mattresses for this list to determine the best beds for kids.
Price
Like most of things you buy for your children, their mattress shouldn’t be as expensive as yours. They’re kids and are still growing and, just like their shoes, their mattress may not be the right fit for their body once they’ve hit a growth spurt or puberty. With that in mind, we wouldn’t recommend spending more than $500-$700 after discounts. Be sure to check out our Mattress Deals page for coupons and discounts.
You can find a lot of great options that come in below that $500-$700 budget. And if your kiddo is still learning their multiplication tables, “below” is probably where you should be looking. The higher end of the price range is more reasonable if you’re thinking they’ll be able to use this bed right up until it’s time for them to sleep on a plastic-covered college dorm mattress for the next four or five years.
Support & thickness
On average, an 8″ mattress will probably be fine, but if your kid is heavier, you’ll want something with a little more support. In that case, look for a bed that’s at least 10″ thick. The extra few inches of mattress will not only provide some additional support, but also help it last a bit longer.
Firmness
Of course, you want the mattress to be comfortable. For a child, that means you’ll need something a little softer. A firm bed is intended for people who need back support, for example. But for a toddler or a kid, even a bigger kid, anything that’s “firm” is going to feel like the sidewalk.
However, not all mattress companies use the same language or clearly label a bed as “soft” or “firm.” In that case, look for the ILD (indentation load deflection). Here’s a breakdown of what those numbers mean:
Soft — less than 25 pounds ILD
Medium — 25 to 30 pounds ILD
Firm — over 30 pounds ILD
Aim for something around 27-pound ILD or less. Higher than that is merging into medium-firm territory.
The Best Type of Mattress for Kids
Here’s the list of the types of the best mattresses for children (in no order):
- Memory Foam
- Poly Foam (i.e., Soft Foam)
- Latex Mattress
All foam
With mattresses you purchase online, there are basically two construction options — an all-foam bed or a hybrid/spring bed that uses both foam and coils. For a child, you probably don’t need coils. They aren’t heavy enough to need that much support or resistance, so you’ll want to look more at mattresses with all-foam construction, especially for toddlers.
Memory foam
Memory foam typically has a denser feel that softens over time and cradles your body. Memory foam mattresses tend to sleep a little warmer.
Latex foam
Latex foam has a more sponge-like feel and is bouncier and airier. Latex mattresses generally allow more airflow. If your kid is a sweaty sleeper, you may want to look for a mattress with more latex foam.
Poly foam
There are poly and proprietary foam beds, which vary in feel by company, and are usually more affordable. For the most part, though, they have a neutral-foam feel that’s more responsive than memory foam and softer than latex foam.
Why Children Need an Accommodating Mattress
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, children between the ages of 1 and 18 need between eight and 14 hours of sleep a night. A full night of quality sleep is necessary for a child’s physical and mental development, especially their capacity to learn and retain information.
| Age | Hours of Sleep Recommended |
| 4 months to 1 year | 12-16 hours |
| 1-2 years | 11-14 hours |
| 3-5 years | 10-13 hours |
| 6-12 years | 9-12 hours |
| 13-18 years | 8-10 hours |
This makes the selection of a mattress an important decision for parents. You want to find a mattress your child will find comfortable enough to sleep through the night. If a mattress is uncomfortable, even though your child may be in bed for the recommended number of hours, they may not receive that amount of quality sleep due to an increased amount of tossing and turning.
Mattress Certifications
In the mattress world, there are certifications that proclaim a product to be eco-friendly or all natural, etc.
- For memory foam, look for GreenGuard GOLD or CertiPUR-US certified beds which ensure that the mattress will have little to no off-gassing.
- For latex foam, you’ll want to look for a GOLS certification to indicate it’s certified organic.
- If you want a mattress with organic textiles like cotton, you should look for a GOTS certification.
Mattress Cover
Kids and toddlers spill and have accidents, so a machine washable cover is ideal. Unfortunately, there are only a couple mattresses that have removable, machine washable covers (such as Yogabed and Novosbed). Others require you to spot clean. And while that’s doable, it’s not convenient. Even the best spot clean job doesn’t provide the same level of cleanliness confidence as a cycle through the washing machine.
As a work around, look into a machine washable mattress protector to go with the bed. That way, you can just pull it off and toss it in the wash when needed. You can find them all over the internet or in most stores that sell bedding products.
Returns and Trial Periods
It’s standard for the online mattress shopping industry to include free shipping, a 100-night risk-free trial period, free returns within that trial period, and a 10-year warranty should you keep the mattress. Because all of that is standard, you shouldn’t settle for anything less. In fact, some companies will give you even longer trial periods (we’ve seen up to a whole year) and much longer warranties (we’ve seen up to forever).
The trial period is important when buying a mattress online because you don’t get to go take it for a test snooze at your neighborhood mattress store. It allows you to rest easy knowing if it’s not right, you can have it picked up for no charge and receive a full refund.
Generally, kids will have either the twin or twin XL mattress, which are both 38″ wide. The twin is 75″ long and the twin XL is 80″ long. If you have a bigger kid or teenager, you might think about upgrading to the full size, which measures 54″ W x 75″ L.
Most online mattress brands offer 100% free returns during the trial period. They often provide free shipping and a three-month test period.
Considering you’re buying a twin, twin XL, or full size mattress, a budget of $700 should be enough unless you want a luxury mattress.
For kids, it really shouldn’t matter whether you get an all-foam or hybrid mattress. You just want a comfortable, affordable mattress they like.
