Guide to Choosing the Best Mattress for Kids

Finding the best mattress for kids is vital.  It’s a scientific fact that a good night’s sleep is essential for your child’s health and wellbeing; some experts say that children sleep for up to 14 hours a day – as much as half their day in bed. In addition, studies show that regular sleep is necessary for a child’s health and wellbeing. By getting enough sleep, kids will improve their short-term memory, their immune system will respond better to challenges, and they’ll be able to concentrate better in school.

Your child will be dependent on a comfortable and supportive mattress to get adequate sleep. For this reason, it is crucial to purchase a mattress made from quality materials. The best kids mattresses will comfort your child while supporting their growth, yet it can be challenging to find a mattress that suits your child’s needs.

SleepMaker has you covered when it comes to getting your child a good night’s sleep, even if you are concerned about childhood asthma or allergies.

What Size Bed Does My Child Need?

When it comes to deciding what size bed for kids is best, there is a lot to consider. Choosing a bed for your child is a balancing act of assessing your child’s current situation while anticipating their future needs, including how tall they are now versus how tall they are likely to grow.

Additionally, you want to consider how much space is available in their bedroom, if there are any potential safety issues to consider and how well your child can climb into their new bed. The best children’s mattress for your child very much comes down to personal preference and your budget.

SleepMaker Mattresses come with a 10-year warranty, which is in line with how long a good quality mattress will last. When considering which size mattress is best for your child, a ten-year view is a good perspective to take, especially when you think about all of the growth and developmental milestones your child will achieve over the next ten years.

As a general rule, kids aged eight and under are perfectly suited to have a single bed, whereas kids aged eight and up might be best suited to a double bed, especially if they are prone to moving around a lot in their sleep. A double bed can prevent those terrifying midnight ‘accidentally rolled out of bed’ emergencies. If you have a teen, tween or expect your child to reach over 165cm, perhaps a king-single will be the best choice as it is longer than a single.

If space permits, perhaps your teenager is ready for a more grown-up bed, meaning a double, queen or even king-sized mattress and base may be the best option. At the end of the day, you want to choose a mattress size for your child that gives them enough room to sleep comfortably at night while also allowing for some growing room.

Does My Child Need a Firm, Medium or Soft Mattress?

Most parents will be familiar with just how much growth happens in a growth spurt and how at times, it can feel like your child has grown inches taller overnight! Our children are growing rapidly, so it is essential to protect their spine and ensure their back health is looked after by keeping it correctly aligned. The best mattress for kids is one that helps maintain a neutral sleeping position. A mattress that is too soft cannot provide the support required for a neutral sleeping position. At the same time, a mattress that’s too firm may make your child uncomfortable and potentially impact their quality of sleep.

So what mattress firmness is best for a child? To give your kids a mattress that is the perfect balance between support and comfort, health professionals typically recommend a medium-firm mattress for children as it will support their rapidly growing bodies, especially their spine.

Don’t be afraid to let your child enjoy the experience of testing beds at the store; this will help you better get an idea of what your child finds comfortable. While medium-firm mattresses are recommended to support kid’s growing bodies, a good quality plush mattress will most likely have the right technology to support a neutral sleeping position.

What Type of Mattress is Best for Kids?

When you and your child are ready to go shopping for the best kids mattress, you will find that there are a few different types; innerspring, foam and pillowtop mattresses.

Innerspring mattresses:

Innerspring mattresses are durable and will withstand some rough play – wrestling arena, trampoline, and the floor is lava are the kind of rough games you can expect your children to subject their beds to. Innerspring mattresses also offer support for spinal alignment but tend to be very firm.

Foam mattresses:

There are many types of foam mattresses on the market, ranging from traditional foam to more modern memory foam. As a general rule, the cheaper foam mattresses won’t offer your child the spinal support required for a neutral sleeping position and won’t stand up to typical childhood roughhousing.

Pillow top mattresses:

A pillowtop mattress can be seen as the best of both worlds, offering innerspring for spinal alignment support with a soft and comfortable layer of foam on the top to create that lovely ‘pillow’ feeling.

SleepMaker’s Essentials Edit range delivers the perfect balance of comfort and support and could quite easily be the best children’s mattress in Australia. SleepMaker’s Essentials Edit range is ideal for kids as they have been specifically designed to support their precious growing bodies.

When Should Kids Get Their ‘Big Kids Bed’?

Some parents prefer to transition their child from a cot to a toddler bed; however, this can be seen as an unnecessary step as most toddlers will move from their cot to a ‘big kids bed’ with no problems. You might be better off saving your money, skipping the toddler bed, and moving your child straight into a single bed with the best kids mattress for them. If you’re unsure when the right time to transition your child out of their cot and into a new bed, you may find our article “When is the right time to transition to a “big kids bed” useful.

What are some common problems with kids’ mattresses?

Some common problems with kids’ mattresses include:

1. Poor Support: Kids’ mattresses are often too soft, providing inadequate support for growing bodies. This can lead to back and neck pain, as well as poor sleep quality.

2. Allergens: Kids’ mattresses can be a breeding ground for dust mites, mold, and other allergens. This can exacerbate allergies and respiratory problems.

3. Size: As your child grows, the amount of sleep space they’ll need increases with them. Depending on how tall or fast your kid is growing, the more you’ll likely need to upgrade and upsize their mattress.

How do I know if my child will be comfortable on a particular type of mattress?

Seeing as kids can often fall asleep anywhere, comfort is less of a concern compared to their health. Ultimately, you want a supportive enough mattress to help growing bodies. They’ll be sleeping alone, so “partner disturbance” isn’t a worry for them. So really, any type of mattress, pocket spring, coil or foam, will be comfortable enough for your child. The firmness is more important when it comes to comfort and support. A medium firmness provides enough support and comfort for growing kids.

What should I do if my child is not comfortable on his or her mattress?

For everyone, comfort depends on the size of a mattress, the support and the firmness. As children are lighter, they should only need a medium or medium-firm mattress to ensure better spinal alignment. As they grow older, their sleep style and weight changes, so a softer or firmer mattress might be needed to make them feel more comfortable. If their mattress is a little too firm, then you can grab a soft mattress topper for a quick upgrade. Or, if they need a firmer bed, you might need to consider shopping for a new mattress.

Finding the Best Mattress Fit For Your Kids

SleepMaker have developed a wide range of advanced technologies creating the best kids mattress in Australia to ensure your child’s growing body, especially their spinal is supported while they sleep. Our mattresses are also durable, ensuring they survive a childhood of “the floor is lava”.

Why not take our Sleep Selector Quiz to find the best kids mattress for your little one or check out our list of retailers to find a store close to you. Discover more helpful articles about kids sleep and buying a bed on the SleepMaker sleep guide:

When is the Right Time to Transition to a “Big Kids Bed”?

How Your Child’s Mattress Affects Their Chance at a Healthy Sleep

Tips For Getting Children to Sleep in Winter

What’s the Best Mattress Size For Me?