The Best Mattresses For Kids

Buying Guide

When it comes to a child’s growth and development, sleep plays an important factor. Kids spend so much of their days digesting new information about the world, that they need to decompress and relax at night. Proper sleep, which starts with a good mattress, affects things like memory, learning ability, immune system and school performance.

Each child has unique needs when it comes to selecting a mattress that works for them. Consider their sleeping position and body temperature when deciding what kind of mattress to go with, along with your budget. An innerspring mattress is a durable option that’s firm and sturdy. It won’t buckle when kids jump and roughhouse on the bed. This kind of mattress works for back, stomach and side sleepers.

A memory foam mattress is a popular choice for older kids, but not ideal for infants and toddlers. It’s good for kids who sleep on their back or side, but not great for stomach sleepers as it gives the feeling of sinking into the mattress, which many people don’t like to have around their face. Some memory foam mattresses are infused with a cooling gel. This is a good option if your child sleeps warm and often wakes up hot and sweaty. The gel can help keep their body temperature cool at night so they have a comfortable sleep. Keep in mind that some memory foam mattresses can have a peculiar smell for the first couple of weeks. The smell itself is harmless and will go away with good ventilation, but it can disturb some children and adults.

A hybrid mattress is a combination of an innerspring mattress and a memory foam mattress. It has the firmness of the innerspring, with the cushiness of a memory foam mattress. It typically works with all sleeping positions.

• When you’re looking for the right mattress for kids, first consider their primary sleeping position. This will help determine what kind of support and comfort they need from their mattress at night. For example, a child that sleeps on their back or on their stomach will need firmer support that reduces the amount of sinkage into the mattress. A child that sleeps on their side may need a softer mattress that enables their hips and elbows to sink into the material.
• The firmness of a mattress is important, but keep in mind that mattresses will feel firmer to children than adults. How firm a mattress feels actually depends on your weight. Since kids are lighter than adults, they don’t tend to sink into mattresses as much as adults. As a result, even a soft memory foam mattress may feel firm to them.
• Edge support is about how secure and firm the edge of a mattress feels when a child is sleeping on it. If the edge of the mattress feels like it’s going to buckle or slant, then the child may stay close to the center of the mattress. This reduces the usable surface area of the bed.
• If anyone in your family suffers from allergies, opt for a mattress made from hypoallergenic materials. This way, the mattress will be resistant to mold, pet dander, dust mites and pollen, enabling your little one to have a peaceful sleep without waking up with itchy eyes and a runny nose.
• In order to ensure the mattress wears evenly, be sure to rotate it, so that the head side is at the foot side, every six months. This way, you won’t end up with any indents on one side of the mattress, making it last longer.