How to choose a children’s mattress

Creating a restful bedroom environment, including a comfortable mattress, helps your child establish healthy sleep habits throughout their life. We asked health and sleep experts for everything parents should know about choosing a mattress for their child.

“You want to help your child get into the best sleep routine possible,” says Shannon Sullivan, MD, a clinical professor of pediatric and adult sleep medicine at Stanford School of Medicine and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “Making sleep a positive experience should be the goal.”

Federal law requires that any crib mattress sold meet safety standards to prevent injuries and reduce the risk of SIDS. But there are no such regulations for mattresses intended for toddlers and older children, says Dr. Heidi Weinroth, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

That means choosing the best mattress for your child may depend largely on parental preference. “Unlike crib mattresses, there are no strong evidence-based results or independent studies evaluating sleep surface materials to make recommendations on the preferred type of surface for older children,” Sullivan says. “Outside of infancy, there are currently no recommendations on firmness levels based on health outcomes.”

With many options for choosing a mattress for your child that’s safe, comfortable, and within your price range, here’s what to consider when shopping.

Mattress materials

“Check the mattress manufacturer’s composition,” advises Tasha Stoiber, Ph.D., senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG). “Avoid mattresses that contain fiberglass as a flame retardant, which can cause skin and respiratory irritation, or PVC for waterproofing, which can contain phthalates that can harm developing reproductive systems.”

Instead, choose natural materials like latex, cotton, wool and steel springs, which don’t release harmful chemicals, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and fire-resistant materials like wool or polylactic acid, which is derived from plant starch, Stoiber says.

As a general rule, memory foam mattresses are more likely to contain chemicals of concern. But if your child prefers the feel of memory foam, look for one with a robust chemical safety certification like Greenguard or Oeko-Tex. Also, keep in mind that memory foam tends to retain more heat, so if your child sleeps hot, this may not be the best option for them.

Mattress Certifications

Many manufacturers claim their products are “eco-friendly,” but that term doesn’t make sense, Stoiber says. Instead, look for third-party certifications like the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), which indicate that the materials used are certified organic and free of harmful chemicals. Standards like Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and Greenguard Gold certify that a mattress has low VOC emissions.

But be careful, Certipur-US isn’t a very useful standard because it only applies to the polyurethane foam used and not the entire mattress, which can contain other harmful components, Stoiber says. The EWG also has a testing process for children’s mattresses.

Children’s mattress sizes

“Children are typically ready to transition from a crib to a traditional bed between the ages of 2 and 3,” Weinroth says. “Part of the reason is that children are toilet training and need to get up and go to the bathroom on their own. So getting out of a crib can be a safety issue.”

If your child is outgrowing their crib, you may choose to purchase a toddler bed, which allows you to reuse your child’s crib mattress. If your child previously slept in a mini crib and you’re transitioning to a toddler bed, you’ll actually need to purchase a standard crib mattress.

However, if you want a mattress that can last through the teenage years, you might want to consider a twin or full-size bed now, which can accommodate most children from infancy to adolescence. Both sizes typically provide enough space for most growing children, Weinroth says.

Finally, if you’re considering equipping a bunk bed with mattresses, you’ll also want to consider the height of the mattress, also known as the loft. Experts recommend a distance of at least 7 inches between the top of the mattress and the top of the bunk bed rails, which means a thinner/higher mattress is usually a safer option.

Firmness Levels

While you may be tempted to choose a mattress that feels soft and plush, you’re not the one (or really shouldn’t be the one!) sleeping in your child’s bed. Although the truth is, most of us parents get to choose what we want. We Like, any firmness level is fine for most children. “I’ve never had a child complain to me that their bed wasn’t comfortable,” Weinroth says.

Reversible mattresses

There are a number of reversible mattresses on the market that are specifically designed for infants. Some crib mattresses have a firm side that meets baby safety requirements and a softer side that is suitable for toddlers past their first birthday, such as the Simmons Kids SlumberTime Naturally Mattress. If you are choosing this type of mattress for a newborn, be sure to check that the baby sleeps on the firm side, as using the softer side increases the risk of SIDS.

There are also reversible mattresses for older kids. Some, like the Naturepedic Organic Kids 2-in-1 Waterproof Mattress , have one side that’s a little softer and one side that’s covered in a waterproof cover. These can be a bit more expensive, but if potty training is part of the picture, you may want to opt for this type of mattress. You can also opt to use a waterproof cover instead, which can be a more practical option for many families, Sullivan says.

Other reversible mattresses, like the Birch Kids Natural Mattress or the Helix Kids Mattress, have a firmer side for younger children (to ease the transition from the crib mattress) and a softer side for older children.

Types of mattresses

The main types of mattresses for kids are made of the same materials used in adult beds: memory foam, hybrid, latex, and innerspring. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for every family, but each type has its pros and cons. Memory foam can off-gas and make some kids hot, while innerspring and latex mattresses generally contain cleaner ingredients (though their bounce may tempt some kids to jump on them). Hybrid mattresses are a combination of memory foam or latex and innerspring.

If your child has allergies, you may want to discuss the best type of mattress with your pediatrician or allergist, Sullivan says. The Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recommends, at a minimum, that all mattresses and box springs have allergy-friendly covers for children with allergies.

Guarantee

Most mattresses come with warranties that last between 10 and 25 years. That can be helpful if you’re hoping to pass it on to the next child in the family. But read the fine print: The warranty typically covers structural issues, not unavoidable wear and tear, like accidents or child vomit. Some warranties can be voided if you use a mattress on the wrong type of bed or foundation.

Trial period

Many manufacturers now offer an in-home trial period, ranging from 30 to 365 nights. It’s a good idea to check the policy (for example, can you return it if your child has had an accident on it?) and any return fees before you buy, Sullivan says. Some mattress companies even offer an in-home trial period, minimum trial period before you can return it, meaning if your child hates it right away, you might be stuck with a bulky item for a month.

That said, the benefit of a long trial period can give you a little more peace of mind that you’re making the right choice for your child.

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