Best Mattresses for Kids

All parents want the best for their kids, don’t we? Shouldn’t that include a good sleeping experience? Fortunately, we’ve done all the research and can offer you some great options for the kiddos, whether it’s a toddler who has outgrown their crib mattress or a pre-teen who is complaining about their uncomfortable old mattress.

What factors should you consider when you choose a mattress for your child? Rapid growth and proper support for growing pains for one. We can help there, too. We understand that the considerations for a kid’s mattress will differ from those for an adult’s mattress and that’s why we will cover these considerations as well.

In this guide, we’ve reviewed our top picks of the best mattresses for kids, and the important factors to consider when choosing a mattress.

Disclosure: By clicking on the product links in this article, Mattress Nerd may receive a commission fee at no cost to you, the reader. Read full disclosure statement.

The Best Mattresses for Kids

• Best Organic Mattress for Kids – Saatva Youth
• Best Value Mattress – Nectar
• Best Mattress For Kids With Allergies – Casper Element
• Best Foam Mattress – Studio by Leesa
• Best Latex – Birch
• Best Medium Firm Mattress – Brooklyn Bedding Bowery
• Best Twin Mattress for Kids – Tuft & Needle Nod
• Best Mattress For Kids Bed – Zinus Green Tea
• Best Memory Foam Mattress for Kids – Amazon Rivet
• Best Full Mattress for Kids – The Big Kid’s Bed (BKB) by Nest

The Saatva Youth isn’t just a smaller mattress for smaller kids. It’s actually packed full of thoughtful designs to be suitable for kids at a variety of ages and as they grow.  Let’s name a few…

Starting with the basics, this mattress is coming from Saatva, and like its normal mattresses, they put a lot of time and money into quality and durability.  This mattress is a hybrid, meaning it contains foam layers coupled with innersprings. Not only that, but Saatva has arranged the layers so the mattress is dual-sided.  A 3-year-old and a 12-year-old have very different bodies. This mattress is flippable to find the right level of comfort and support based on age and weight.

On the outside, you’ve got an organic cotton cover that is soft, breathable and hypoallergenic so you don’t have to worry about chemical smells due to off-gassing. Not to embarrass any of your youngins, but it also comes with a water-resistant finish to make it “accident-proof.”

See our full Saatva Youth Mattress Review to learn more.

Four unique layers of quilted foam culminate for a great night’s sleep with the Nectar memory foam mattress. Its Tencel cooling cover helps to circulate air and regulate temperature to keep your child comfortable as their body temperature rises throughout the night. It’s also bed-bug resistant. 

Beneath the cover lies a layer of gel memory foam that allows for superior contouring and circulation. In the center is a high-density foam that distributes weight throughout the mattress for support and stability. Finally, there is a base layer of foam engineered for great airflow to keep your child cool and supported all night long.

The Nectar mattress is CertiPUR-US® certified and comes with a 365-night trial and lifetime warranty.

See our full Nectar Mattress Review to learn more!

Coming from one of the most trusted mattress brands available, the Casper Element is a reassuring choice, as you know you’ve bought a high-quality product at an excellent price point. Its construction combines pressure-point relief that doesn’t overheat and because of its dark color, spills will be easy to hide.

The Casper Element is built with a three-layer foam construction that includes an open-cell, hypoallergenic latex that will keep you cool and comfortable. In addition, a combination of softer foam and high-density foam help provide the support needed as your child grows. It is an excellent value option in the category of latex mattresses.

The Casper Element is CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX certified, and it comes with a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty.

See our full Casper Element Review for more details. 

Leesa is known for making some of the highest quality yet affordable mattresses. The Studio by Leesa is no different. Combining three layers of memory foam, the Studio provides support and comfort for growing bodies.

The mattress includes a pressure-relieving support layer to take away aches and pains in any sleep position, along with a top layer of soft memory foam that cradles the body. It’s a medium-firmness mattress, which is ideal for lighter-weight bodies.

The Studio by Leesa comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty. Leesa also gives back by donating a mattress to kids in need for every 10 mattresses sold.

Read our full Studio by Leesa Mattress Review to learn more.

This all-natural, organic mattress by Birch provides support while still cradling pressure points. The innerspring coils and Talalay latex give the bed bounce and support, while the latex and organic New Zealand wool top offer plenty of cushioning.

Wool and latex are known for their superior cooling properties compared to memory foam, so if you’re sleeping in a hotter climate, this bed could be a good option. As a medium-firm bed, the Birch mattress works for all sleep positions.

Read our full Birch Mattress Review to learn more.

The Bowery mattress is created with three layers of proprietary foam, each with a different job to do. The comfort layer of Energex foam will provide a relaxing cushion with enough responsiveness for your child to move around on. A second transition layer of polyfoam provides more stability as you approach the third layer of high-density foam, which gives the bed a good foundation and allows for proper weight distribution.

The Bowery’s build marries pressure-point relief and cooling gel, so your child is cool and comforted, while also supporting them properly while they sleep. And best of all, Brooklyn Bedding has its own factory where they build all their mattresses, meaning they can offer a high-quality, handcrafted product at a value price point.

The Bowery is CertiPUR-US® certified and comes with a 120-night trial and a 10-year warranty. 

Read our full Brooklyn Bowery Mattress Review to learn more.

The Nod by Tuft & Needle is designed with two powerful layers of polyfoam. The first is the comfort layer, which absorbs and cradles the body for comfort and pressure-point relief. The second is the support layer that gives the bed stability and allows for equal weight distribution. Thanks to this construction, the mattress responds better to movement, and you don’t feel as though you are “stuck in the mud” while sleeping. 

It’s simple, yet accommodating design makes it a win for all sleeping positions. This is good news for parents with young children whose sleep patterns are just starting to develop and may very well change in time.

The Nod is CertiPUR-US® certified and comes with a 10-year warranty and a 100-night sleep trial, plus free returns. 

Read our full Nod by Tuft & Needle Mattress Review to learn more.

You might wonder how this unique pressure-relief bed got its name. Turns out the mattress materials are infused with a green tea extract and ActivCharcoal, which helps to control odor and maintain freshness. It is also hypoallergenic and a favorite of parents who frequently deal with spills from little ones and body odor in teens.

The Zinus is a medium-firm mattress that features enhanced motion isolation thanks to its memory foam and comfort foam layers. Still, due to the added high-density foam, it has better support than traditional memory foam mattresses.

The Zinus also boasts an affordable price point that’s great for families on a budget. See: Best Affordable Mattresses 

The Zinus Green Tea is Certi-PUR US certified, so it isn’t adding dangerous VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) to your children’s air quality.

Read our full Zinus Mattress Review to learn more. 

With three layers of Celliant technology foam and a LuraCor top layer, the Amazon Rivet should offer proper spinal alignment, pressure-point relief and cloud-like comfort to slumbering tykes. While it works with all sleep positions, the mattress may be a bit firm for little ones who are strict stomach sleepers.

Celliant is a patented mineral blend that has shown to increase oxygen delivery to cells, so growing sleepers will recover properly during sleep and sleep soundly throughout the night. The base layer of adaptive foam distributes weight evenly so they will stay properly supported throughout the night.

The Amazon Rivet is CertiPUR-US certified, and it comes with a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty.

The Big Kid’s Bed is another sturdy multi-layer memory foam bed at a value price point. There is a top layer of Energex foam that has better responsiveness than traditional viscoelastic foam, but it still keeps the conforming properties that help relieve pressure points for young sleepers. The secondary layer of edge-support base foam provides stability for your child and durability for the life of the mattress. 

The Big Kid’s Bed is best for kids who are transitioning from a toddler bed, as it has a maximum recommended weight of 120 pounds.

The Big Kid’s Bed is CertiPUR-US certified, and it comes with a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty. 

What Mattress Size Is Best For a Child?

Size is definitely a factor to consider, not only because children go through growth spurts but also because sleep positions and habits change for young children. It may seem like an easy decision to just purchase a regular Twin mattress and be done with it, but don’t be so quick to make that judgment. If you think you might be better off with a slightly bigger size, keep in mind most mattress companies offer a Twin XL and a Full size.

In their younger years, kids sometimes suffer from nightmares or being afraid of the dark and may want you to sleep with them. If this is a common occurrence, it might be better to go for a larger mattress. In addition, the same can be said for siblings. If they often sleep together, it may be better to get a larger size. Additionally, consider how long they will be sleeping on this bed. It’s possible they’ll still be on the same mattress up until high school graduation. In that case, spending the extra $100 for a Twin XL or Full-size bed may be worth the investment.

Thing To Consider When Buying a Children’s Mattress

Support

You might think support is more important for adults and seniors who are more likely to suffer from chronic pain, but children need proper support too, maybe even more so. Their bodies are changing and growing at a rapid rate, and this can frequently cause growing pains. Finding a mattress that offers pressure-point relief, spinal alignment and recovery will help reduce the likelihood and severity of the aches and pains they experience during growth spurts.

Allergies and VOCs

Another factor to keep in mind is any allergies your kids may have, including sensitive skin. If this is the case, be on the lookout for mattresses made of organic cotton, latex and hypoallergenic materials like the Zinus and the Casper.

You will also want to keep an eye out for certifications against harmful substances that some mattresses emit or contain. Here are some important designations to keep an eye out for:

• CertiPUR-US is a foam certification which means it was created without ozone depleters, flame retardants, mercury, lead, and other heavy metals, formaldehyde and phthalates. In addition, it means that the foam has passed an indoor air quality standard and has low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions.
• OEKO-Tex is certified fabrics and textiles found to be free of harmful chemicals and safe for human use. This organic certification means that textile and fabric products are made according to strict guidelines on the use of petroleum-based fertilizers, pesticides and synthetic products.

Price

Lastly, you will want to be mindful of your budget. Luckily, mattress manufacturers know that the budget for a child’s mattress is typically much smaller than that of adults, and many well-known companies have designed value options. These types of mattresses are perfect for kids, especially if you are considering buying two for a bunk bed. 

How Firm Should a Child’s Mattress Be?

As long as the child is not an infant, the firmness of their mattress is really up to personal preference. Just as we say for adults, the position you sleep in, your body type and weight will play the biggest roll in selecting the mattress’s firmness. If the child likes a more supportive feeling or has pain concerns, a firm mattress may be the best option. If they like a more “in the mattress” feeling, they can try a soft mattress. 

What Type of Mattress is Best For Kids? 

Foam

What is a foam mattress? Foam mattresses are made of layers of various types of foam. These mattresses have a contouring feeling to the body that many people love. Additionally, foam mattresses can be found at a very reasonable price.

Are they safe? Foam mattresses are made with the most potentially toxic materials. However, many popular brands have stepped up and made commitments to ensuring their products are not harmful to any sleepers. 

Innerspring 

What is an innerspring mattress? Innerspring mattresses are made of coils that support the bed, causing them to be on the firmer side. Unlike hybrids they usually do not have a very thick comfort layer, so you feel more of the support from the coils.

Are they a good value? These mattresses are also reasonably priced, but you may find your child does not find them as comfortable. However, like we always say, comfort is relative, and if your child is used to this type of mattress, they may find the support suits them just fine. 

Latex

What are latex mattresses? Usually the most eco-friendly mattress material, latex has gained a good reputation from its use of all-natural materials, making these beds naturally dust mite resistant and hypoallergenic. 

Are they good for kids? Yes! Especially if your child has allergies, sensitive skin or other health concerns. The latex gives a bouncy effect to the surface, but it still does a good job at minimizing motion transfer if that is a concern. 

Hybrid

What is a hybrid? Hybrid mattress are a mix between coils and a comfort layer of foam, cotton, wool or latex. They can range in price depending on what materials they are made of, how thick the comfort layer is, and what additional features are in the mattress.

Are they good for kids? Hybrids were invented for a reason. They really are the best of both worlds. Kids will likely agree. The coil base makes them easy beds to navigate, and the comfort layer can be as plush as you and your child choose. 

Accessories for a Kid’s Mattress

Mattress Protectors & Mattress Pads 

You already know about sheets, pillows, comforters and blankets. However, one essential accessory to add to your kid’s new mattress is a mattress protector. These thin pieces of fabric go on just like a fitted sheet and protect against dust mites, spills and any other accidents that may take place. When you are dropping a few hundred dollars on a new mattress, they are worth every extra penny. 

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this review helpful on your path to finding the best mattress for kids. Most parents will choose a Twin-size or a Full-size mattress for kids, but that is up to you. If you have multiple children that like to sleep together, then you may choose a larger mattress. Other factors that might influence your decision are your budget and the amount of space you have to work with. 

Ultimately, the right mattress for your child will provide room to grow, be comfortable, and will stand the test of time. Also, you will want an option that provides good support to kids who may experience growing pains and growth spurts. Finally, take into account the firmness level of the mattress based on any established sleeping patterns. If your child is very young, this may not be an issue yet. For more mattress recommendations, check out our best mattress page.

Recap of the Best Mattresses For Kids in 2021