How do I choose the best kids' mattress?
Many of your decisions will need to be made before you even start shopping, so the main things for you to consider are:
Size
Before you look at the different types of springs, fillings and foams, you need to know that your mattress is going to fit your child’s bed.
If they’re about to transition into a bigger bed, you'll be pleased to know that most beds and mattresses are a standard size. However, it’s always worth measuring your frame properly to ensure you buy the correct mattress length and width.
Be aware that, while you’ll probably be shopping for a standard single once your child is out of a cot bed or toddler bed, there's also such as thing as a ‘shorty,’ which is shorter than your average single bed, as well as European singles which are a bit narrower.
Remember to also check the depth of the mattress. While most mattresses will sit in a box frame, the mattress will need to be thinner if it's a bunk bed or high sleeper so that your child doesn't roll over the barrier and out of bed.
Type
The choice for children is pretty much the same as for adults. You’re looking at springs (pocket spring, open spring and coil spring), latex or memory foam, or a hybrid of springs and foam.
Spring mattresses offer good bounce and support, while memory foam is softer and typically hypoallergenic. Latex retains its firmness well, so can be good for children's beds, however a hybrid mattress offers both the comfort of latex and memory foam but the bounce of a spring mattress.
How your child sleeps
Do they tend to run hot at night? Look for springs with breathable covers. Or do they wake up with chilly extremities? In which case, memory foam might offer more cosiness.
And how much do they move around in their sleep? Generally speaking, memory foam is good for fidgeters as they’re more cocooned and less likely to wake themselves up.
Also consider how often you end up in your child’s bed to settle them. It might be worth getting a larger mattress if you regularly end up spending a few hours in it with them.
Allergies
If your child suffers from allergies, a memory foam mattress is the best bet as it doesn't trap dust and dust mites as easily as spring mattresses. Look for one that is labelled as hypoallergenic.
Mattress protector
If your child is toddler age, check whether the mattress comes with a removable, washable cover as accidents definitely can happen.
Once you’ve worked out the measurements and decided which type of mattress your child needs, go and try some out. Check that it's comfy, not too bouncy, won't lose its oomph too fast, and that your child will feel safe and secure on it during the night. The mattress you choose should also adhere to UK safety standards.
What is the best type of mattress for a child?
Experts, rather unhelpfully, disagree on whether springs or foam is best for growing children. Some claim that springs are best because memory foam lacks breathability and also moulds to a child's body, which isn’t good when their body is growing so fast, while others feel memory foam offers superior orthopaedic support.
If you’re going for springs then a pocket sprung mattress is best and most supportive option. The higher the spring count, the more support there is. Also look at the gauge - the lower the gauge number the thicker the springs and the firmer the feel.
Tension is also worth considering and is usually described as either soft, medium or hard. The only real way to tell what’s best for your child is to let them try different mattresses out and see what they prefer.
What mattress firmness is best for a child?
Firmness will ultimately come down to how your child sleeps and what they feel most comfortable laying on. Lots of children like the cosiness of a soft mattress, while others will prefer a medium-firm option if they move about at night.
A medium or medium-firm mattress will suit most kids when it comes to comfort and structured support, particularly for their spine, however this may be even more important as they hit the teen years.
How thick should a toddler mattress be?
Once your toddler is out of their cot (at around 18 months to 36 months), you should use a kids' mattress, which tends to be 12 to 20cm thick. What’s important is that the mattress offers the correct support and won’t come up higher than the bed’s sides. A mattress that's too thick could lead to your child rolling out of bed.
What's the best mattress for kids?
Mumsnets' best mattress for kids is the Silentnight Healthy Growth Junior Mattress. It's a brilliant all-rounder that makes bedtime comfy and cosy, while it's clever design supports kids' growing bodies while they sleep soundly - all for under £250.
How we chose our recommendations
Mattresses are a big investment and even budget models don’t come cheap so we wanted to be sure that the ones we recommended came with real-life recommendations.
We went to the Mumsnet forums in the first instance to find out which brands and models Mumsnetters rated most highly. We then cross-referenced that list with the mattresses that had one industry awards and accolades.
We then created a shortlist of those that made it onto both lists, and scoured the internet for customer reviews to tell us more about each one. Using those, we whittled our choice down to 10, which we think offers something for every little sleeper.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.
About the author
Jenny Wonnacott has been working as a Content Editor for Mumsnet since 2022 and, as part of the core Baby & Child team, has been responsible for the Bedtime category of articles, buyers' guides and review content for most of this time. She has extensive experience of researching, testing and reviewing a wide range of baby and toddler sleep items from cribs to swaddles, baby monitors and toddler beds.
A mum of three, Jenny has done her fair share of late-night Googling in search of the best baby sleep aids - and now puts that experience to good use by ensuring Mumsnet’s reviews and buyers' guides are practical, trustworthy and based on genuine insight. She works closely with medical and industry experts and Mumsnet’s community of parent testers to make sure every product recommendation truly lives up to the site’s goal of making parents’ lives easier.