The best twin mattresses for kids help the whole family with the transition from a crib or their toddler bed to a more regular bed. A twin offers a just-right feel for kids outgrowing those mini beds but not yet ready for an adult mattress. Your child will have enough room to stretch out, but not so much that they’ll feel dwarfed by its size. The best twin mattresses for kids, such as our top pick the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress, also stand up to all these rambunctious family members can dish out, including jumping and the occasional accident.
Finding the best twin mattresses for kids might just help everyone in the house get a bit more … [+]
A twin mattress is defined as measuring 75 x 39 inches. Beyond that, there’s a lot of variability. In general, you’ll want to select a mattress with a medium-firm to firm feel, says Michael Bauer, M.D., medical director at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital and a pediatrician. This “can provide both a level of comfort as well as the appropriate support needed for their spine and neck,” he says. “Making sure the mattress is made of nontoxic materials and has passed all safety standards is a must.” Dr. Bauer continues: “If allergies are an issue, I suggest considering a mattress made from organic materials.”
Daniel Ganjian, M.D., a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, often recommends memory foam mattresses for kids under the age of 10: “Kids can’t jump on them.” That can help extend the life of your mattress and lower the risk of injuries, he adds.
After speaking with the pediatricians quoted here, as well as evaluating the most popular options, my firsthand experience as a mother of four and drawing on Forbes Vetted’s yearslong research into the best mattresses and bedding brands, we chose the best twin mattresses for kids to set your child up for a better night’s sleep.
Nectar sleep
Nectar is known for delivering quality mattresses to your doorstep at low prices, and the brand’s twin mattress doesn’t disappoint. It features several inches of memory foam to cushion your child as they snooze, along with a sturdy base layer (crucial with kiddos) and a shift-resistant lower cover to round everything out. But this mattress has some impressive perks, like a 365-day home trial and the brand’s Forever Warranty, which ensures your mattress will either be repaired or replaced if something happens to it—ever. Another great feature? This mattress includes a mattress protector, sheets and pillows, all for $399, so you don’t need to break the bank to give your child proper sleep support.
Saatva
The Saatva Youth mattress is specifically designed with kids in mind. For example, it offers adjustments to help you move from the toddler phase through age 12. The mattress is 10 inches high, so it’s not too lofty for little ones to crawl onto. It features a mix of memory foam and recycled steel coils for good support. There are additional options as your child grows: One firmer side is designed for 3- to 7-year-olds, while the slightly more cushy side is made for 8- to 12-year-olds. Simply flip the mattress when your child gets older. Also worth noting: This mattress has a water-resistant finish and internal waterproof barrier protect the mattress against accidents—a must during the potty-training years. There’s also a 365-day trial period.
Amazon
Let’s be honest: As much as you love your child, you also don’t want to overspend on a mattress for them if you don’t need to. And, when you’re talking about bunk beds, it’s double the cost. That’s one of the reasons why this Zinus mattress is a great option for bunk beds. At less than $200 a pop, you can purchase two for the cost of many other mattresses. At 8 inches in height, you likely won’t have to worry about the mattress getting too lofty for the top bunk’s safety bar, but please do read the specifications of your particular bunk. Some top bunk mattresses can only be 5 inches thick or even 4 inches. This mattress also contains foam that’s infused with green tea and charcoal to help absorb moisture and fight odors—a definite perk for twin mattresses for kids.
Avocado Green Mattress
The Avocado Eco Organic Kids mattress is certified organic and crafted from a mix of organic cotton and wool. It features 6-inch pocketed coils for support and has a lower profile than most, making it easy to use as a trundle or bunk mattress. The mattress’ wool will help keep your child cool and dry in the summer and nice and snug in the winter, with plenty of airflow to minimize overnight sweatiness. What this mattress doesn’t have: Toxic chemicals, off-gassing, chemical flame retardants, fiberglass or polyurethane foams.
Amazon
A firm mattress is never a bad thing with kids—especially if they’ve comfortably slept on a harder surface from infancy. This option from Lucid is under $200, making it a great option for just about any budget. At 8 inches, it’s easy enough for toddlers to scale, while offering enough support for older kids, too. A 1.5-inch ventilated, gel memory-foam top layer helps prevent overnight sweatiness, while a 6.5-inch layer of charcoal-infused foam works to keep this mattress in a box fresh and odor-free.
Casper
With 11 inches of memory foam and multi-zone support, Casper’s Original mattress is more of an “adult” mattress best appreciated by your teen. It also includes thousands of perforations to help keep them cool while they sleep and features premium foam to help relieve pressure on those growing joints. Your child can enjoy a 100-night risk-free trial and 10-year limited warranty just in case. You can also order this mattress in a twin XL if your teen is on the taller side.
Amazon
At just $100, you can’t beat the price of the Linenspa Innerspring twin mattress in a box. But this firm mattress also has plenty of other perks—and a huge fanbase—that make it worth considering. It features steel coils for constant support, along with a quilted fabric cover and foam layer to help your child sleep comfortably. It is fairly petite at 6-inches in height, making it another option for bunk beds, trundles and toddlers. Just beware that those coils make for good bouncing conditions for more active kids.
Helix Sleep
The Helix Mattress for Kids offers plenty of options for your growing child’s needs as its flippable, depending on your kid’s age. One side is designed for the younger set (ages 3-7) and has firmer support that’s more in line with what they experienced in a crib mattress. The other side offers up a little more softness and pressure relief for ages 8 and up. This mattress is stain- and water-repellent in case of accidents, and there’s an odor-fighting microbe shield to help ward off eau de kid. No-contact delivery allows you to get a mattress delivered to your doorstep with zero issues. Worth noting: Helix says its mattress should be fully expanded within 15 minutes after unboxing.
The team at Forbes Vetted has done extensive research into the best mattresses and bedding brands. To choose the best twin mattresses for kids, we spoke to parents for their top picks, analyzed the most popular options out there and drew on our existing experience in the category. We also spoke with the experts quoted throughout the piece, including pediatricians, to determine how to find the safest bed for kids. Next, we narrowed the list down by factors like durability, materials and value, as well as thinking about what might be most appropriate for kids.
In general, you want a mattress with a medium-firm to firm feel, says Dr. Bauer. This “can provide both a level of comfort as well as the appropriate support needed for their spine and neck,” he says. “Making sure the mattress is made of non-toxic materials and has passed all safety standards is a must,” Dr. Bauer continues. “If allergies are an issue, I suggest considering a mattress made from organic materials.”
Yes. In fact, Dr. Ganjian prefers them to prevent kids from jumping on them, especially younger kids. Reducing the strain on the mattress can extend its life, but also possibly prevent injuries to your bouncy child, he adds.
But you don’t have to get your child a memory foam mattress. “Traditional coil spring mattresses are a standard and are quite suitable,” Dr. Bauer says, noting that memory foam is also good, but tends to be pricier. “A reasonable option is a so-called hybrid, which is a combination of both coil springs and memory foam.”
It depends. Some toddlers may prefer a toddler bed and the crib-sized mattress that goes with it. But, eventually, they’ll outgrow this and be ready for a twin mattress.
There are a few factors to consider, including firmness (medium-firm is best, Dr. Bauer says), mattress materials and whether your child has allergies (if they do, a hypoallergenic or organic mattress may be a better fit, says Dr. Ganjian. But, with a slew of mattress options out there, you’re near-guaranteed to find a twin mattress you and your child will love.
Twin mattresses have the same shelf life as other mattresses, which is in the range of seven to 10 years, depending on how much use the mattress gets over time and how it’s treated. It’s tempting to pass mattresses down between children—and you absolutely can do that—but there is a time limit to this practice. “Mattresses are not made to last a lifetime and typically need to be replaced every seven to 10 years—sometimes sooner depending on the type used and how roughly it’s been treated,” says Dr. Bauer. “Keep this in mind when passing down from one child to the next.”
It depends on the size of your teenager, but Dr. Bauer recommends upgrading to a full mattress. “Teenagers tend to need more space than a twin bed provides, and it’s usually about the time their childhood mattress is ready for replacement,” he says. “Opting for a full size—or larger—at this juncture is generally a good idea.”
One thing to keep in mind, per Dr. Ganjian: Most colleges have twin XL beds. “I’ve had patients with bigger mattresses who are really disappointed when they go off to college and have a twin bed,” he says. “It makes it harder for them to adjust to college life.”
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