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Best mattresses for kids 2026: supportive, comfy mattresses tested by kids & approved by parents
Finding the best mattress for your child just got easier. Our parent-approved guide to the best kids’ mattresses ensures comfort and support for happier, healthier sleep all night long.
By Jenny Wonnacott | Last updated Dec 30, 2025
Choosing the best mattress for your child is an important purchase and one you’ll want to feel confident about. Kids do most of their growing at night so, just as you wouldn’t shove any old shoes on their feet without checking they were comfy and fitted well, you should ensure that their mattress will offer great support at night and continue to support them as they grow.
Here at Mumsnet, we know how important sleep is for parents. Drawing on the expertise of over 8 million Mumsnetters, we've got you covered with tried-and-tested recommendations for every stage. We helped you choose the best cot mattress for your little one, showed you our pick of the best swaddles and gave you inside knowledge on gadgets like white noise machines to save your sleep - and your sanity - in those early days.
Best kids' mattresses: at a glance
Best mattress for kids overall: Silentnight Healthy Growth Miracoil Children's Mattress | £190
Best mattress for kids budget buy: Jay-Be Simply Kids Foam-Free Sprung Mattress | £90
Best European single mattress for kids: Simba Hybrid Essential Mattress | £649
Best mattress for kids with allergies: Naturalmat Natural Teen Mattress | £780
Best premium mattress for kids: Soak and Sleep Pillowtop Mattress | £1,250
Best natural mattress for kids: Little Green Sheep Natural Junior Mattress | £346
Best mattress for teens and tweens: IKEA VALEVÅG Pocket Sprung Mattress | £149
Best memory foam mattress for kids: Horizon Odyssey Memory Foam Mattress | £245
Best double mattress for kids: Silentnight 3 Zone Memory Foam Rolled Mattress | £209
When we set out looking for the best kids’ mattresses, we started with the most important people - parents who’ve been there and know which mattresses are really worth their salt. In our search for the best mattresses for kids' beds - from toddler beds to bunk beds - we trawled the Mumsnet forums with a fine-toothed comb looking for Mumsnetters that were so happy with their mattress buys that they wanted to recommend them to others - as well as information on which mattresses to avoid.
We also took note of expert and consumer reviews - how pleased customers were with their mattresses and also how well the company responded if parents decided the mattress wasn’t for them after all. Mattresses are one of those purchases where the aftercare really matters and longevity is key.
So which mattresses do parents really rate? After extensive research, these are the best mattresses for kids.
Best mattress for kids overall
Silentnight Healthy Growth Miracoil Children's Mattress
Five-year guarantee
Designed to support your child's growth
100% natural cover
Some buyers report it's firmer than they expected
Key specs
Price on writing: £191| Type: Miracoil spring system | Depth: 23cm | Surface finish: Microquilted | Dimensions: L190 x W90 x D23cm
Designed to give the best support for kids’ growing bodies, combined with great quality and of course, a comfy nights’ sleep, Silentnight’s Healthy Growth Junior Mattress is our pick for the best overall kids’ mattress.
Traditional bonnel springs provide zoned support at the back, hips and shoulders, and a medium-firm tension helps align the spine. Hypoallergenic and breathable fibres keep your child cool during the night and also help those with allergies sleep better. What’s more, the mattress is made from fibres produced using recycled bottles, so you can sleep a little easier knowing that you’re taking care of the earth too.
Related: Best mattress protectors for bedwetting, allergies and more
Best mattress for kids budget buy
Can be used with a bunk bed or high sleeper
Excellent price for those on a budget
Five-year guarantee
Hypoallergenic
Reviews suggest it’s more suitable for younger children - teens may not find it quite so comfy
Key specs
Price on writing: £90 | Type: Coil sprung | Depth: 16cm | Tension: Medium | Sizes: Single, European single, small double, shorty
A decent mattress for under £100 is quite a rarity so we were impressed with how good this Jay-Be mattress is.
It’s a basic sprung mattress, which has coil springs to support the body evenly and three comfort layers on top that offer an open-cell structure for maximum breathability. But it isn't the most plush of the mattresses, and some reviews suggest it's best suited to toddlers and younger children. However, for its price, we think it does an excellent job and it’s guaranteed for five years too.
Related: Toddler sleep regression survival tips from a sleep consultant
Best European single mattress for kids
Keeps them cool in bed
Hybrid materials
200-day trial
10-year guarantee
Should last from age three to adult
No built-in mattress protector - a Simba one costs £90
Quite expensive
Key specs
Price on writing: From £659 | Type: Continuous coil and memory foam | Depth: 25cm | Tension: Medium | Sizes: Kids, single, European single, small double, EU double, EU queen, king, superking
What Mumsnet users say
Available in every bed size imaginable - including EU single - this hybrid mattress from Simba impressed us on almost every front. Firstly, it’s a bed in a box, so delivery is easy, and getting it up the stairs is no problem either. Then you just sling it on the bed, unpack it and wait for it to ‘rise.’ If you’ve been deciding between a memory foam or sprung mattress, this gives you a bit of both. The feel of it is really comfy, with all the support of springs and all the cosy softness of memory foam. It’s also designed to have edge support, which will help prevent your child from rolling out of bed.
The mattress has five layers of open cell foam, springs and memory foam, and is engineered with more than 1,500 Aerocoil micro springs to support even the most fidgety of children in bed. On top, a layer of Simbatex foam, made with an open structure and heat-wicking graphite, helps to keep your child’s temperature regulated while in bed, even on hot nights.
Best of all, the Simba mattress comes with a 200-day free trial, so you have months to decide if it’s right for you, and it also has a 10-year guarantee. You can’t say fairer than that.
Best mattress for kids with allergies
Made from all natural and organic materials
Chemical free and hypoallergenic
Handcrafted in Devon
Natural cotton-wool cover makes it naturally fireproof
Easy to clean
Pricey
Doesn't include mattress protector
Key specs
Price on writing: £740 | Type: Organic coir and natural latex mattress | Depth: 17cm | Surface finish: GREENFIRST® (a plant-based treatment made from eucalyptus, lavender and lemon extract) | Dimensions: L190 x W90cm x D17cm
What Mumsnet users say
Tested by Mumsnet editor Rebecca Roberts: Read our in-depth Naturalmat Natural Teen Mattress review
If your child suffers with allergies including hayfever or a sensitivity to dust mites, this all-natural, hypoallergenic mattress from Naturalmat is a great option. Made from all-natural materials including coconut coir and natural latex, the mattress offers a very firm base as well as breathability.
Our tester Rebecca, whose son has been using the mattress nightly for several months, was particularly impressed with its level of comfort, high quality feel and how well it has helped improve her son's hayfever and dust sensitivity at night. "As a parent," she said, "I'm confident that this mattress is offering the right support for my growing child and I'm happy with how well he's taken to his 'big boy bed' since it arrived."
Although it's a little pricey at £740, it is reversible and there's a 10 year guarantee in place, which wins big points in the value for money stakes.
Best premium mattress for kids
Temperature-regulating filling
Super comfortable
Expensive
Key specs
Price on writing: £1,250 | Type: Pocket sprung | Depth: 30cm | Tension: Medium | Sizes: Single, small double, double, king, superking, emperor
For a truly dreamy nights’ sleep, Soak and Sleep’s impressive pillowtop mattress is an investment your child will enjoy for many years. Handmade to order by expert craftspeople at the company’s factory in Yorkshire, the company have been making beds and mattresses since 1840. This one contains 8250 pocket springs, which move independently of each other, contouring precisely around the body to provide ultimate comfort.
While price is an obvious drawback, if you’re looking to splash out on a premium mattress that will last a lifetime, Mumsnetters agree you can’t go wrong with Soak and Sleep.
Best natural mattress for kids
Available in a European size and custom sizes
Natural and hypoallergenic
Mattress can only be sponged clean (mattress protector available separately)
Quite thin at 13cm
Key specs
Price on writing: £346 | Type: Foam | Depth: 13cm | Tension: Medium-firm | Sizes: Single
If a natural approach is important to you, look no further than Little Green Sheep, which eco-conscious Mumsnetters rate highly.
While their cot mattresses are a particular favourite among parents, their single mattress is suitable from 12 months to 12 years. And you’d be more than happy to put a toddler to sleep on it thanks to its coconut coir filling, wool and natural Latex, and absolutely no nasties whatsoever for them to be breathing in.
One of the things we really love is that this mattress is available via the Little Green Sheep website in a European size, so will fit an IKEA bed, but you can also have it made in any customised size you want to fit any space at all.
Best mattress for teens and tweens
Affordable price
10-year guarantee
Arrives ready rolled
One-sided so can’t be flipped
Key specs
Price on writing: From £189 | Type: Pocket sprung | Depth: 24cm | Tension: Firm or medium-firm | Sizes: Single, small double, double, king, superking
What Mumsnet users say
It’s a stereotype supported by science - teens and tweens need more sleep, and often at different times to the rest of the family. As they’ll likely be spending a lot of time in their bed, it makes sense to pick a great mattress for older kids and teens. You can count on IKEA for affordable, simple, good-quality furniture, so it’ll come as no surprise to find an IKEA mattress in our round-up. Valevag (formerly Hovag) is a basic pocket-sprung mattress with a generous foam layer to add extra comfort and support.
The mattress has a reinforced edge, so sitting on the edge won’t damage it - perfect for teens who tend to use their bed as a gaming chair, homework area and hangout zone as well as for sleeping.
Best memory foam mattress for kids
Excellent reviews
Features a knitted cover for extra cosiness
Great for older kids
Includes handles for turning easily
Memory foam mattresses are not recommended for younger children, ie toddlers
Key specs
Price on writing: From £245 | Type: Memory foam | Depth: 23 cm | Tension: Medium | Sizes: Single, small double, double, king, superking
Winner of a Which? Best Buy award, the Horizon Odyssey Memory Foam mattress offers the luxurious-feel of body-moulding memory foam with an affordable price tag. Memory foam is heat and pressure sensitive, responding to your child’s body shape and providing amazing comfort and support.
While it's not the cheapest mattress on our list (but far from the most expensive) many reviewers praise its high quality and superior level of comfort, with many buying it for themselves as well as choosing it for their kids. While it's important to note that memory foam isn't the best choice for younger children due to them needing a firmer level of support, it's a great choice for older kids and teenagers.
The Horizon Odyssey features a hypoallergenic cover and has useful handles for ease of turning.
Best double mattress for kids
Anti-allergy
Tailored comfort
The mattress can’t be cleaned, so it’s best to get a mattress protector
Some reviewers found the initial smell unpleasant
Key specs
Price on writing: £205 | Type: Memory foam | Depth: 18cm | Tension: Medium | Sizes: Single, EU single, double, EU double, king, EU king, superking
What Mumsnet users say
Whether you’re buying for an older child or you find yourself squeezed into a single bed to soothe a younger one most nights, many Mumsnetters swear by double mattresses for kids. This memory foam mattress from Silentnight has 3 comfort zones which respond to your body and relieve pressure across your shoulders, back and hips. Because the mattress moulds to your body, it’s comfortable both for you and your child to sleep on - although it can’t do anything about late-night wriggliness.
What’s more, the mattress includes anti-allergy purotex fibres, which work to protect against dust mites. With a medium tension, it’s not too soft and not too firm - perfect if you or your child is a side-sleeper.
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 with a particular focus on pregnancy, child and baby care product guides, articles and reviews. As a mum of three, Jenny has extensive hands-on experience in all of the Mumsnet content she writes about. She is passionate about sourcing, testing and thoroughly researching the products which make every stage of parenting easier, from the best pregnancy pillow to the most reassuring baby monitor as well as top kids' toys, games and tech.