With the change from the baby crib to the toddler bed, it is time to swap the baby mattress for the next larger version. However, adult mattresses are not suitable for children because they have completely different sleep needs.
A toddler bed is a safe and cozy place for your little one to sleep. A mattress that is too firm or too soft can be less than ideal in terms of safety and comfort, for both you and the child. If the mattress surface is too hard, it can cause pain in the neck - something that your baby needs to avoid when sleeping; if the mattress surface is too soft, it may not provide sufficient support and give rise to problems such as backache and poor postures... So what size mattress do I need for a toddler bed? Let's find out!
Why buy a special children's mattress?
From the age of 2 to 3 years or from a weight of 25 kg, the children usually move to a larger bed. Experts recommend providing the child with a mattress of at least 90 x 200 cm from this point on. Your child's spine is not yet fully grown and needs a children's mattress that only yields where pressure is exerted. In contrast to muscles, your child's bones grow much faster, so an unsuitable sleeping mat can damage the development of the spine. This in turn can cause bad posture, back pain, and tension.
Specially developed children's bed mattresses score with two different degrees of hardness, a special core for optimal comfort, and materials that have been tested for harmful substances. This way you can be sure that your little one's sleeping area is both safe and comfortable. In addition, a children's mattress has a fire-resistant cover, so it does not burn as quickly as an adult mattress.
An ideal children's mattress with a thickness of around 10 cm provides for sufficient stability and firmness. It also offers enough comfort to allow the child to have deep sleep without back problems or pain in the neck which could affect their spiritual development. A good night's sleep with a healthy spine means that there will be no problem getting up in the morning!
What do I have to look out for when buying a toddler bed mattress?
Choosing a suitable cot mattress is a challenge for many parents. After all, a good night's sleep is hugely important for the development of children and adolescents. Health, balance, and performance depend on the quality of sleep. The child's bones develop rapidly in the first 10 years, so it is important to provide them with the right sleeping environment.
The following points should be considered when purchasing a cot mattress:
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Timing:
When is the best time to buy a cot mattress? According to experts, it is best to do nothing before reaching 3 years of age. Until this point, there are no lasting changes in the shape of your child's body making them prone to problems with their spine later on in life. What's more, pediatricians recommend that the child should not sleep alone until they are six years old. Make sure you have an eye on this!
- Suitability for size:
What size mattress do I need for a toddler bed? A suitable children's mattress has a length of 90 cm or 100 cm and a width of at least 40 cm for beds up to 60 cm for tables with higher sides. If you opt for a mattress that is too small, your child's feet or head may hang over the bed and cause them to feel insecure.
- Material:
Make sure that the cot mattress does not contain harmful substances such as chlorine and phthalates and has no latex and wool allergens. A 30 cm high, thick children's mattress can be worth your money because it guarantees safety and enough comfort so that you do not have to worry about long-term health effects on your child's spine!
- Firmness:
What firmness level does your child prefer? Does he like to sleep on his belly or is he rather the side sleeper who needs something soft between their body and the floor? Think about which position they use most often when sleeping - this will show you what type of cot mattress would suit them best. If your child sleeps on their front, for example, it is recommended to buy a softer cot mattress so that there is enough cushioning between them and the floor.
- Fire safety:
A good cot mattress should be fire-resistant so that little ones are not burned when their bed catches fire! Cot mattresses must pass special safety tests to prove this feature. You should also pay attention to where you buy your children's mattress from, i.e., check that it is produced in accordance with EN 1130-1.
- Maintenance level:
Although your baby's sleep time will only be limited during the first few years of life, you may want to give some thought to how much effort you should put into cleaning the children's mattrass . Once again, the materials and quality of the mattress play an important role here.
- Storage:
Before you buy a mattress, think about how it is stored during the daytime. If there is no comfortable place free in your child's room or if space in their room is limited, you should consider buying a sofa version of children's beds. This way, there will be more space available once they have gone to bed!
- Warranty:
If possible, check whether your future cot mattress has a warranty or at least some kind of insurance that protects against damage such as tears and burns that may occur over time. A warranty on your children's cot mattress is an indication of quality!
What mattress size do you need for a toddler bed?
The size of the children's mattress should be at least 90x200. However, depending on the space in the children's room, larger mattresses are increasingly being chosen. Larger mattresses have the advantage that you can snuggle up to your child while falling asleep or reading the bedtime story.
The standard sizes for children's mattresses are: 90x190 | 90x200 | 100x200 | 120x200 | 140x200 cm
The sizes of children's mattresses as a table
The optimal size of a mattress for children is another thing: every child grows at different speeds, which is why the mattress size can only be assigned to a certain age to a limited extent. A good guide is the rule of thumb that the mattress should be at least 20 cm larger than your body size. This leaves at least 10 cm of space at the head and foot end. Here is a small overview table:
- Baby & toddler age: 60 x 120 cm or 70 x 140 cm
- 3-4 years: 70 x 140 cm or 90 x 200 cm
- From 5-6 years: 90 x 200 cm, 100 x 200 cm or 120 x 210 cm
The material of a toddler bed mattress
One criterion that should definitely not be neglected when looking for the perfect children's mattress is the question of material. But don't worry, it's actually not difficult to make the right choice here! The most important are just these criteria to begin with:
- Free from harmful substances: The immune system is not yet fully developed in children. It is all the more important to create a healthy, natural sleeping environment with furniture made from untreated solid wood.
- Breathability: With children's mattresses, it is even more important than with adults that moisture is quickly transported away and balanced so that a dry bed climate can remain and no mites and bacteria can nestle.
- Hygiene factor: Regardless of whether the child is sweating heavily with the flu or has a little mishap every now and then at night: It is important that the mattress cover can be cleaned without any problems. We, therefore, recommend children's mattresses with covers that can be quickly removed and washed at 60°C.
If these three factors are taken into account when choosing, you have already done everything right when it comes to the material of the children's mattress! By the way: Regardless of the material, we recommend letting every new mattress air out for a few days after unpacking.
Conclusion:
As you can see, the purchase of a children's mattress is not difficult. You should just pay attention to certain criteria. A good cot mattress provides your child with the best possible sleeping conditions!