Best mattress for kids for a comfortable night's sleep – tried and tested

To help you find the best mattress for your child, we researched the mattress market and found what we believe to be some of the best mattresses for kids. Then, to ensure they really are the best, we tested them. With the tester's honest feedback you should be able to find a mattress to suit your child.

For babies, we also have a round up of the best baby mattresses. If your child is struggling to sleep you might want to consider sleep aids or a white noise machine, and for you we have tried and tested the best pillows to make sure caregivers get a comfortable night's sleep too. Looking for a mattress for yourself? We've tested out the best mattresses on the market to help you get a better nights sleep.

Sponsored by Dunelm

Find comfort and joy this Christmas with Dunelm

Dunelm offers some brilliant ways to bring your children the magic of the festive season this Christmas.

• Santa Dino Navy Duvet Cover & Pillowcase Set, £8-£10 | For kids who are fans of dinosaurs, this duvet set will make their Christmas. The reversible set features Santa, his reindeer and dinosaur on one side, with a Christmas tree geometric pattern on the other side.
• Catherine Lansfield Grey Cosy Snowman Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set, £24-£45 | This super-cosy bedding is made from fleece and comfy sherpa material. It features a snowman with falling snowflakes in the background.
• Peppa Pig Christmas Duvet Cover & Pillowcase Set, £16-£18 | Join Peppa, George and Suzy on a festive adventure this Christmas season. This set is reversible so can be changed between a bright red to a fun turquoise.

Shop Dunelm’s Christmas range

Best kids mattresses at a glance

• Best hybrid mattress: The Simba Hybrid Kids Mattress, £499
• Best mattress for older kids: Emma Original Mattress, £386.40
• Best natural mattress: Little Green Sheep Natural Junior Mattress Single, £345.95
• Best mattress for bunk beds: Stompa S Flex Airflow Mattress, £173.35
• Best mattress for anti-slip base: Eve The Original Mattress, £269
• Best mattress for transitioning from cot: Silentnight Healthy Growth Cosy Toddler Mattress, £104.95
• Best sustainable mattress: Jay-Be Quest Q3 Deep Micro E-Pocket Kids Single Mattress, £224.99
• Best waterproof mattress: SnüzSurface Max Juniior Mattress, £249.95
• Best mattress for allergies: Jay-Be Just Kids Anti-Allergy Just Sprung Mattress, £149
• Best mattress for fidgety sleepers: Silentnight Healthy Growth Starry Natural Pocket Mattress, £329

What to look for when choosing a mattress for your child

Sleeping position – How your child sleeps – front, back or side – will play a role in deciding which mattress is best for them. Side sleepers tend to prefer a softer mattress whilst back and front sleepers usually prefer a much firmer mattress.

Mattress type – There are many different types of mattresses to choose from; coil, hybrid, foam, pocket spring, E-pocket and many more. Each offers a slightly different feel and functionality, which contributes to their firmness, longevity, and (of course) cost.

Type of bed – It's important to consider where the mattress is going. If your child has a bunk bed, then you may need to find a mattress of a specific depth to fit. The bottom bunk usually requires a thicker mattress than the top bunk. Children's beds can come in a number of different sizes too, so it's always important to measure and make sure the mattress will fit your child's bed perfectly.

Child's weight and age – How heavy and old your child is will really help determine which mattress you should get. Heavier children may need a firmer mattress so they don't just sink into it. If you're buying for a young child, you might want to buy one that will grow with them and last a long time.

Firmness – Much like many of the other factors, firmness is down to preference, sleeping position, weight and lots of other factors but it's important to know which firmness you're after before purchasing.

Temperature – Some mattresses help regulate your child's temperature, while some materials (like foam) can run warmer. If your child gets hot whilst sleeping, opting for a mattress which has high ventilation is a good idea to ensure your child stays cool throughout the night.

Allergies – Some mattresses have anti-allergy claims, so if your child has sensitive skin or is prone to allergies, these can be really useful to prevent rashes or reactions from occurring. If this is something you're very concerned about, take a look at the Jay-Be Anti- Allergy mattress (number 9 on the list). To keep your mattress clean and make it last longer, take a look at our best cordless vacuum cleaners that include special mattress cleaning attachments to remove dust regularly.

Bed wetting – If your child wets the bed or maybe has the occasional accident, getting a mattress with a waterproof cover can really save you time and money when it comes to cleaning the mattress. If this is something you're after, take a look at the SnuzSurface mattress (number 8 on the list).

Price – With cost of living, buying an expensive mattress may not seem like the best idea to you, and, depending on your circumstances it may be better to buy a budget mattress. However, a good mattress can last your child many years and with a high price tag does usually come durability, so the cheapest may not be the best value overall. If you want a mattress to last do you don't have to repurchase one a year down the line, then making an investment into a high quality mattress may be a good idea. Some mattresses on the list have long guarantees, too.

Our pick of the best mattresses for kids for a supportive and comfortable sleep

1. The Simba Hybrid Kids Mattress, £499

– Best hybrid mattress

Size: L190cm x W90cm x H16cm (standard single) | Type: Hybrid (foam & springs) | Firmness: Medium-firm | Removable cover: No

"If you're looking for a supportive children's mattress that will last for many years to come, and that's also more than adequate for parents to sleep on too, then I couldn't recommend the Simba Hybrid Mattress enough," said MFM community manager, Dani, who tested this mattress with her 9 year old daughter (pictured above).

The Simba Hybrid Mattress makes the most of all the technology in the mattress market right now, combining titanium Aerocoil springs and CertiPUR foam layers for the best of both worlds. It's soft to touch and has a breathable sleep surface with a cooling open-cell foam layer to keep your child cool in the warmer months.

Dani continued to compliment the mattress, "We moved from a classic sprung children's mattress to this and can truly say my child's comfort levels have increased hugely and she's sleeping in of a morning! My daughter is on the heavier side but she feels truly supported using this mattress. When she sits on her bed it doesn't dip but evenly carries her weight."

Simba offers a 1 year trial, so you can buy the mattress, give it a go, and if you're not happy with it get your money back.

The mattress should fit in most kids bed frames, including bunk beds. However, our tester did find that it's quite a shallow mattress (16cm) so it did make the bed feel a bit lower.

All the materials are recyclable and made in the UK and the packaging is up to 60% recycled.

Pros: Offers enough support for heavier children, durable, cooling, environmentally friendly, 1 year trial
Cons: Quite a shallow mattress, no removable cover

Available from: Simba Sleep, Mattress Online and Amazon

2. Emma Original Mattress - Double, £386.40

– Best for older kids

Size: L190cm x W135cm x H25cm (standard double) | Type: Memory foam | Firmness: Medium | Removable cover: Yes

This mattress is great for older children and can actually be used into adulthood too as it's not a mattress specifically made for children.

It's a memory foam mattress with 3 layers of pressure relieving foam. Much like the Simba mattress, this too has technology to help keep your child cool and regulate their temperature to stop them overheating at night.

The medium firmness makes this mattress suitable for all sleeping positions.

MFM community manager Dani tested this mattress with her 13 year old daughter, Georgie (pictured above), and said, "After releasing the mattress from its vacuumed pack and once it reached its full potential, it's like laying in a hug for your body. You can feel every part of your body snuggly supported and having shared the bed with my daughter on the odd occasion you can't feel the movement from the other person in the bed."

Georgie commented on the mattress herself, "It's firmer than my old mattress but you kind of sink into it at the same time. It makes getting out of bed really hard!"

I have also tested this mattress myself and it's the most comfortable mattress I've ever slept on, it cradles your body very well and the smooth memory foam mean no springs digging into you!

Thanks to its removable and machine-washable top cover, the mattress is easy to keep clean and fresh.

We tested the double size but you can get the Emma Mattress in a wide variety of sizes from UK and EU single to Super King size.

Again, much like Simba, Emma offers a 200 night trial, and if your child doesn't love the mattress you can send it back. It also has a 10-year guarantee so the mattress should last your child a very long time.

Pros: Comes in lots of sizes for children and adults, cooling technology, very supportive, machine washable cover, 10-year guarantee, 200 night trial
Cons: Not specifically a children's mattress

Available from: Emma Sleep and Mattress Online

3. Little Green Sheep Natural Junior Mattress Single, £345.95

– Best natural mattress

Size: L190cm x W90cm x H13cm (standard single) | Type: Natural latex | Firmness: Medium-firm | Removable cover: No

The Little Green Sheep Junior Mattress is made using all natural materials. It's free from chemicals and any fire retardant sprays. It's also naturally hypo-allergenic, meaning it absorbs moisture and prevents dust mites and bacteria growth.

Even the inside is natural, instead of using springs or foam, the core of the mattress is made from coconut fibres and natural latex which act like the springs. On top of this, there's a layer of natural latex rather than the more popular memory foam.

MFM Marketing Manager Emma tested this mattress (pictured above) with her son aged 7 and commented on the mattress' natural make up. "The entire mattress, including the outside cover and quilting is 100% made from natural materials, so it's a great option if you're looking for an organic mattress. It's incredibly well made and feels luxurious."

Much like the Simba and Emma mattress this also aims to regulate your child's temperature in the warmer months and insulate your child in the colder weather.

There is no removable mattress cover so it's recommended that you buy one and if an accident does occur on the mattress without a cover, it can be sponge cleaned.

Little Green sheep also offers a 5-year guarantee.

Pros: Naturally made, hypo-allergenic, temperature regulating, good quality, 5-year guarantee
Cons: No removable cover

Available from: The Little Green Sheep, Amazon and Samuel Johnston

4. Stompa S Flex Airflow Mattress, £173.35

– Best for bunk beds

Size: L190cm x W90cm x H15cm (standard single) | Type: Foam | Firmness: Medium-firm | Removable cover: Yes

The Stompa mattress is ideal for bunk beds as it's less than 16cm deep and it comes in continental and UK single sizes. You can also get it in a small double size too. It's also one of the cheapest on this list so is excellent value if you need to buy for both top and bottom bunk.

MFM reviews and consumer editor Christy tested this mattress in her daughters' bunk bed and said, "My first impressions when pressing my hand onto it was that it feels much more comfortable than the previous mattress we used. The mattress itself feels firm and springy and the cover is very soft. It fits both beds really well whilst keeping within the recommended 15cm depth for a top bunk but still feeling comfy. It's a slightly snugger fit than our previous mattress which I like as it stops things rolling down the sides."

Although the mattress is not very deep, it still has lots of layers. It has a soft breathable top cover with hypoallergenic fibre to help reduce moisture and regulate your child's temperature. Next comes the airflow comfort layer which is bed bug resistant and helps even more with keeping your child cool. Below is the supportive base layer. This is all covered by a zip-off cover which can be easily machine washed at 30° which Christy said, "is very handy in case of accidents".

The mattress is delivered to your door vacuum packed which our tester liked as it made transporting the mattress upstairs a lot easier.

Pros: Ideal depth for bunk beds, has EU and UK sizes, has a removable machine washable cover, temperature regulating/cooling, comfortable
Cons: Quite thin if not being used for bunk beds

Available from: Amazon, Very and John Lewis

5. Eve The Original Mattress, £269

– Best for anti-slip base

Size: L190cm x W90cm x H24cm (standard single) | Type: Memory foam | Firmness: Medium-firm | Removable cover: No

This deep memory foam mattress has an anti-slip base to make sure the mattress stays in place on the bed. MFM Digital Journalist, Janet, tested this mattress (pictured above) with her son, and said, "The anti-slip base is helpful when you have an active child that likes to jump into his bed occasionally."

Above the anti-slip base is a foam layer, topped with a memory layer and another foam layer covered in a cover that wicks away moisture to stop your child getting hot and sweaty in bed.

However, unfortunately, there's no removable cover to make washing the mattress easy.

We tested the single mattress but you can get it in up to king size too and much like the Emma mattress, it's not specifically made for kids and can be used by adults too.

Janet loved that it came conveniently packaged in a box, "A mattress in a box? Definitely my first time seeing that!" Janet went on to praise to the mattress, "We unboxed the vacuum packed mattress and it was so soft and comfortable to touch. My son Jesse said he likes his new bed! After having a brief lie on it myself, I can see why, it's a super comfortable foam mattress and it softly takes on your body weight."

Also, like Simba and Emma, Eve Sleep offers a trial period, you can try the mattress for up to a year and if you're not happy get all your money back. Eve Sleep also has a 10-year warranty.

Pros: Anti-slip base, temperature regulating, conveniently packaged, high quality, 1 year trial period and 10-year guarantee
Cons: No removable cover and not specifically made for children

Available from: Eve Sleep, Very and Argos

6. Silentnight Healthy Growth Cosy Toddler Mattress, £104.95

– Best for transitioning from cot

Size: L140cm x W70cm x H10cm (toddler bed) | Type: Polyester core | Firmness: Firm | Removable cover: Yes

This toddler mattress is a brilliant first mattress for transitioning from cot to toddler bed. It's designed to fit cotbeds and character beds and is firm and supportive for your toddler.

The mattress has an odour resistant and firm polyester core with breathable outer fabric and cooling eco comfort fibres to help keep your toddler cool. It's also hypo-allergenic and chemical treatment free.

MFM Marketing Manager, Emma, tested this mattress in her daughter's toddler bed (pictured above). "The mattress is a perfect fit for my daughter's toddler bed. It has a soft cover with a lovely cloud design."

"I was pleased to see that the outside cover is fully removable and washable. It simply unzips and is easy to get off and on. My only reservation is that the mattress cover doesn't have a waterproof side," said Emma.

Pros: Great transition mattress, removable washable cover, temperature regulating
Cons: Will only last until child moves to standard single bed

Available from: Silentnight, Mattress Online and Argos

7. Jay-Be Quest Q3 Deep Micro E-Pocket Kids Single Mattress, £224.99

– Best for sustainability

Size: L190cm x W90cm x H18cm (standard single) | Type: E-Pocket | Firmness: Medium | Removable cover: No

The Jay-Be Quest Q3 mattress is not only great for your child but it's also kind to the environment too. "It stood out to us straight away that it's super eco-friendly (which is really appealing to us). It has qualities that are great for for us as well as the environment, from less land space, breathable comfort layer to foam free materials," said Parent tester Jessica, who tested this mattress with her 7 year old daughter (pictured above). Jay-be also help to protect wildlife and the materials are 100% recyclable.

The mattress is made up of lots of layers, starting with the base which has handles on the side which Jessica said, "made it super easy to transport onto her daughter's bed". Next comes the 3D spacer to enhance breathability and regulate temperature. This is followed by a high density e-Fibre base layer, deep e-Pocket to contour around your child's body, Micro e-Pocket and e-Fibre.

Jessica commented on the comfort and appearance of the mattress, "From the minute this mattress arrived we knew it was a great quality mattress, it looked so firm and full of thick spongy layers. Amelia absolutely loves her new mattress, it's so soft and bouncy with a gorgeously smooth knitted cover and quilted finish along the top layer."

Jessica even mentioned how it's helping her daughter sleep, "Amelia has a medical condition which means she struggles to get a good night's sleep, since using this mattress she's been staying in her bed a lot longer and waking up later."

The only downside is that this mattress doesn't come with a removable washable cover , which does make washing slightly difficult.

We tested the UK standard single but they also sell European singles too. Much like some of the other mattresses Jay-Be also has a 5-year guarantee.

Pros: Sustainable, temperature regulating, handles to transport, high quality, 5-year guarantee
Cons: No removable washable cover

Available from: Amazon, Argos and Very

8. SnuzSurface Max Junior Mattress, £249.95

– Best waterproof mattress

Size: L190cm x W90cm x H16cm (standard single) | Type: Pocket Spring | Firmness: Medium-firm | Removable cover: Yes

If your child is prone to having accidents then this Snüz mattress is ideal thanks to its waterproof surface and removable, machine washable cover. Parent tester Charlotte, who tested this mattress (pictured above) with her 5 year old daughter, said, "I really like that you can unzip the cover to wash it if needed."

The Snüz mattress also has a breathable surface to aim to keep your child cool at night with an anti-dust mite barrier.

The mattress is medium to firm and has pocket springs. Charlotte said, "Since having the new mattress her daughter has been staying in her bed all night which may just be a coincidence but either way I am taking it as a win. She has told me the mattress is very comfy. It seems really nice and firm."

"It was great that the mattress came in a compact box, the only downside is it had to be laid flat for 7 days before use," said tester Charlotte.

Snüz also offers a 5-year guarantee so you can rest assured this mattress should last your child a while.

Pros: Water proof surface, machine washable cover, temperature regulating, comes compactly packed
Cons: Have to leave the mattress laid flat for 7 days before use

Available from: Snuz, Wayfair and Amazon

9. Jay-Be Just Kids Anti-Allergy Just Sprung Mattress, £149

– Best for allergies

Size: L190cm x W90cm x H18cm (standard single) | Type: e-Pocket | Firmness: Medium | Removable cover: No

This Jay-Be mattress is slightly different to the previous one listed as it's specifically designed for children who are prone to allergies or have sensitive skin. Parent tester Donna tested this mattress with her 6 year old son who has eczema, with help from his little brother (pictured above) and said, "My son has slept well and found the mattress to be comfortable, the material has not irritated his eczema and he's had no issues with skin allergies."

The soft top of the mattress is Purotex treated with is a 100% natural probiotic technology to reduce the presence of dust-mite and pet allergens. Beneath this there's a breathable layer to help keep your child cool throughout the night, followed by a deep e-Pocket spring layer.

Donna was impressed that "the packaging was very compact," it comes vacuum packed and rolled up for easy transportation.

Much like the other Jay-Be mattress, this also has a 5-year guarantee and comes in both a UK single and European single size. It also aims to protect wildlife and use sustainable fillings and is 100% foam free. Unfortunately, this also means it does not have a removable machine washable cover either.

Pros: Good for allergies and sensitive skin, compact packaging, sustainable, 5-year guarantee
Cons: No removable machine washable cover

Available from: Very, Wayfair and Argos

10. Silentnight Healthy Growth Starry Natural Pocket Mattress, £329

– Best for fidgety sleepers

Size: L190cm x W90cm x H27cm (standard single) | Type: Pocket spring | Firmness: Medium | Removable cover: No

If your child moves around a lot at night, you need a mattress that you know will support them no matter how they are sleeping. This Silentnight mattress does just that. The layer of individual pocket springs adapts to your child's posture as they move throughout the night.

The mattress also has an airflow border and quilted sleep surface to help keep your child cool despite all their moving about.

It's hypoallergenic, foam free and FR chemical treatment free.

Unfortunately, unlike the Snüz, Emma, Stompa and other Silentnight mattress listed, this does not have a machine washable removable cover.

Pros: Supportive and adaptive for different postures, temperature regulating
Cons: No machine washable removable cover

Available from: Silentnight

Pics credit: Website pictures & MFM top tester pics

What type of mattress is best for a child?

The type of mattress best for your child is very dependent on your child's preferences and there is not one perfect mattress for all children.

However, Sleep Foundation², an organisation dedicated to improving public health and safety through public understanding of sleep says, "A child's weight affects how firm a mattress feels. Heavier children put more force on the bed, which can make it seem softer to them, whereas lighter children usually don't sink as much, which can make a bed seem firmer. Since children usually weigh less. Firmer models may be easier for children to move around on, while softer models will likely provide more cradling."

¹https://www.hopkinsallchildrens.org/ACH-News/General-News/The-importance-of-sleep-for-kids
²https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-mattress/best-mattress-for-kids