10 of the best kids' bedding sets

It's important to remember that a duvet is not recommended for children under 1 year – read our safe sleep guidelines for babies and remember there's no rush to move on from a sleeping bag. We also have more bedding recommendations, including best mattresses for kids and babies, and even the best pillows to help you get that much needed rest too.

Best kids' bedding sets at a glance

• Best bedding for zip fastening: M&S Cotton Blend Safari Bedding Set, from £12
• Best all in one bedding set: Paw Patrol 4 Tog Kids Bedding Bundle – Toddler, £25
• Best sustainable bedding set: Kabode Organic Cotbed Duvet Set – Alphabet Print, £49.95
• Best cooling bedding set: Panda London Bamboo White Bedding Set, from £110
• Best durable bedding set: The White Company Easy-Care Sleepy Bunny Bed Linen Set, from £38
• Best budget bedding set: Asda Star & Check Single Duvet Set of 2, £18
• Best bedding set for washing well: Dino Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set, from £12
• Best bedding set for bed wetting: Night Owl Junior Children's 2-in-1 Waterproof Single Fitted Sheet, £30
• Best bedding set for double beds: Unicorn Enchanted Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set, from £12
• Best bedding set for convenience: Night Owl Junior Children's Grey Coverless Duvet & Pillowcase Set, £50

What to consider when choosing bedding for your child

Size of the bed – Before setting your heart on a duvet set you love, ensure it's the right size for your child's bed. Not all duvet covers are standard sized, but for ease all the ones in the list below are. We've included cotbed, double bed and single bed sets. Some of the duvet covers come in multiple sizes, so just double check it's going to fit your child's bed.

Fastenings – Changing a bed can be extremely tiresome. If you know you're going to have to be washing and changing the bed quite often, perhaps due to bed wetting, then it might be a good idea to opt for a duvet cover that has easy fastenings such as poppers or zips rather than buttons which can be slightly more time-consuming.

Washing – As previously mentioned, ensure the bedding is easy to wash. We have included the care instructions in the specifications of each product to help you decide.

Bed wetting – If your child wets the bed, you may want to consider special items designed to cope with this. We've included a waterproof fitted sheet in the list. It's also a good idea to get a set that's very easy to wash and dry, and keep a back-up set to hand.

Fabric – Many duvet covers are cotton, however, if you want a sustainable option there are some alternatives. We've included some organic options, and you could also consider bamboo, which helps keep your child cool throughout the night.

Bundles – For excellent value it might be worth buying a bundle. Buying each part separately can be more costly than buying a big bedding bundle, so keep your eyes peeled for these as you can find great bargains.

Our pick of the best kids' bedding sets

1. M&S Cotton Blend Safari Bedding Set, from £12

– Best for zip fastening

Included: Duvet cover, pillowcase |Sizes: Toddler, single | Fastening: Zip | Fabric: Cotton, polyester | Care: Wash at 40°, tumble dry at low

Making a bed can be a time consuming job. M&S tries to make this job that little bit easier by adding a zip fastening instead of buttons or poppers (which take a lot longer and may keep coming undone). I'm sure we've all buttoned up a duvet wrong and had to start all over again, and the zip stops annoying things like that happening.

Parent tester Catrina uses M&S bedding with her 7 year old stepson and highly recommends it, "They wash really well, have a nice feel to them and the zip is amazing instead of buttons."

We particularly love this safari print for a pop of colour, which is appealing for both children and parents. If you do fancy a change, it's reversible with the same safari print on a blue background.

The set is available in toddler bed and single bed size and can be easily washed and tumble dried at a low temperature. The fabric is also non-iron with an antibacterial finish.

Pros: Quick and easy zip fastening, antibacterial finish, reversible pattern, non-iron, affordable
Cons: Not available for double beds

Available from: Marks & Spencer

2. Argos Kids Character Bedding Bundle – Toddler, £25

– Best for all in one

Included: Duvet cover, pillowcase, duvet & pillow | Sizes: Toddler | Fastening: Button | Fabric: Polyester (duvet & pillow filling), polycotton (cover) | Care: Wash at 30°, tumble dryer safe

Argos's bedding bundle is excellent value and limits the amount of shopping you need to do. Parent tester Kayleigh uses the Argos bedding bundles with her 2 year old daughter (pictured) "I love that they come with everything you need, minus a sheet, so you don't have to buy multiple products from multiple places."

There are a few characters available, including Paw Patrol bedding featuring members of the Paw Patrol team. The duvet cover featuring button fastenings, pillowcase, duvet and pillow is all packaged up in a bag and comes in toddler bed size.

The duvet can be machine washed and line dried, the pillowcase and duvet cover are tumble dryer safe.

Kayleigh did mention that the pillow is quite thin, but as this is for a toddler bed this is good for safety reasons.

Pros: Everything comes together, excellent value, fun character design
Cons: Only comes in toddler bed size, Button fastenings, no sheet included

Available from: Argos

3. Kabode Organic Cotbed Duvet Set – Alphabet Print, £49.95

– Best for sustainability

Included: Duvet cover, pillowcase | Sizes: Cotbed, cot | Fastening: Button | Fabric: Organic cotton | Care: Wash at 40°, tumble dry at low heat

This Kabode duvet set is made from 100% organic cotton, making it a great sustainable choice. Not only that but the brand donates 1% of its annual profit to fund environmental projects to slow climate change, and for every product sold they donate a mosquito net to a child in Malaria-rife areas. So, you know that when you buy Kabode bedding, your money is going to a good place.

The fun alphabet print is a lovely addition to your child's bedroom. MFM Digital Journalist, Janet tried this bedding in her 20 month old daughter's cot (pictured above) and loved how it looked, "I absolutely loved the alphabet pattern print on the pillow and duvet cover! Very childlike but still aesthetically pleasing for parents."

The set includes a duvet cover with button fastening and pillowcase and it's available in both cot and cotbed size.

Even though it's made of organic cotton, it's still machine washable and tumble dryer safe. After washing the bedding Janet found, "The duvet cover and pillowcase was still soft to touch, breathable and the print was still looking as good as new." She went on to say, "The cotton feels like it's really good quality and will last a long time even after multiple washes."

Pros: Sustainable organic cotton, contribute to slow climate change, donate mosquito nets, parent and child pleasing pattern, washes well
Cons: Not available in standard single size, slower button fastening

Available from: Mamas & Papas, Scandiborn and Kiddies Kingdom

4. Panda London Bamboo White Bedding Set, from £110

– Best for cooling

Included: Duvet cover, pillowcase, fitted sheet | Sizes: Single, double, kingsize, super kingsize | Fastening: Button | Fabric: Bamboo | Care: Machine washable, line dry

Bamboo fabric is breathable and the natural fibres can help regulate your child's temperature throughout the night. The bamboo also makes it smooth and soft to touch, and it has anti-allergy properties, making it kind to sensitive skin.

The set comes with a duvet cover, pillow case and fitted sheet – an added bonus over most other duvet sets. The duvet cover has bamboo button fastening.

When it comes to washing the bedding, bamboo is very absorbent so with each wash it will retain more water making the fabric softer. However, because of this, the bedding is likely to shrink up to 4% during the first 3-4 washes. Panda London has allowed for this by making the bedding 4% larger.

The sets are available in single, double, kingsize and super kingsize. They are a luxury and this is reflected in the price.

Pros: Cooling temperature regulating bamboo, anti-allergy properties, comes with a fitted sheet, softer with each wash, available in large amount of sizes
Cons: Quite expensive, to allow for shrinkage will be big at first use, button fastening

Available from: Dunelm and Amazon

5. The White Company Easy-Care Sleepy Bunny Bed Linen Set, from £38

– Best for durability

Included: Duvet cover, pillowcase| Sizes: Cotbed, single | Fastening: Button | Fabric: Cotton, polyester | Care: Machine washable

The White Company is known for its high quality and its children's bedding is no different. It's durable, made from quality fabrics and likely to last a long time.

Parent tester Stacey uses The White Company bedding for her 4 year old daughter's bed (pictured above) and said, "I like that they look great but also that they wash really well and dry really quickly."

This particular adorable bunny set is a lovely subtle design for a bedroom or nursery. It has lots of little hearts all around the bunny print.

The duvet cover with button fastening and pillowcase is available in cotbed and single bed size sets. The cotton rich fabric makes it easy to wash and means it doesn't really need to be ironed.

Pros: High quality, long lasting, washes well, dries quickly, adorable print, no need to be ironed
Cons: Button fastening, not available for double beds

Available from: The White Company

6. Asda Star & Check Single Duvet Set of 2, £18

– Best budget buy

Included: 2 Duvet covers, 1 pillowcase| Sizes: Cotbed, single | Fastening: Popper | Fabric: Cotton, polyester | Care: Machine wash at 40°, tumble dryer safe

For budget yet good quality bedding, George at Asda is fantastic. Our top testers highly recommended Asda including, parent tester Charlotte who has used Asda bedding with her 4-year-old daughter since she was 2. She says, "they are good value for money and there are always lots of designs to choose from that my daughter likes."

We particularly like this star and check set of 2 for just £18. The multi set includes 2 reversible duvet covers with popper fastening and pillowcases in a standard single bed size, and it's great for older kids who want something a bit more grown up than a character print.

The bedding can be machine washed at 40° and tumble dried.

Pros: Great value, get 2 reversible duvet covers and pillowcases
Cons: Popper fastening, only available in single size

Available from: Asda

7. The Little Silk Cot Bed Fitted Sheet, £95

– Best for eczema-prone skin

Included: Silk fitted sheet| Sizes: Cotbed, Moses basket | Fastening: N/A | Fabric: Mulberry silk, cotton | Care: Machine wash or handwash at 30°

Made with luxurious mulberry silk, The Little Silk cot bed fitted sheet has so much to offer. It has many benefits including being naturally hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial. It claims to help combats baby bald spots, and keeps the body cool and hydrated. It's also gentle on sensitive or eczema-prone skin as the silk is breathable and soft on the skin.

"The quality of this fitted sheet is just amazing – I want one for myself! I mainly use it to combat hair loss and knotting that can occur with afro hair when sleeping on cotton bedding. I tried making my own DIY version but this just does the trick and looks so pretty too," commented MFM Digital Journalist Janet, who tested this with her 22-month-old daughter.

You can get the sheet in full silk or opt for half cotton and half silk. They also come in a range of different colours to suit your child's bedroom theme.

Though mulberry silk is a delicate fabric, you can still machine wash the sheet if need be. Just ensure you use silk-safe detergent and keep the temperature no higher than 30° on a delicate washing machine setting.

Pros: Washes well, colour options, combats hair loss, great for sensitive skin
Cons: Expensive

Available from: The Little Silk

8. Night Owl Junior Children's 2-in-1 Waterproof Single Fitted Sheet, £30

– Best for bed wetting

Included: Fitted sheet| Sizes: Single | Fastening: N/A | Fabric: Cotton, polyurethane (waterproof reverse)| Care: Machine washable at 40°, tumble dry on low

Slightly different to the other bedding and duvet sets, but just as important, is the fitted sheet. If your child has accidents, even just occasionally, then this waterproof fitted sheet is ideal.

The reverse layer of the bedsheet is made from polyurethane and is 100% waterproof. The other side is sustainably sourced soft cotton.

The sheet comes in a lovely light grey colour with a matching bag to store it in when not in use. When it comes to washing, it's really easy, just pop it in the washing machine at 40° and tumble dry on a low temperature.

Pros: Waterproof sheet, easy to wash, comes with little bag for storage, sustainably sourced cotton
Cons: Only available in single size

Available from: Fine Bedding

9. Unicorn Enchanted Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set, from £12

– Best for double beds

Included: Duvet cover, pillowcase | Sizes: Cotbed, single, double | Fastening: Button | Fabric: Cotton, polyester | Care: Machine washable, tumble dry on low

It can be difficult to find cute and young childish designs in double bed size. If your child does have a double bed then Dunelm is a great option for this as it offers lots of patterns and designs from cotbed all the way up to double.

This Enchanted Unicorn design is one of our favourites with its childish charm that's subtle enough to please parents. Much like the other Dunelm bedding set, this too is reversible with a gorgeous floral design on the over side.

The polycotton fabric is easy-care, pop it in the washing machine and tumble dry on low. The only downside is that it has button fastening which can be slightly time consuming.

Pros: Available for double beds, gorgeous design, reversible, washes well, affordable
Cons: Button fastenings

Available from: Dunelm

10. Night Owl Junior Children's Grey Coverless Duvet & Pillowcase Set, £50

– Best for convenience

Included: Coverless duvet, pillowcase | Sizes: Single | Fastening: N/A | Fabric: Polycotton (cover), Polyester (filling) | Care: Machine washable at 40°, tumble dry

This coverless duvet makes washing and changing your child's bed quick and easy. It requires no cover and it's suitable for washing at 40° and is tumble dryer safe on a cool setting. You may think it would take longer than a standard duvet cover to dry, but in fact it can be dried in 90 minutes. However, as it's the whole duvet that needs washing and drying you will need a fairly big washing machine and dryer, it may not be a good choice for those who dry things on a washing line or airer.

The set includes a grey starry patterned coverless duvet and pillowcase in standard single size.

Pros: Makes changing the bed quick and easy as no cover needed, quick drying
Cons: Only available in single size and may need big washing machine/tumble dryer

Available from: Fine Bedding and John Lewis

Read more…

• Best mattress covers and protectors for children and babies
• How to get your toddler to sleep in their own bed
• 10 of the best baby mattresses