The Best Twin Mattresses for Kids

After a million hours of research, I liked the Helix Kids mattress enough to buy one for my four-year-old, and here’s why: The mattress is designed to be flipped—firm on one side for younger kids who need more support, and softer on the other side for older kids who want more comfort, meaning my daughter can literally grow up with this mattress. The mattress also has a ton of certifications that ensure it’s made with high-quality, naturally hypoallergenic materials. The 100 night sleep trial and 10 year warranty sealed the deal for us.

This flippable innerspring mattress is designed for kids 3-12 years old, and it ranks highly in numerous kids’ mattress round-ups, earning the top honor from Parents magazine. Both sides of the mattress feature an organic cotton cover that’s been treated with a water-resistent finish and a bacteria-reducing treatment called Guardin, giving it added protection from accidents. The Saatva Youth has a slightly higher price point than the Helix Kids, but it includes a 365 night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty for extra peace of mind. Saatva will even deliver, set-up, and eventually remove your mattress for you.

This is the mattress we chose for my older child who loves a nestled, cozy feeling. The memory foam layers deliver that level of comfort while also providing nice support. I appreciated the 180 night sleep trial and 10 year warranty. The comfort factor and price level are so good that this would be a great choice for a guest bedroom or beach house.

The Purple Mattress provides medium firm, foam-based support and a cool night’s sleep for hot and restless sleepers. Purple’s thing is The Grid, a proprietary hyper-elastic polymer grid that provides cradling and support as the sleeper moves. The mattress is made in the US and CertiPUR-US and Clean Air GOLD certified.

Ideal for young sleepers and eco-conscious parents, the Nolah Nurture 10, which has racked up top honors from The Sleep Foundation, Parents magazine, and Medical News Today, is a double-sided mattress with a firm side and a soft side. Naturally hypoallergenic and OEKO-TEX certified, this mattress is great for kids with allergies and/or asthma. If the mattress doesn’t meet your needs, Nolah offers free returns within 120 nights, plus a limited lifetime warranty to address any defects.

This memory foam mattress is extremely popular for kids and adults alike, thanks, in part to its extremely reasonable price tag. On top of that, Nectar offers free returns and a lifetime warranty. The Sleep Foundation ranked Nectar’s memory foam mattress the best in its class, and Forbes named it the best mattress for back pain. This lands in the sweet spot of firmness (a 6 out of 10), making it suitable for kids as they grow. Gel-infused memory foam makes this mattress cozy and cushiony while still providing adequate support.

With its lower profile (7”), the Avocado Eco Organic Kids Mattress is perfect for bunk beds and trundles, but what really differentiates this from the competition is the rigorous standards Avocado adheres to in its materials. Here, you’ll find 100% GOLS certified organic latex and 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and wool. What you won’t find are toxic chemicals, off-gassing, chemical flame retardants, fiberglass, or polyurethane foam.

At under $200, the Zinus Cooling Green Tea Gel Memory Foam Mattress is an exceptional value. With a softer level of support, this would be perfect for a pre-teen. True to its name, the mattress is great for hot sleepers even though it’s a foam mattress, thanks to Zinus’s proprietary cooling gel. Green tea and charcoal help eliminate odors, which can be especially useful for hormonal preteens.

Casper’s Memory Foam mattress provides the comfort of memory foam with a layer of perforated AirScape foam to keep kids cool through the night. This popular mattress has an impressive 4.5 star rating from over 800 reviews on Amazon. You can expect a bit of off-gassing, so give this mattress a day or two to breathe before letting your kiddo sleep on it.

With three sizes to choose from — a 5” trundle mattress, a 7.5” kids mattress, and a 10” youth mattress — Leesa has stage-appropriate options for every child. Kids will love the cushiony medium-firm foam mattress (and there’s a 100 night sleep trial just in case they don’t), and parents will love the charitable giving that Leesa, a certified B Corp is known for. The company donates 1 mattress for every 10 sold to children living in poverty.