If you’re upgrading the bed for your child’s bedroom then you want to choose the right one. Sleep is incredibly important for childhood development, physical and mental health, as well as the importance of feeling happy and comfortable in their room. Kids need a lot of sleep, depending on age they’ll need anywhere from 8-10 hours a night all the way up to 16 hours! You’ll want to find the right bed for your child and also make sure it’s a good quality build that will last a very long time (even if a little one is bouncing on it!) from a supplier such as Better Bed Company. I’m going to cover my three main things that you need to think about when choosing the right bed for your child, covering comfort, practicality and design.
Comfort
Comfort has to be the most important thing when you’re buying a new bed, this is what’s going to let them get that good night’s sleep.
Size – The right size bed is important for comfort. You don’t want your child to be outgrowing their bed and to feel cramped, but you also don’t want them to feel overwhelmed or like the bed is empty. You’ll find Kids Beds in a variety of sizes, including small single, single, small double and double or even larger. Personally I recommend going straight into a standard single as this is a size that will last a very long time and will be easy to buy a mattress as well as your sheets and covers for.
However, if this is a first time bed upgrading from a cot then a small single may be a good choice, or for smaller children where a big move up might be overwhelming. For older children an upgrade to a small double as they move into high school could make them feel more adult and that will help their confidence. Once they hit the teens you may be shocked by a growth spurt and want to make sure there’s plenty of space for them to still get a great night’s sleep and give them a double if the bedroom allows.
When considering size, once you’ve decided what’s best for your child, also have a think about what’s best for the room. Have a good mental idea of the layout of the room and how all the furniture will fit. Make sure you know the measurements of the bed and have checked the measurements of your room to make sure it fits! Don’t rely on google to tell you the size of a single bed, check the bed listing as there can be variations, especially if the bed has extra features.
Mattress – I’m a big fan of pocket sprung mattresses as these distribute weight evenly, providing good support, but a memory foam mattress allows for extra comfort as well. These days there are a wide range of mattresses available for kids and when buying a new frame you can often choose to add on a mattress that fits your budget and needs. Buying a bed and mattress together can be quite handy as they’ll be delivered at the same time and you only have to buy from one company, but don’t be afraid to shop around for a mattress separately if need be.
Practicality
Storage – You want a bed that is also practical for real life. Think about how your child is going to use it and also about the rest of the room. Storage is incredibly important in any bedroom. You have probably found your child has a lot of things – I know mine does! Between toys, books, clothes and then all the things they need for school, the cupboards are often full. Having a storage bed can alleviate some of the pressure and make the room more efficient. Storage can be in the form of a lift up Ottoman bed, or a bed with drawers or shelves underneath it.
Extra Space – You could also consider a bed that comes with additional shelving in the headboard for books or toys to be stored and for a light to be used. This can also be perfect for smaller rooms where you don’t have space or don’t want to have a bedside table. You can even get bed designs that have places for a TV to be mounted or clothes to be hung!
Extra Guests – If you have more than one child sleeping in a room then bunk beds are a way of managing space efficiently but providing two areas to sleep in. However you don’t need to have multiple children to get use out of bunk beds. Does your child have a friend or family member who might be coming for regular sleepovers? Sleepovers are a magical part of childhood – midnight feasts, sneaking past mum and dad, staying up way too late – so much fun. Rather than making a guest sleep on the floor you could consider a practical bunk bed design, or have a bed which comes with a pullout trundle guest bed underneath it, allowing guests to get a great night sleep too.
Design
Ultimately your kid has to be happy with the room they’re sleeping in. Having a design and aesthetic that they’re happy with will boost their mental and physical health. It’ll increase their confidence and their quality of sleep. Make sure that they get input into the room. Even if it’s a surprise makeover you can ask them in advance “if you had a new bedroom, what colour would it be?” I’m sure they’d love to talk about their dreams for the perfect bedroom. If it’s not a surprise, let them have some freedom in what they choose, even if it’s not necessarily what you’d choose. This element of control over their surroundings will help them feel like they have a truly safe space and some agency over their life.
Some of the design choices you could choose from include
- Colour
- Bed shape
- Extra features
For example you can even get beds themed like race cars for younger kids, or for older kids and teenagers a snazzy black and red video gaming theme that you can then decorate with LED signs and shelves to put the xbox and controllers. An inexpensive way to customize your bed could be to see if it’s suitable to be painted after arrival too, or even just to get some stickers that match the bedroom theme. There are also loads of pillowcases, sheets and duvet sets to match any colour or theme out there. I’m sure you’ll design something amazing!
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