A twin mattress is a smart space-saving solution for many homes, particularly those with children. After all, a standard twin is just 38 inches wide, compared to the 54 inches of a full mattress, the next size up—affording parents more than a foot of extra floor space. To determine the safest and most effective options out there, we spoke with pediatric experts and organized extensive panel testing of top-rated beds with kids from age 2 to 12 in their homes. With insights in hand, we’ve named the Avocado Eco Organic Kids model the best twin mattress for kids overall. We like it for its use of natural materials, which are generally preferred by pediatric experts given children are still developing, but also because our kids found it comfortable. Beyond the Avocado, we’ve recommended 8 other safe and comfortable twin mattress options below.
We tested numerous models in real-life family homes to find the best twin mattresses on the market, … [+]
If your child is just now transitioning from their crib and into their first big kid bed, you might consider one of the kid-specific twin mattresses below, because these are primarily designed to be used starting around age 3. Dr. Logan Greenblatt, a general pediatrician at Staten Island University Hospital, part of Northwell Health in New York, confirms that after infancy, parents can start to move away from the typical extra-firm mattress configurations recommended for cribs, in favor of something softer. “As they get older, you start considering their own comfort and their own individual needs,” he explains, like their preferred sleep posture and body weight.
In terms of construction, Greenblatt recommends prioritizing organic materials in beds, if you can afford it, in order to “limit exposure” to toxins like phthalates, heavy metals and off-gassing from synthetic materials; additionally, he suggests that natural materials like wool, cotton and latex are more breathable and thus don’t trap “moisture… dirt and germs.”
Several of the kids mattresses named below offer a dual-sided design with different firmness levels: This means you can start them on the firmer side as they ease off of the extra-firm crib mattress that’s necessary for safe infant sleep, and, as they grow into big kids around age 8, flip it over to the slightly softer side for more pressure relief and cozier nights. You’ll also see a number of models made with all-natural materials here, in line with pediatricians’ advice. Most importantly, though, the best twin mattresses for kids below all got a stamp of approval from real-life families, who’ve comfortably and safely used these picks night after night.
The Avocado Eco Organic Kids is an extra-clean, nontoxic organic kids mattress made by a company that has racked up some of the best independent certifications and verifications, from the likes of Made Safe and EWG: It’s a mattress with the most accolades on this list, and there are no chemical flame retardants or other toxic materials here. This twin kid mattress is just 7 inches tall, but that’s a typical height for children’s beds, which average between 6 and 8 inches high; this height makes it ideal for bunk beds and lower-profile twin frames. It’s a smaller version of the brand’s most affordable mattress, the Avocado Eco Organic, which we also love for older kids and teens.
The brand relies on Dunlop latex for its comfort layer instead of memory foam, individually pocketed steel springs for strong support throughout and organic cotton and wool for the cover. The natural materials in this bed, like the wool and latex, keep it cool and breathable, and the GOTS-certified organic wool also works as a fire barrier and antimicrobial that keeps the buildup of dust mites and moisture at bay.
The Avocado Eco Organic Kids sleeps firmer than other latex beds that I’ve tried, and it isn’t flippable, so kids only have one side of comfort at their disposal. That said, this firmness level is great for my back-sleeping child, and the model’s numerous other virtues make it the ideal mattress for his asthma and allergies to dust. He absolutely loves it, and after two years of sleeping on it still doesn’t have any complaints, only praising it for its comfort. I did notice a bit of a natural odor upon delivery, but that dissipated fairly quickly.
The Helix Kids packs a number of handy, age-appropriate features. This hybrid model relies on 6-inch innersprings combined with two separate layers of memory foam. The flippable bed offers a firmer comfort layer on one side of the mattress, with a suggested age range of 3 to 7, and a softer memory foam layer on the other side that’s suggested for ages 8 and up. With a generous weight capacity, you could certainly rely on this bed as they grow; the mattress is also available in a full.
The Helix Kids’ foams are both CertiPUR-US and Greenguard Gold certified, meaning it doesn’t contain certain known problematic toxins and it’s lower in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to off-gassing. (Our guide to mattress certifications can help decode what all of this means.)
The Helix Kids mattress offers two different sides of firmness, which worked well for our toddler … [+]
When tested in a family home, this mattress performed well: Our tester didn’t notice a strong scent when unboxing it for her toddler who transitioned onto it from the crib. She also reported that the Helix Kids offers strong edge support, and her son, who is a restless sleeper, sleeps deeply and comfortably on it. “You still feel like you’re ‘on top’ of the mattress versus sinking into it,” she adds. The only downside was that a potty training accident managed to stain our tester’s mattress, despite the plant-based water-repellent finish (Ruco-Dry Bio NPE) and an antimicrobial compound (an Aegis Microbe Shield). Still, our tester considers the bed durable overall.
It’s worth nothing that some experts like Sydney Swanson, a healthy living science analyst on consumer safety science at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) with a speciality in baby and consumer products, prefers that parents avoid antimicrobials and other finishes on mattresses altogether, especially when the ingredient list is not disclosed. “A lot of additives that are added to mattresses… are oftentimes unnecessary, like fragrances,” she says. “And so for these chemicals that don’t serve a huge purpose, I’d recommend to just avoid…the excess chemical exposure.”
Beyond the mattress itself, it’s worth noting that Helix offers a 100-day sleep trial without a return fee if you decide the bed is not to your liking—a bit of a rarity in the mattress industry.
My Green Mattress Pure Eco Organic Kids mattress makes an excellent choice for any child—in fact, it rivaled our pick for the best overall mattress in this story, but was narrowly edged out. This model relies on a layer of GOLS-certified organic Dunlop latex for its comfort layer, a soft GOTS-certified organic-cotton and-wool quilted cover, and 875 individually pocketed 6-inch coils for excellent support and durability. Our tester confirms its medium-firm rating, and said it felt just right for a variety of sleeping positions; it wasn’t too soft or too firm.
The Pure Eco Organic Kids mattress is just 8 inches tall, putting it an inch above the Avocado Eco Organic Kids and on par with the Helix Kids and Birch Kids Natural. Parents might appreciate that this kids mattress is available in more bed sizes than most competitors; select it in twin, twin XL, full or queen. Our tester also raved about the strong edge support—kids can sit at the edge of it and tie their shoes if needed—and breathability, to prevent overheating and night sweats. It can hold up to 400 pounds, adding to its long-term potential, but it is not flippable and there isn’t any built-in waterproofing. (However, its wool construction does make it naturally moisture-wicking, fire-protective and antimicrobial.)
My Green Mattress offers a generous 365-night sleep trial, and one of my favorite stipulations for a full refund within that time period: proof that you donated the not-right-for-you mattress to a reputable charity.
The Birch Kids Natural Mattress offers all the best kid-specific features rolled into an organic, more natural bed. There’s no memory foam here, no chemical flame retardants and nothing hiding in additions to the cover, like a fragrance or a chemical water-repellent finish. Instead, it’s a hybrid bed that combines GOLS-certified organic Talalay latex, 6-inch innerspring coils, layers of organic wool and an organic cotton cover to create its kids mattress.
My side-sleeping daughter immediately gravitated to the softer side of this mattress, which provides cozy cushioning at all the right spots, but I appreciate that there’s a firmer side for other children, including those just graduating to a big kid twin bed. Because of its latex construction, it sleeps cooler than the typical all-foam mattress.
Kid mattresses are often 6 to 8 inches high and might feel softer than adult bed as they’re designed … [+]
The Birch Kids mattress carries several important certifications for its latex foam, especially notable for those with concerns about off-gassing and toxins in their child’s mattress. These include Greenguard Gold as well as GOLS and the Eco-Institut, which, combined, certify lower VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions and the lack of heavy metals, pesticides and banned phthalates. I didn’t notice any odor at all during unboxing, even when pressing my nose to the mattress—a definite plus.
This isn’t the cheapest twin mattress you can buy for kids, of course, but it does offer a generous warranty of 25 years and an average sleep trial of 100 nights (though there is a $99 removal fee). I like that it offers a kid-specific height and flippable design in an organic bed. I was also glad the option to add on white glove delivery; the full size was too heavy for me to move without my partner’s support.
The Saatva Youth Mattress is the tallest bed on our list at 10 inches high, so this isn’t the one to place on your top bunk, a higher frame or with a tot. It’s a sturdy, durable mattress with flippable comfort sides, a top-notch warranty and yearlong sleep trial (there is a $99 removal fee). We found it sleeps a bit firmer than the competition (each side offers foam comfort layers of different degrees—a firmer side for ages 3 to 7 and a slightly softer one for ages 8 to 12), and the surface is a bit bouncier than other mattresses we tested, thanks to its dual-steel innerspring unit. Our tester claimed this is the child’s bed that she most often conks out on, given how comfortable it is for her as an adult. She also appreciated the white glove delivery, making it seamless to get it set up in her child’s room.
The Saatva Youth mattress does contain an antimicrobial and a water-resistant finish in order to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria. Our tester reported that a spilled water bottle easily wiped away, and a full 2-year-old pee also cleaned up nicely. Saatva says its antimicrobial compound is plant-based, and that no chemical sprays are added to its kids mattress. The brand also calls out that its fire barrier is made from a thistle, and not fiberglass.
Again, Swanson warns about antimicrobial finishes on kids mattresses, especially when their exact makeup is not disclosed—so you’ll want to keep that in mind as you evaluate the right mattress pick for you. “Without that information, it’s hard to determine, ‘Is this safe for me? Is this safe for my kid?’ ” she explains. “Certain antimicrobial agents are often made from quats—quaternary ammonium compounds—so those can irritate the skin and the lungs. They’ve been linked to reproductive toxicity [and] can lead to development of asthma.”
At just 6 inches high and costing right around $200, the Brooklyn Bedding BB Kids Mattress is a affordable twin mattress for kids that’s a great starter model. It isn’t flippable, and both testers who trialed this mattress report that it sleeps firmer than most, but it does have enough give and softness to please their young children. Pressure can build up in some spots over time, so this might not be the right mattress for side sleepers, but our tester with a 3-year-old felt it was comfortable upgrade from his child’s previous memory foam bed—and as the parent, he’s also more comfortable on this bed during their nightly story time.
The BB Kids mattress is a 6-inch memory foam bed made just for kids.
Our tester pointed out more perks to consider with the BB Kids, including the darker cover that might help to hide those nighttime accidents and the bed’s fiberglass-free construction, according to the brand. Both testers reported strong motion isolation and edge support, as well as a mild odor at unboxing that cleared within the day.
Despite this mattress being made of entirely memory foam, it doesn’t sleep as hot as one would expect: One tester says his son, who runs warm and is generally restless sleeper, isn’t waking up to shuck the covers since switching to the BB Kids. However, those seeking a more natural, breathable and durable mattresses should look towards one of the hybrid latex models listed in this guide.
Brooklyn Bedding offers a fairly standard 10-year limited warranty and 120-night sleep trial, but there is a $99 return fee to consider.
The combination of affordability and a hybrid construction in a child-size bed come together with the Bear Cub Kids Mattress. It offers just one side of comfort, but combines 6-inch innersprings topped with two distinct layers of foam; this helps it to sleep a bit softer and cozier while still offering strong support throughout the bed, including at the edges. Its medium-firm profile makes this mattress a good option for any and all sleep positions. The bed is available in both twin and full sizes.
While it isn’t an organic bed—there was a mild synthetic odor when we unboxed it—its foam does carry two important certifications to verify it contains less of the bad stuff: CertiPUR-US and Greenguard Gold. And the brand states that is is fiberglass free, nor does it contain additional waterproofing or antimicrobials. We also like its lifetime warranty and 120-night sleep trial without a return fee.
The Naturepedic 2-In-1 Organic Kids Waterproof Mattress is most similar to the Avocado bed in this guide. Both carry the EWG and Made Safe certifications, so you know these are extra-clean, nontoxic mattresses. However, there are some key differences. The Naturepedic 2-In-1 kids mattress offers flippable sides of comfort and a sugarcane waterproofing barrier for potty training on one side, whereas the Avocado lacks any additional waterproofing and is not flippable.
Both beds are the same height, and both sleep on the firmer side of the spectrum, but the Naturepedic is firmer, a little less cushy and bouncier. This is most likely because the Avocado’s comfort layer is composed of Dunlop latex, whereas the Naturpedic relies on a wrapped micro-coil layer atop its sturdy innerspring layer for its comfort and support. The Naturepedic, however, also offers a much higher weight limit (325 pounds) than the Avocado kids bed (115 pounds), and it comes in more additional sizes: twin, twin trundle, twin trundle short and full.
As for cons: Our tester was turned off by a strong clay scent when her child’s Naturepedic arrived—and she noted that its edge support was underwhelming.
If you’re looking for that cushy memory foam feel for your kids, Leesa makes several kids mattresses of varying heights, all ideal for bunk beds, trundles or their first twin mattress. The brand’s standard Kids Mattress is 7.5 inches high and costs $500 for the twin, making it a little more expensive than other 100%-foam kids beds. That said, Leesa’s foam does carry two certifications for cleaner mattresses: It has the more common CertiPUR-US, as well as the Greenguard Gold certification. We think it’s worth paying a bit more for that second certification if you are going to go with an all-memory foam bed.
A 10-inch Leesa Youth Mattress ($549) is also available for older kids and teens, as well as a 5-inch Trundle Mattress ($399), so parents can really select the right one for their child. Both our panel testers feel the Leesa Kids mattress sleeps on the firmer side, but that it also does cushion their bodies and provide excellent pressure relief. The edge support is a bit lacking but motion isolation is strong—and despite it being memory foam and our tester reporting that the cover is not cool to the touch, our kid testers slept well on these beds without waking themselves up from being too hot or restless.
We tested the complete process of shopping for the best kids mattress, from delivery and unboxing to … [+]
How We Tested Twin Mattresses For Kids
I began our search for the best twin mattresses for kids with deep research: I studied the market, competitor reviews, online customer reviews, brand sites and our own sleep team’s mattress testing feedback. I also paid special attention to the certifications each mattress earned from independent organizations, to ensure each model tested was safe for kids and complied with pediatric experts’ recommendations. With all of these data points in hand, I sought out top-quality brands and best-in-class materials to determine what we should test.
Once I created a list of worthy contenders, I called them into real-life homes to test. While I personally trialed several of these mattresses and brands myself, I also relied on other parents and their children to panel test mattresses over the course of months, by sleeping on them night after night. Each parent panelist then shared their testing insights on the areas below, scoring each mattress on a number of factors.
Delivery And Setup
We considered how quickly beds were shipped and how they were delivered. In most cases, we did not pay extra for white glove delivery, so our panelists noted how heavy their mattress was and how easy (or difficult) it was to carry to their room of choice, unbox it and place it on a frame.
Odor When Unboxed
Testers made note of any strong odor (on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least odorous) as soon as the bed is unboxed. They also recorded when the smell dissipated, if there was one, and for how long it lingered before clearing.
Edge Support
Strong support at the perimeters of a mattress can help prevent kids from rolling out of bed if there isn’t bed rail on it. It can also mean a child can sit along the edge of it and tie their shoes, or a parent can sit at the head of the mattress for story time.
Each panelist assessed this by sitting at the edges of the bed, at the top and so on, and making note of how much the bed collapsed beneath them and if they felt they would slide off while tying a shoe as an example. They also completed this test while lying on the bed and rolling to the edges. If you’ve ever tried this test, you know that a mattress with strong edge support almost pulls you back into the bed, while one with poor edge support lets you just roll or slip right off.
Pressure Relief
We asked sleepers and testers to rate the mattresses’ pressure relief on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst. This can be hard to do with kids, so we asked the parents to test the bed themselves but to also consider whether their children called the bed comfortable, and whether or not they woke up with new aches.
A bed scoring a 1 or 2 on the scale offers little pressure relief; a tester would feel a lot of painful pressure at their hips and shoulders while lying on their sides, and on their bottoms or shoulder blades while lying on their backs. A middle-of-the-road bed might allow pressure to build up in a few spots along the body in certain positions, but it wouldn’t be terrible. And a bed with really excellent pressure relief—a 9 or 10 rating—is a mattress that doesn’t allow any pressure to build up along any spots on your body in any position during sleep.
Comfort
Comfort was rated along with pressure relief with the idea that sometimes an extra firm bed is the most comfortable bed to that individual sleeper. However, the most comfortable bed is likely the one that offers optimal pressure relief in a lot of sleeping positions. We asked parents and children to fill in their thoughts on the overall comfort of the bed.
Cooling Properties
No one wants to wake up from sleep drenched in sweat or lie awake and restless at night from overheating. And while a lot of mattress marketing materials tout a bed’s cooling properties, a lot of this information is just that: marketing speak.
Generally speaking, a hybrid or innerspring mattress is likely to sleep the coolest, as there is simply room for airflow; memory foam mattresses are much denser, and thus sleep hotter. Additionally, natural materials like latex and wool and cotton are known to be more breathable, so if you or your child is a known hot sleeper, look to beds with those properties.
To decipher brand claims from reality, we tested for hot or cool the mattresses slept. Panelists were asked to make note of whether or not they woke up unusually hot or sweaty after a night of sleep on these mattresses, and if the covers felt cool to the touch in the morning.
Motion Isolation
You might think that motion isolation in a mattress is most important for partners who share a bed and don’t want to wake each other every time they need to go to the bathroom or slip into or out of bed. But actually, as someone who has many a time tried to extricate herself from the bed of a child who finally fell asleep after many, many stories, weather app checks, made-up songs, trips to the bathroom (and so on), I can confirm the importance of motion isolation in a kids mattress. There’s also the possibility that stronger motion isolation might help prevent a restless sleeper from waking themselves as frequently.
With all this in mind, we had panelists assess efficacy of motion isolation while lying in a bed with their child, and making note of how easily they felt the other’s movements.
Overall Value
Finally, we weighed all the testing insights we gathered on these mattresses, along with their key attributes like the types of materials they’re made with, the independent certifications they carry, and the length of their warranties and sleep trials with the overall price and ultimate value of the bed to pull together a final score or rating of each.
How To Select The Best Twin Mattress For Kids
Consider your priorities as a family and your budget as you look at the twin mattresses in this guide. Do you prefer an organic bed or one that is more affordable? What is the age of the child who will primarily use the bed? Do they have a comfort preference? Is it going on a bunk bed that has a mattress height limit? Are you hoping this bed lasts until they are a teen?
These are all important factors in finding the best twin mattress for your child and home. All of the beds in this guide tested well among families and each one earned a rating high enough to be included in our guide. But weigh each of the attributes we tested, as well as consider the bed’s overall materials, firmness and kid-friendly features, from waterproofing to height and dual comfort sides, in order to select the one that’s right for your child. You might specifically consider these factors:
- Materials and type of bed
- Firmness
- Kid-friendly features
- Weight capacity and child’s size
- Certifications
- Price and overall value
My Expertise
I’m a longtime journalist who has covered a number of subjects over the years with a special focus on kids, baby and parenting in the last decade when I became a mother myself. As a deputy editor at Forbes Vetted, and the former senior kids and baby gear editor, I closely monitor, research and test myriad baby and kids products, from toys to smartwatches to mattresses. I also attend key industry events, such as the ABC Kids Expo and Toy Fair, monitor the CPSC for product recalls and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for safety updates, and regularly interview and speak with pediatric health and product experts, including pediatricians.
For this guide, I tested five mattresses at home with my three children and coordinated panel testing of other beds with additional parents, including Forbes Vetted editors and staff. I also deeply researched numerous mattress brands and materials, spoke with brand representatives and interviewed several experts to understand what makes for the best mattress for kids. Two of those experts are quoted within this guide:
- Dr. Logan Greenblatt, a general pediatrician at Staten Island University Hospital, part of Northwell Health in New York, who sees children both at the hospital and for routine well visits.
- Sydney Swanson, a healthy living science analyst on consumer safety science at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) with a speciality in baby and consumer products.
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