Top Ten Questions to Consider When Buying a Child's Bed

There are quite a few stages in your child’s life that you may think are just routine, but in retrospect turn out to be very important moments. Buying your child a new bed is one such important moment.

Whether your child is moving straight from their cot to a toddler bed or you’re thinking of upgrading your child’s current bed, getting the right bed is crucial. Besides thinking about the very obvious considerations such as beds and safety, there are several other important factors to consider before investing in a suitable kid’s bed.

Use our handy list of ‘top ten questions to consider when buying a child’s bed’ to make finding the perfect bed an altogether easier experience.

1. Why is buying the right child’s bed so important?

Top of the list is knowing why it’s so important to choose the right bed and mattress for your child. Unfortunately, many adults are unaware of the impact a substandard mattress or bed can have on a child.

Being informed will help keep you focused on making the most appropriate selection.

Children and sleep

There are three very important facts of which you should be aware when it comes to children’s sleep:

• Children grow as they sleep. In children, during certain stages of sleep, a growth hormone is released. Studies have shown that in children between the ages of 5 to 8, disrupted sleep can interfere with the release of this essential hormone and can lead to problems with growth, bone density, and muscle mass (1).
• An unsupportive mattress may, over time, affect your child’s posture. As children sleep they relax the muscles around the spine and rely on the mattress for support. If the support is inadequate, this can have an impact on their spine and posture (2).
• There is a connection between sleep and mental health. It seems like common sense to connect a bad mood with lack of sleep, but what if it is even more serious than that? According to the Sleep Foundation (3), lack of sleep can have an impact on mood, learning and memory, and can even have a “direct effect on happiness”.

In fact, just like parents tend to invest in quality shoes for their children as they grow, equal importance should be given to buying a growing child’s bed. You could question why so much emphasis is put on ensuring your child has the best fitting shoes for their growing feet, but not for their other growing needs?

Buying a bed should be seen as an investment in your child’s physical and mental wellbeing.

Should you be concerned about any aspect of your child’s growth, posture, mood, or mental health, it is important to consult your GP or other appropriate medical professional.

2. If I’m on a budget, should I buy a second-hand bed?

When money is limited, it can be all too tempting to consider buying a second-hand bed, but in doing so, you would be omitting many of the benefits that come with buying a new bed.

Again, we return to beds and safety: the number one priority of every parent and carer searching for the best child’s bed is that the bed they buy is as safe as possible.

In buying a second hand bed, you may not have the same assurances that come with buying a new bed from Bensons for Beds, such as:

• The original safety and assembly instructions relating to safe assembly and the correct size mattress needed for certain beds such as bunk beds.
• Assurance that the bed is in the original safe state in which it was bought: has it been painted and is this paint safe for children? Has the bed been adapted at all from its original, safety tested design?
• Guarantee protection: All our children’s beds come with a free 5-year guarantee .

Should you be concerned about paying for your child’s bed in one single payment, an option is to choose 0% interest free credit from Bensons for Beds . If eligible for this option, you can spread the cost over several months rather than paying for the bedframe and mattress in one single transaction.

3. Which children’s bed frame is best?

Novelty beds are a very popular choice when buying a young child’s bed. Children can want anything from beds based on television characters, to beds in the shape of cars and aeroplanes.

But are these beds the best for a growing child?

As mentioned above, at the forefront of your decision making should be

“How will my child’s new bed provide the safest and best night’s sleep for my child?”

You’ll also want to consider how long you intend to keep the bed and if you want to be buying a new child’s bed every time your child embraces a new fad.

Prioritising safety in beds

At Bensons for Beds our beds come with a range of safety assurances:

• All Bensons for Beds products meet the required safety regulations and standards.
• Clear advice regarding age suitability: when buying a children’s bed on our site you can see which age range that particular bed is best suited and what age range should not be using certain beds.
• Compatible mattresses: with regards to beds such as bunk beds, it’s essential that the right height of mattress is used to help to avoid accidents. When you purchase a bunk bed from Bensons for Beds, clear guidance is given as to what height and length of mattress is required for each model. In addition, we will recommend a suitable mattress for that model. Should you need further advice, give our team a call on 0808 144 6160.

4. Will the new bed be in the same room as a sibling?

You can probably guess where we’re going with this…

Bunk beds

When siblings share a small room, the most obvious choice of bed is a bunk bed Many children love the idea of bunk beds and to be honest, it’s easy to see why. Bringing to mind whispered lights-out chats with your bunk bed buddy, for many, bunk beds are quite possibly one of the most cherished things about childhood. From an adult’s perspective they’re also great space-savers and are therefore perfect for those with very little room to spare.

Things to remember when buying a bunk bed:

• All Bensons for Beds bunk beds and children’s beds comply with the relevant safety standards and are tested by accredited test houses to that standard.
• Clear and appropriate assembly instructions, and mattress size information should be provided with each purchase, as they are with all Bensons for Beds bunk beds.
• Bunk beds are not suitable for toddlers and it is advised that bunk beds should only be used by children from the age of 6 and above.

Parents and carers should be careful to take into account the physical and mental capacity of their individual children when considering the purchase of a bunk bed. 

5. Which bed frame is best for a small room?

If you're a parent of one child, but they have a small bedroom, a  cabin bed is a great choice. The raised sleeping area leaves the area below free for storage and as it is a mid sleeper, and not a high sleeper, it’s also an excellent choice for homes with lower ceilings. When your ceilings are higher, high sleeper beds provide even room below which may even accommodate a desk, as well as leaving enough space for storage. Mid sleeper beds are recommended for children ages four and above and high sleeper beds for ages six and above.

6. What is the best mattress for my growing child?

When you buy a new bed, it’s important to purchase the right size mattress too. The wrong size mattress can cause the mattress to slip off the bed, and your child with it!

Fortunately for our customers, we recommended bed frames that will perfectly complement the mattress you want to buy. This way you know you’re purchasing the right size bed frame for the mattress you have your eye on. This is also relevant when purchasing a mattress for an elevated bed and instructions for each bed frame will advise which size mattress should be used.

It’s also important to purchase a mattress that will provide the support your child needs as they grow.

Types of mattresses you may want to consider:

1. Pocket sprung mattresses respond to your child’s weight and movement, offering the right amount of support while they sleep.

2. All of the mattresses in our children's mattress collection have been specifically designed for growing kids. Behind their rather bland exterior, there's magic at the mattress cores. These mattresses have been developed to provide optimum support and comfort, and the ability to adjust to your child’s body contours. 

7. Is it best to buy a well-known brand of mattress?

If a brand is renowned for providing great products, then they are absolutely worth considering. It makes sense to buy a mattress that has become famous because customers recognise them as being comfortable and providing attributes that are perhaps not offered by others.

Award-winning mattresses

Some products are thrust into the limelight when they receive awards. If you're after a mattress for a tween, or soon to be teenager, consider the Slumberland Flip, our award winning mattress for teens could be ideal. You can find out all about it's innovative design here.

8. Can I buy an anti-allergy mattress for children?

All kinds of irritants can disrupt your child’s sleep. If they suffer from allergies, you may be even more concerned about finding a mattress that can help them get a better night’s sleep. Purchasing a children’s mattress that offers anti-dust mite and anti-fungal protection can help to prevent reactions to related allergies that your child may have.

Options in our kids mattress collection to think about for kids with allergies include any of the mattresses in our Jay-Be collection, all of which are hypoallergenic.

Curious whether your child may need a hypoallergenic mattress? Check out our dedicated blog to discover the signs to look out for.

9. How can I protect my child’s mattress?

As any parent or carer knows, many children experience episodes of bed wetting and sickness, and it’s always the bed linen and mattresses that seem to bear the brunt.

But fear not, you can protect your child’s mattress by using machine-washable mattress protectors, or waterproof mattress protectors. Explore our collection of mattress protectors here.

Mattresses with removable, washable covers are also a great choice and can help to prolong the use of your child’s mattress.

10. How do I order a children’s bed from Bensons for Beds?

To go ahead and buy a bed from our children’s range, simply select your preferred bed frame and mattress and place an order via our user-friendly site today. You can also call us on 0808 144 6160 and one of our team will be delighted to help.

Sources:

1. https://www.babycenter.com/child/development/the-connection-between-sleep-and-growth-ages-5-to-8_3658990
2. https://costochondritis.com/bad-posture-and-costochondritis-stop-the-ihunch-and-improve-your-posture/
3. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep