A Guide to Choosing a Bed for a Seven-Year-Old

Buying a bed seems like a simple task until you have children. You find yourself wondering which size bed you should buy and the mattress type. As a typical parent who wants the best for their child, you want to pick carefully. You also probably are worried about spending money on a bed that isn’t the right size.

In this article, you will learn not only the right size of bed for your child but many tips along the way. You will be a bed buying expert and no longer need to stress about the better choice. Read on to find the perfect size bed for your growing child.

Taking the Height and Weight of the Child Into Consideration

Kids grow faster than you think, and it can make you question what size bed they need. While some kids can fit into a twin for a very long-time, others may need a larger bed sooner than later. Should you spend money on a big bed now or wait to see how fast your child will grow. 

Bed size all depends on the height and weight of your child when choosing the bed frame and mattress. The average seven-year-old can be perfectly fine in a twin bed, but there are some times when you may want a bigger bed or more supportive bed frame. If your child has hit a big growth spurt, you may need to get an adult bedframe, not one geared towards children and a longer twin mattress or a full-size mattress. 

Next, let’s look at all of the bed sizes to choose which size you will need for your child(ren).

Bed Sizes

If you want the basic information on bed sizes, this is your section. While the article will look more into why you should choose certain bed sizes, this chart will be straightforward on the bed lengths and names. This is very helpful when measuring the space for the bed.

Bed Name	Bed Width	Bed Height
Twin	38 inches	74 inches
Twin XL	38 inches	80 inches
Full	54 inches	75 inches
Queen	60 inches	80 inches
King	76 inches	80 inches
California King	72 inches	84 inches

For the most part, the length/height of the bed is around 75 inches, which is 6.25 feet. Consider that most people, especially children, won’t sleep at the very tip-top of the bed, and the average height of the child should be around five feet or lower. This makes sure they have space to lay on their pillow and not have their feet hanging off the bed.

The width is the bed part that will vary big-time from 38 inches (3.2 feet) to 72 inches (6 feet). That is a very big difference in size and space to roll around on when in bed. Some kids are bigger or like to roll around/stretch out more than others, so that will need to be considered. 

What Age Should a Child Get a Double Bed

Now that you know the bed sizes, you will be able to choose a little easier. You may wonder what age you should upgrade your child to a full-size bed, but the answer is whenever you would like. Some kids, as mentioned above, will always be in a smaller bed, but some will need a full bed.

The average age for a child to switch to a full-size bed would be 10-13 when they hit their preteen/teen growth spurt and want their space to stretch out. Your child may need space soon than that, though. It all depends on your child’s needs and size. 

If you can, you can also start with a full-size bed. Some people have plenty of space and can do so in their kid’s bedrooms. That all comes down to cost and how much space you may have in your home, leading us to the next section.

Small Spaces – Tips for Having Kids Beds in Smaller Homes

There are sometimes when a twin bed is the only option for parents.  A parent buying a twin for all of their kids is much more common than one may think. There are many reasons behind only being able to have a twin bed in a room, such as:

• Bed frames and mattresses are less expensive
• Living in a smaller house, apartment, or trailer with small rooms
• More options for fun themed bed frames when buying a twin mattress
• Needing bunk beds (most are twins. Sometimes they have a full-on the bottom)
• Sharing a room with siblings (trundle beds are also great for this situation)
• Your kid is smaller than average and doesn’t need a big bed

All of these options are quite common situations. They may come up when you have a child. Not everyone has a big enough space for a full bed, let alone a few full beds (for siblings). The average home has two bedrooms in the home according to the Census report. That means one bedroom for the parents and only one bedroom left for the child(ren).

When considering the other items that fill a room, a twin can seem like a better choice. When a room is full of items such as:

• Bookshelves
• Chairs
• Desk
• Dresser 
• Nightstand
• Toys

It is easy to see that a twin can make more sense for the average home. So, please buy what you can afford and fit it into your home. If your child needs a bigger bed, you can always choose a murphy style bed to create much more space for the child to move around in.

The Size of the Bed Is Not Set in Stone for a Child’s Age

As you now know, twin beds are great for many different situations. There are many situations when the size of the bed doesn’t depend on your child’s size but the size of the room. If all you can afford or fit in your home, there is no need to worry. There are many cases when adults sleep in twin beds, some of which are:

• College – Almost every dorm has twin beds for the students because so space and bed cost.
• Military & First Responders – Yes, your child is far from being in those conditions, but many military bases, fire departments and police barracks have twin beds.
• Ships & Boats – Adults sleep in exceedingly small spaces when they are working on the water.

While you want to give your child the best of the best, sometimes life happens, and they are in a twin bed until they move out. For many people, that is the case, and there is not a thing wrong with it. Some adults still sleep in twin beds or only as an adult’s upgrade to a full-size bed.

In many cases, it is not the size of the bed that your child will be sleeping in but the quality of the mattress. After all, sleep quality is one of the most important parts of a person’s health. Everyone needs time to reset even more so children with their growing bodies and minds.

Why is a Bed So Important for a Child?

A bed is not just a place where a child will sleep. It is a place where a child will reset and recharge. The body needs sleep and good quality sleep at that. Your body needs to go through a full sleep cycle. A good nights sleep can help with:

• How well a child can pay attention to what you are saying and lengthen their attention span
• Their behavior, a sleepy kid as you know, can be very cranky and emotional 
• How well the child can learn and take in their surroundings
• Improve their memory
• Help with their mental health (as a parent, you sometimes forget how it had can be to be a kid some days, all those emotions with no understanding on how to deal with them.
• Helping to improve the child’s health and reduces the risk of high blood pressure and becoming overweight. 

A good night’s rest starts with a nice mattress. It can seem a little crazy to spend so much on a piece of furniture your child sleeps on, but you now know it is extremely important. A mattress that makes your child toss and turns all night will not let them go through the whole sleep process, including REM sleep.

Choosing The Right Mattress

Now that you know how important a mattress is, let’s look at choosing the right mattress for your child. There are several different mattress types, but the main ones that you will come across are:

• Pillowtop – which is as you may think, has a much fluffier top to create a soft barrier above the mattress
• Two-sided – think a traditional mattress that can be flipped periodically to make sure there are not sunken spots
• Memory Foam – This is exactly what you may think these are made up of a thick foam material
• Spring/Coil – A more traditional mattress that is made up of coils or springs inside
• Hybrid – These are a combo of any of the other mattresses on the list

Now let’s look at which mattress will benefit your child better. When a child is younger, a firmer mattress will greatly benefit them. They need more support as their bodies are growing and developing. A firm mattress will support their bodies.

A good mattress for kids around seven years old would be a hybrid or firm memory foam mattress. A firm mattress will support their bodies without putting too much stress on the pressure points on their body. As they grow older, around thirteen, they can choose which type feels more comfortable for their bodies. Just like an adult would.

Choosing Between an Expensive or Inexpensive Bed

You now know how to choose a right mattress and what size to choose. Now, you may wonder should you go all out when buying a bed for your child or buy a much more affordable option. Thankfully there are many options to choose from when buying a bed, no matter what your price point is. 

The choice between buying an expensive bed that may not be built and a much more expensive bed comes down to what you can afford. If you can afford to buy a better-built bed, that would be the smarter option as they will last longer. 

A cost-effective bed frame can support weight just like a costly one, but the less expensive bed frame will most likely become loose and wiggle over time. Worst case, it will break. Kids can be rough on beds. They love to bounce and jump. It would be best if you got a bed that can support a child that will do that.

You also now know just how important a mattress is, so buying an economical one compared to a pricey one can make a big difference. The more expensive will last longer. You may need to buy an economical mattress twice before you need to replace the more expensive one. 

It all goes down to what you can afford at that moment. They will do that same thing for the most part, and you should never feel ashamed if your child has a basic bed. Please buy what you can buy and save up for a more expensive one for your child as they grow up.

Mattress Protection Is Very Important

After choosing the mattress and bed frame that is right for your child, it is time to make sure they last long as they should. Protecting your child’s mattress from accidents such as:

• Bedwetting – Many young kids up to preteen still have accidents 
• Drool and sweat – Everyone leaves behind body fluids on a sheet. Sheets can be washed, but the mattress will absorb it all and keep it inside.
• Food and drink spills – Kids will be kids and sometimes even sneak food into bed
• Vomit & diarrhea – (as you may know all too well, a stomach bug can come when you least expect it and leave the mattresses wrecked

There are thankfully many options to choose from when it comes to protecting your child’s mattress, such as: 

• SafeRest Waterproof Vinyl Free Protector
• Niagara Sleep Solutions Smooth Jersey Cover
• Linenspa Vinyl Free Smooth Cover

These are all very inexpensive options considering what they are protecting. A great tip that is worth mentioning is to buy two for each child. This way, the beds are always protected. You don’t want to protect the bed from an accident, then have the cover in the washer at bedtime when your child has an accident.

Allergens Can Be a Big Issue

Along with protecting the mattress from your child, you also may need to protect your child from the mattress. Many children have allergies, and the last thing you would want is them having reactions to the mattress that could have:

• Dust mites
• Mildew
• Mold
• Pet dander

All of which can be trapped inside. It doesn’t mean you are dirty or that your home is dirty; it is just what happens to beds that are not protected by a cover or cleaned with heat/chemicals. If you have a cover, all of these will not come into contact with your sleeping child. You can wash all of their bedclothes regularly, which will also be helpful to their allergies.

There are a few different symptoms that you may see in your child that can be a sign of a mattress that needs to be covered. These symptoms can be:

• Cough
• Coughing
• Itching skin at night
• Itchy and watery eyes
• Runny Nose
• Sneezing
• Stuffy Nose

If your child has these symptoms, it is a good idea to get a hypoallergenic mattress cover (all three on the list above are hypoallergenic). Other than that, your child should be comfortable and get a good night’s sleep in their bed and wake up better, not with cold symptoms. 

Themed Bedrooms – Kids Change Their Minds Often

This may not help when buying a mattress, but it is worth mentioning. Kids change their minds about the food they like and their favorite show, so it makes sense they would change their minds about the theme of their room. It is a good idea to choose something neutral as far as beds go.

You may want to spend a considerable amount of money on a princess-style bed with a little loft to climb into, but the truth is kids will change their minds. It is better to buy a plain-looking bed to add things to like their taste change. Some beds, such as bunk beds, can eventually become part of a bigger kid’s room to feel more grown-up.

If you can afford it and can splurge on your kids, by all means, do it. If you would rather get a neutral bed and just paint and little touches of their current theme, they love that it will work perfectly. Kids truly do not need too much to be happy, and a themed comforter can change the whole aspect of their room.

Choosing the Perfect Bed for Your Seven Year Old’s Bed

No matter how much you spend on your child’s bed, as long as they are comfortable at night and good, the correct amount of sleep will work. It doesn’t matter if you buy a twin or queen for your growing child as long as it fits in your child’s room properly. Your child will get rest, and you will sleep better knowing they are comfortable.