Perhaps you’ve been hearing the term “youth bed size” and are wondering what exactly it means. Luckily for you, you’ve come to the right place.
There are many bed sizes, and each one of these sizes is made to meet the specific sleeping needs of people of various ages and preference.
The same goes for a youth size bed. Stick around to learn more.
Our Top 2 Recommended Queen Size Mattress
Best One: Oeuf® Perch Toddler Bed
The Perch Toddler Bed from Wayward is a great transitional bed when moving your toddler from a crib to a “big kid” bed. An important question is “What is a youth bed size?” The Perch comes in both twin (41.5″ x 77″) and full (55″ x 77″) sizes to provide plenty of room as your child grows.
With its low-to-the-ground design, attached ladder, guardrails, and solid wood construction, the Perch allows for easy access and keeps your toddler safe and secure all night. It’s an excellent first “real” bed that will last for years.
2nd One: Organic Kids Mattress
The PlushBeds Healthy Child mattress is designed with kids in mind, using organic and natural materials for a healthy, non-toxic sleep environment. The latex layer provides pressure relief and responsiveness, conforming to your child’s body to alleviate pain points. And unlike memory foam, the latex prevents overheating.
The cotton cover is soft, breathable, and machine washable – perfect when accidents happen! While pricey, this mattress is an investment in your child’s comfort and development. If an eco-friendly, durable mattress tailored for growing bodies sounds good, the PlushBeds Healthy Child is an excellent choice.
Best Budget: Healthy Mattress For Kids
The PlushBeds Healthy Child Hybrid strikes a perfect balance between comfort and support for growing kids. It combines responsive latex with sturdy innersprings for contouring pressure relief that also provides stability as your child ages. The latex layer has cooling properties to regulate temperature, while the organic cotton cover is soft and breathable.
Designed for safety, this mattress is GREENGUARD Gold and GOLS organic certified, avoiding harmful chemicals. Though expensive upfront, frequent mattress replacements are avoided thanks to its flippable firmness levels. If you want an adjustable, non-toxic mattress tailored for your child’s needs over the years, the Healthy Child Hybrid delivers exceptional quality and value.
What Is a Junior Twin Mattress?
A junior twin mattress is, of course, meant for children that have outgrown their crib and toddler beds. The mattress is bigger and will likely meet the child’s needs for the remaining part of the child’s childhood.
Usually, a junior twin bed size or youth bed mattress is 33 inches wide and 66 inches long. When it comes to the depth of youth size mattress, the beds vary by only one or two inches.
These beds are advantageous because they have a small bedroom footprint and do not cost too much. However, children tend to grow rapidly, and as such, they may outgrow the mattress within a short time. These mattresses will fit children that are over 4 feet in height.
A twin mattress is sometimes called a single mattress. They are the next in line after toddler beds. Though they are best for children and teenagers, the bed can also accommodate an adult individual who is of average size and who wants to manage space.
Two beds when placed side by side is equal to the king size bed. Many couples prefer doing this for their sleep arrangement. A twin bed will fit into a room that has a dimension of at least 8 feet by 10 feet.
Generally, standard twin bed mattresses measure up to 39 inches in width and 74 to 75 inches in length. The exact length depends on the producer of the mattress. Also, there are twin mattresses in the extra-long category, and in length, they measure up to 80 inches. For toddler beds which are converted from a crib, the measurement still remains the same with the crib. They have dimensions of 27 inches wide and 51 1/2 to 52 inches long.
Toddler beds are the next step for a baby when it is ready to move from a crib. This is because while the toddler bed affords the child some level of independence while still protecting the child at the same time. The transition from a cribbed to a toddler mattress usually occur when the child has reached between 1 1/2 to 3 1/2.
The Move to a Twin Bed
No matter the kind of twin mattress you’re moving your child to, the most ideal time to transfer the child would be when the child stops wetting the bed at night.
On junior twin mattresses that are about 66 inches long, children who are between 4 years and 7 years of age will fit comfortably. This is because 4-year-olds have an average height of 37 inches while 7-year-olds have an average height of 44 inches.
Leaving children who are older but still wetting the bed on crib toddler mattresses will do the child a lot of psychological damage. As such, the best option is to let the child transition into a twin mattress. However, you’ll need to purchase and cover the bed with a waterproof and hypoallergenic casing.
What Mattress to Buy
Children grow at a rapid rate, and when buying a youth size mattress, it’ll pay to put this in mind. A more cost-effective mattress approach is to use the child’s crib for a toddler bed too.
This should meet the child’s sleep needs until the child is old enough to use a standard or extra-long twin mattress. A crib mattress can accommodate the child until the child reaches around 5 to 6 years.
After reaching this age, a standard twin size bed will work for the child until the child reaches teen years. If the child grows at a fast rate, an extra-long twin bed mattress will fit.
Youth Bed Size Based on Height
In as much as children do not grow at the same rate, the height of the child involved should be taken into serious consideration when choosing a mattress. Here is the size of the youth bed of various ages.
- 2-year-olds are around 31 inches tall
- 3-year-olds are 33 inches tall
- 4-year-olds are 37 inches tall
- 5-year-olds are 40 inches tall
- 6-year-olds are 42 inches tall
- 7-year-olds are 44 inches tall
- 8-year-olds are 45 inches tall
- 9-year-olds are 49 inches tall
- 10-year-olds are 51 inches tall
- 11-year-olds are 52 inches tall
- 12-year-olds are 58 inches tall
- 13-year-olds are 62 inches tall
- 14-year-olds are 63 inches tall
- 15-year-olds are 66 inches tall
Adhering to the marketing and advertising recommendations of bed producers about when to transfer your child to a bigger bed isn’t the best thing to do. Children grow at a different pace, so this will not be ideal.
Your child will always let you know when his present bed is becoming too small or uncomfortable for him. This is when you should take the step and buy your child either a standard or extra-long twin bed.
Junior Twin Bed vs Toddler bed
One thing that makes toddler beds more suitable for a toddler than standard twin mattresses is the fact that it is lower to the ground and comes with built-in railings.
While standard twin mattresses lack these qualities, they can also be made to suit the toddler, thus removing the need for a toddler bed.
You can always install a guardrail onto the twin mattress to prevent the toddler from falling off. This will be an excellent option if you don’t have the budget to buy a toddler bed and then a twin bed too
The most crucial difference between a standard twin bed and a toddler bed is that twin beds offer more Comfort than toddler beds.
More attention is paid to the materials used to make the mattress, and its engineering is tailored towards creating more Comfort for the sleeper. This is so because as we get older, we tend to be concerned about the comfortability that our mattress offers.
Bottom line
Moving your child from a toddler bed to a youth size bed is a big move. It may even take time for the child to adjust to the new mattress.
However, if you buy the bed at the right time and observe the child’s rate of growth before purchasing a twin bed that fits the child, then everything should be fine.
