When picking out bedding for your kids, there are several considerations that can help you narrow your search and ensure you choose the right sheets/bedding set. Below, we break down all the factors to consider when choosing kids bedding so you can establish your search criteria and find options that satisfy your standards, as well as keep your kids comfortable.

How to Choose Kids’ Bedding Successfully

When choosing kids bedding, it's important to consider the factors that will make you and your little ones happy. Below, we outline key things to consider, which includes your budget, the age of your child, the best and easiest-to-clean materials, hygienic features, and durability to help narrow down your kids' bedding search. Keep reading to get started!

1. Establish Your Budget

Establishing a budget for your kids' bed linens and bedding is a must before you start searching. The good news is that bedding for kids is relatively affordable, and you're bound to find something in your price range. There's a variety of children’s bedding available under the $75 range for those instances when you know you'll be moving your kids up a bed size in a year or two. Cheap bedding for kids also works great during potty training days when you're changing bedding frequently and need extra bedding sets ready to go. Have older kids? Consider upping your budget to $100 or more to invest in quality bedding they can use for years to come.

Tip!

Tailor your search to a specific price range using the price-per-item filter to the left-hand side of product pages.

2. Take Note of Your Kids' Ages

Your child's age range impacts the type and quantity of bedding you should look for. Infants and babies benefit from a light, breathable fitted sheet made of cotton material, and nothing more – not even a pillow or top sheet. This combo helps to regulate their temperature and protect their sensitive skin. Toddlers? A fitted sheet, pillow, and a light blanket should help them sleep and stay safe as they transition from their crib to a toddler bed or open-crib configuration. Kids above toddler age? You can go all-out with bed linens, pillows, and comforters. This is because older children are less likely to experience safety issues when sleeping, so they can sleep with more bedding than toddlers or babies.

Tip!

Upgrading your kids' bedrooms as they grow? Go through our 10-Minute Kids' Room Makeover guide to get more ideas.

3. Pick the Right Kids’ Bedding Sizes

Kids sheets and bedding sets are available in a wide variety of sizes, but the most common sizes include twin, twin XL, or full/double. Make sure you review the size of the mattress when choosing kids bedding for the most seamless buying decision. Choosing the right size for your kids' bedding also helps ensure that everything fits properly.

For baby cribs, the right fitted sheet size ensures a safe sleeping space. This is because a properly-sized fitted sheet doesn't bunch (if too big) or come off the corners (if too small), which ultimately keeps your baby's sleeping space safe and breathable.

For toddlers and up, the right size bedding can make the transition to a big-kid bed ultra-comfortable and seamless. Proper bedding sizes can also help older kids take on the responsibility of bed-making with ease (no fitted sheet or comforter-tucking fiascos!). This might make them more willing to make their own bed in the long-run.

4. Choose the Bedding Type That Works for You

Kids' bedding can come as a set, which includes a select amount of matching pieces (comforter and pillow shams or sheets). The best bedding sets do all the work for you, so all you have to do is make the bed. Want to create your own set? Pick and choose single pieces to cater to your needs. Opt for a bedding set for a quick and easy selection that looks great together, or get creative by mixing and matching sheets and comforter patterns/colors.

In addition to bedding sets, kids’ bedding options include comforters, duvet covers, coverlets/bedspreads, and quilts. Kids’ comforters are more plush and thick, which makes them perfect for colder months or for layering with light sheets. Duvet covers are a smart choice for kids’ bedding because they provide the coziness of a comforter with a removable cover for quick and easy washing.

Coverlets/bedspreads are more thin and lightweight compared to comforters and duvets, which makes them perfect as a top bedding layer during warmer months. Quilts typically have three layers of material, which combines to equal the plushness of a comforter and the lightweight feel of a bedspread.

5. Select the Best Quality Material

Review these bedding materials to determine the best one for your kids:

Cotton: When choosing bedding for kids, you can never go wrong with pure cotton sheets/bedding. Cotton kids bedding is a breathable material that works year-round. It works well with sensitive skin, is typically affordable, easy-to-wash, hypoallergenic – the list goes on! Try cotton percale bedding for the same cotton quality with a closer weave pattern. This creates a smoother feel than normal cotton. Or achieve an even smoother, cooler feel with a cotton/satin weave. If you're looking for the highest quality cotton bedding that your child can use for the long-term, opt for 100% Egyptian cotton bedding.

Microfiber: If you're looking for kids bedding at a lower price point, or have kids with allergies, microfiber bedding is a great choice! Its synthetic composition makes it budget-friendly, durable, and easy to clean. It's super soft, which makes it great for helping kids get cozy, while remaining breathable enough to keep kids cool as they sleep. Perhaps the most beneficial part of microfiber bedding? Its synthetic weave helps it repel moisture and makes it super easy to remove stains. So if you're currently potty-training your kids, microfiber might be the best option!

Tip!

Check out 5 Simple Ways to Refresh Your Kids' Bedrooms for more inspiration.

6. Consider Hygienic Features

Kids bed sheets can have a range of hygienic features that ensure your kids sleep soundly while keeping allergies at bay. Dust mite-resistant sheets are tightly woven to keep the pesky bugs out and your kids' allergies minimal. Children who have bad seasonal allergies or asthma can benefit the most from dust mite-resistant sheets. Antimicrobial sheets prevent the growth and spread of harmful bacteria and viruses to keep your kids healthy. Breathable sheets help keep children cool, which promotes better sleep. It also prevents the trapping of odors for a fresh, clean sleeping space.

Tip!

Determine other hygienic features for childrens' bedding by reviewing the specifications tab on a product's page. Here you can determine additional features for bedding, including whether a bedding set/sheets is stain-, mold-, or bed bug-resistant.

7. Browse by Care Level

When choosing kids bedding, you want to look for easy-to-clean items. This means anything machine-washable – because we all know you don't have time to hand-wash or dry-clean your kids’ bedding! If you like to iron bed sheets for a crisp, fresh appearance, there's an option for that too. Or you can skip the hassle altogether with wrinkle-resistant sheets!

8. Bring Your Kids into the Discussion for the Fun Stuff!

Now for the fun part of shopping for kids bedding sets: colors, patterns, and themes! Keep things simple with a solid color comforter mixed with patterned sheets and pillowcases, or opt for a matching theme like the animal/zoo print and pillowcases above. Add in a fun throw pillow to complete your kids' bedding theme. Check out popular bedding themes including "dinosaur", "mermaid", and "unicorn", or use the "search this category" feature at the bottom of the product page filters for specific theme results (examples include: space, flowers, cars, animals).

Tip!

Check out these 10 Kids Bedroom Ideas for fun, fresh inspiration.

With your kids' bedding criteria set, get browsing now: