My almost 2-year-old daughter tested each mattress in her own bedroom over several months, sleeping on them in the same Simply Sori Montessori twin bed frame. Because toddlers don’t provide detailed feedback on things like lumbar support and motion transfer, I took a more observational approach by paying attention to how well she seemed to sleep and how easily she could climb into bed.
I also tested each mattress from a parent’s perspective by sitting on the edges, climbing into the beds for nighttime cuddles, and monitoring things like how easy it was to set up, whether my daughter seemed hot while sleeping/after waking up, how supportive it felt, and how the mattress held up to normal toddler behavior. I also considered each mattress’s construction, materials, and price.
I narrowed down the mattresses by focusing on models designed and marketed for children rather than smaller versions of adult mattresses. I wanted to test a range of price points and constructions, as well as explore features relevant for kids, like flippable designs, stain resistance, and lower heights.
