As your child transitions out of their crib and into their first “big kid” bed, you may be on the hunt for the best kids mattress you can buy online. However, it can be hard to buy a mattress for your child when you haven’t tried it in person. If this sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome to Mattress Clarity, where we’ve personally tested over 500 mattresses (so you don’t have to).
In our Charlotte, NC, studio, our team of expert testers reviews mattresses using a rigorous testing methodology to evaluate their performance in pressure relief, cooling, edge support, and more. Since our founding in 2017, we’ve helped more than 40,000 people find the best mattress for them.
When it comes to the Leesa Kids, expert tester and certified sleep science coach Sosha Lewis stepped up to the plate to evaluate how it feels, who it’s best for, and who may want to avoid it. Overall, she was impressed with the bed’s high-quality materials and firm feel, which is ideal for younger children to promote proper spinal alignment. In this Leesa Kids mattress review, I’ll break down her findings during testing, as well as everything you need to know before buying this bed.
The Leesa Kids mattress has three foam layers that stack up to a 7.5-inch height. Its low profile makes it a popular choice for bunk beds, and its sturdy base foam ensures that children have proper support for their backs beneath airier comfort layers. Although it isn’t flippable and doesn’t have built-in waterproofing, it’s a relatively affordable and cozy option for youngsters.
Leesa Kids Mattress Performance: Our Overall Rating
Our expert tester Sosha Lewis reviewed the Leesa Kids mattress in our studio, following our rigorous testing methodology and advice from our chief medical advisor, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM.
Based on the Leesa Kids’ performance in edge support, cooling, pressure relief, and customer experience, she rated it an overall score of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Sosha was especially impressed with this bed’s high-density foam base, which provided support from edge to edge.
See how the Leesa Kids performed by category below. For more information, hover your cursor over the score.
I Recommend the Leesa Kids Mattress for…
- Children ages 3 to 7 can benefit from the firm support that promotes proper posture for growing bodies.
- Kids can sleep in all three sleeping positions and still find both pressure relief and support.
- The low 7.5-inch profile is perfect for bunk beds or as a trundle mattress.
I Don’t Recommend the Leesa Kids For…
- Children prone to accidents may run into issues with the Leesa’s knit cover, as it is not waterproof, stainproof, or antimicrobial.
- Children older than 7 or those with a strong preference for soft beds may find the Leesa Kids mattress too firm.
How Firm Is the Leesa Kids Mattress?
How a mattress feels is largely determined by the sleeper’s body type and preferred sleeping positions. Since children weigh less than adults, they don’t sink quite as far into the layers as we do. While our expert tester, Sosha Lewis, is 48, she is a certified sleep science coach and is able to decipher how a mattress feels for adults versus children.
When we consulted Dr. Dasgupta on mattress firmness for children, he mentioned that children have different needs depending on their current stage of development. These needs evolve over time from safety to spinal alignment, comfort, and individual preference.
“Just like clothing, kids can outgrow a mattress,” he said. “A firm mattress is ideal for safe sleep in infants and toddlers. Children 3 to 7 should have a firm to medium-firm bed that helps promote proper posture. Kids 8 to 12 may prefer more softness and cushioning. Once kids reach 12, they may develop their own firmness and feel preferences.”
With this in mind, we rate mattress firmness on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest. A score of 6.5 out of 10 typically marks a true medium-firm feel that provides both pressure relief and support. When Sosha evaluated the firmness of the Leesa Kids, she rated it 7.5 out of 10, meaning it’s a firm bed but not ultra-firm.
For reference, Sosha weighs approximately 165 pounds, so she sank a bit further into the layers than a child would and found the bed slightly softer than a child would. Her 7.5 rating is based on how a small child feels when lying down. Based on Dr. Dasgupta’s recommendations, we think this firmness level is best suited to children ages 3 to 7.
How Well Did the Leesa Kids Perform?
For a quick glance at how the Leesa Kids compares to the average mattress we test, read the performance table below.
| Test | Performance | Average |
| Firmness | 7.5/10 – Firm | 6.7/10 – Medium-Firm |
| Side Sleeper Comfort | Good | Good |
| Back Sleeper Comfort | Good | Good |
| Stomach Sleeper Comfort | Good | Good |
| Pressure Relief | 4/5 | 3.9 |
| Edge Support | 4.5/5 | 4.1 |
| Cooling | 4/5 | 3.8 |
| Noise | 5/5 | 4.5 |
| Trial Period | 4/5 | 4.2 |
| Warranty | 4.5/5 | 4.6 |
How Does the Leesa Kids Memory Foam Mattress Feel for Different Body Types and Sleeping Positions?
As I mentioned earlier, body weight determines how far you sink into a mattress’s layers, and therefore how soft or firm it feels to you. For example, someone who weighs more than 230 pounds won’t find enough firmness to lift the hips in line with the shoulders and achieve ideal spinal alignment on this mattress. However, a 40-pound kid will find it more supportive along the entire body. Since they won’t sink all the way down to the base layer, they’ll enjoy more of the softness provided by the top layers.
While most children are classified as lightweight sleepers (less than 130 pounds), many adults choose kids’ mattresses as a cheaper option for guest rooms, dorms, RVs, and more. Below, I’ve broken down how the Leesa Kids will likely feel for you based on your weight class and preferred sleeping position.
| Sleeper Weight | Side Sleepers | Back Sleepers | Stomach Sleepers |
| Light (under 130 lbs) | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Average (130-230 lbs) | Good | Good | Good |
| Heavy (over 230 lbs) | Unpleasant | Unpleasant | Unpleasant |
Average-weight Tester – 130 to 230 pounds
“I wasn’t crazy about this mattress on my side, but I’m not the target audience. I think little kids who sleep on their side will be just dandy, and they likely won’t feel the same pressure that I did.” – Sosha Lewis, 48 years old and 165 pounds
Lightweight Tester – <130 lbs
To better understand how the Leesa Kids feels for sleepers under 130 pounds, I stepped into the Mattress Clarity studio to give the bed a whirl. I’m 5’5” and weigh about 130 pounds, so I’m still bigger than a kid. However, I still felt decent cushioning around my hips and shoulders when side sleeping and great spinal support when lying on my back and stomach.
Leesa Kids Mattress In-Depth Test Results
Pressure Relief
To evaluate the Leesa Kids for pressure relief, Sosha lay on her side and back for several minutes, noting where on her body she felt cushioned and where she felt pain. While she rated the mattress 4 out of 5 stars in both sleeping positions, she had a slight preference for back sleeping.
In the side sleeping position, Sosha said, “It’s soft and contouring enough, but I personally didn’t find enough support at my hips, which caused my spine to feel wonky.” While this bed wasn’t her personal cup of tea, she went on to say that she could see children really enjoying the top layer of softer foam when lying on their sides.
Sosha then flipped onto her back and immediately observed that she felt slightly more comfortable. “It’s more comfy on my back than on my side, but my hips are still sinking in too much. Again, I’m not the target audience, and I think kids will get enough support to promote sufficient spinal alignment,” she said.
Overall, we think children will feel supported yet comfortable in both sleeping positions. The three-layer all-foam construction provides some slight cushioning along the body from the top two layers. While it’s not a hybrid mattress with an innerspring layer, the thick foam base layer is firm enough to prevent kids from sinking in too far and still provides straight, neutral spinal alignment.
Edge Support
The Leesa Kids is only offered in twin and full sizes, so there’s not a lot of room for your little one to spread out. If the perimeter of the mattress lacks support, your child may not feel fully secure, and they may fear falling out of bed if they’re too close to the edge. To give kids peace of mind, Sosha conducted three tests, resulting in a final edge support score of 4.5 stars.
First up was our weighted edge support test, which involves placing a 45-pound weight directly on the edge of the bed. The Leesa mattress is 7.5 inches thick, so she grabbed a tape measure to see exactly how many inches the sides of the mattress collapsed under the weight. Remarkably, Sosha measured only 1.5 inches of sinkage, earning it a full 5-star rating in this test.
Sosha also put the edge support to the test, both sitting and lying down. When she sat directly on the edge of the bed, she said, “I sank right through the top layers and onto the base. Our weight plate test showed that kids won’t sink quite as far, but parents may not care for this.” She ended up rating this test 3 stars for adults like herself, but 4 stars for children.
The last test Sosha performed was the full body test, which she awarded 4.5 stars. After lying along the edge of the bed in different sleeping positions, she said, “I was surprised by how secure I felt. I was expecting more sinkage, but the edge supported me well.”
Based on these three tests, I would consider the edge support on the Leesa Kids to be quite strong. Parents may not feel comfortable sitting on the side of the bed to read a story, but your child should be able to sit and tie a shoe. The edges are also strong for adults when lying down, so you won’t need to worry about falling off the bed during cuddle time.
Cooling
According to Dr. Dasgupta, proper temperature regulation is one of the most important factors in achieving better, more restful sleep. He said, “Having a mattress that helps you effectively dissipate heat can regulate your circadian rhythm and body temperature, which can lead to better sleep.” To see how the Leesa Kids responds to body heat, Sosha performed a thermal gun test, earning 4 stars for cooling.
According to our thermal gun, Leesa’s initial temperature was 79.2 degrees. After measuring the temperature, Sosha took a 7-minute rest on the bed and observed how it felt beneath her. She said, “The mattress didn’t noticeably heat up, and it was actually cooler than expected.”
When the time was up, she grabbed the thermal gun again to measure the final temperature of the Leesa Kids. The thermal gun showed the bed had risen by 6.3 degrees, demonstrating solid cooling abilities. While the bed wasn’t necessarily cool to the touch, we don’t see it contributing to overheating.
Noise
Let’s face it — lots of kids jump on the bed. If you’re worried about an annoying squeaking sound every time they hop into bed, you won’t face this issue with the Leesa Kids. As an all-foam mattress, there is no creaky innerspring layer. In fact, Sosha rated this bed 5 stars for noise because it’s completely silent when moving around on it.
Leesa Kids Mattress Customer Experience Scores
Like any major purchase, you’ll want to look into the fine print that comes with the Leesa Kids. Luckily, I’ve done this for you, and you can find what I learned below.
Trial Period
Many shoppers are hesitant to buy a mattress online because they don’t know if they’ll like it once it arrives. Luckily, most online mattress retailers offer a lengthy sleep trial period, which gives you a set number of days to sleep on the mattress and still be eligible for a free return. Leesa offers a 120-night sleep trial that we rated 4 stars.
Warranty
Mattresses typically come with a warranty, which can indicate approximately how long the manufacturer expects the product to last. Leesa offers a limited lifetime warranty, earning 4.5 stars in this category. This covers deterioration, sagging at the edges, or manufacturing defects.
Unboxing and Moving
Depending on what size you get, the Leesa Kids weigh 28 or 39 pounds. When we unboxed this bed, we found it extremely lightweight and easy to move around. While your child may not be able to set it up themselves, an able-bodied parent should be able to.
Readiness After Unboxing
Once you unwrap the cellophane layer and puncture the plastic, the foam layers immediately decompress and the bed puffs up. You may notice a light off-gassing scent from the Leesa Kids, which is typical for bed-in-a-box mattresses and should dissipate in a few hours.
Leesa Kids Mattress Construction
We assessed the Leesa Kids materials by cutting into the side of the bed and examining the layers. We found a layer of soft foam, followed by a firmer one. These two layers rested upon a thick layer of high-density polyfoam. From the outside, this mattress looks like a mini version of the Leesa Original mattress.
Mattress Height & Weight
The Leesa Kids is 7.5 inches tall and is offered in twin and full sizes, but Leesa does not offer a twin XL size. The bed weighs 28 or 39 pounds, depending on which size you choose.
Materials
This is an all-foam mattress that’s free from harmful chemicals, heavy metals, and has low VOC emissions, as verified by third-party GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US certifications. While CertiPUR-US ensures the basic safety of the materials, such as being fiberglass-free, Leesa Kids’ GREENGUARD Gold certification means it’s eco-friendly and indicates an overall high-quality mattress, which adds to the Leesa Kids’ overall durability.
Layers
The Leesa Kids has a three-layer design. The first layer is made from soft memory foam, which Sosha described as “spongy and contouring.” Below that is a layer of aerated foam, which is slightly firmer and more responsive. The bottom support layer is made from thick, ultra-firm base foam. The entire bed is covered in a breathable, green-gray knit fabric that promotes increased airflow for cooling.
How to Try and Buy the Leesa Kids Mattress
If you want to try the Leesa Kids before buying it, you can use Leesa’s store locator tool to find a retailer near you. Leesa partners with West Elm and Pottery Barn, but there are several other locations available across the United States.
Another option is buying the mattress online. Simply visit Leesa’s website, select your mattress and checkout. Even if you haven’t tried the bed in person, you can sleep on the Leesa Kids for up to 120 nights and still return it. You can also find this mattress on Amazon for a similar price.
Leesa Kids Mattress Prices & Sizes
When choosing a new mattress, pricepoint may be a deciding factor. Below, I’ll break down how much the Leesa cost for the two sizes available.
| Size | Dimensions | Price |
| Twin Mattress | 38″ x 75″ x 7.5″ | $499.00 |
| Full Mattress | 53″ x 75″ x 7.5″ | $599.00 |
How the Leesa Kids Mattress Compares
While the Leesa Kids may be one of your top picks, it’s not the only kids’ bed we’ve tested. Below, I’ll briefly compare the Leesa Kids to two other popular kids’ mattresses
- Nectar Kids Mattress – Flippable All-Foam Bed
- BB Kids – Waterproof Foam Bed
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| Rating |
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| Firmness |
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Firm: 8/10
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Firm: 7.5/10
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| Material |
Foam
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Foam
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Foam
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| Cooling |
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| Best For |
Kids
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Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers, Kids |
Kids
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Leesa Kids vs. Nectar Kids
Unlike the Leesa Kids, the Nectar Kids features two sides — one for younger kids and one for older kids. As Dr. Dasgupta explains, the ideal mattress for children can change as they grow, so a flippable mattress allows you to use the same bed throughout most of your child’s elementary school years.
The Nectar Kids has an all-foam three-layer construction. When the “3 to 7” side is face up, you’ll find a firm foam comfort layer, followed by a thick high-density foam base, and then a softer layer of foam. When the “8 to 12” side is up, the construction is flipped.
During testing, we rated the “8 to 12” side a firmness of 7.5 out of 10 — which is exactly what we gave the Leesa Kids. We rated the “3 to 7” side an 8 out of 10, meaning it’s a bit firmer to promote better spinal alignment during this crucial development period.
Read more in our Nectar Kids review.
Leesa Kids vs. Brooklyn Bedding Kids
The Brooklyn Bedding Kids mattress is an all-foam mattress with two layers. The first is the softest, providing a bit of cushioning along the body, while the second is twice as tall and super firm. We rated the firmness an 8 out of 10, meaning it’s a very firm bed that’s best for children younger than 7.
Since the BB Kids mattress has fewer layers than the Leesa mattress, it has a lower, 6-inch profile. Another major difference between the two youth mattresses is their covers. While the Leesa Kids has a breathable knit cover, the BB Kids cover is more forgiving of spills and accidents due to its “Nano Stain Terminator”. However, you can add a waterproof mattress protector to either of these beds for an extra barrier.
Read more in our Brooklyn Bedding Kids review.
Leesa Kids Mattress FAQs
Does the Leesa Kids mattress have a warranty?
Yes, Leesa offers a limited lifetime warranty.
Does the Leesa Kids mattress come with a sleep trial period?
Yes, Leesa offers a 120-night risk free sleep trial.
Is the Leesa Kids mattress flippable?
No, the Leesa Kids mattress is not flippable and offers one firmness level.
How firm is the Leesa Kids mattress?
The Leesa Kids falls at a 7.5 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale, making it a solidly firm mattress.
Who is the Leesa Kids best for?
Based on our chief medical advisor’s recommendations, we think Leesa Kids is most compatible with children ages 3 to 7.
Can the Leesa Kids be used in a bunk bed?
Yes, the low 7.5-inch profile makes this bed a great choice for bunk beds, but you can also use it on a standard bed frame.
