Finding a great mattress for kids can be harder than it seems. Just like adults, kids have specific sleep needs, but those needs can evolve in a relatively short time span as kids grow. A mattress like the Nolah Nurture is designed to accommodate those changing needs. In addition to a layer of sturdy innerspring coils, the flippable hybrid has a firmer side and a softer side. In theory, that means it can see kids from toddlerhood to tweendom. But to see whether it’s up to this not-so-small task, the Mattress Clarity team ran it through a series of tests.
We’ve tested over 500 mattresses and sleep accessories, and we helped more than 6,000 people find the bed of their dreams in 2024 alone. We leaned into that experience to carefully evaluate the Nolah Nurture, assessing all of the features that matter most in the best mattresses for kids. There’s a lot to love, including the contouring foam layers, dual firmness, and truly excellent edge support. We were also impressed with its ability to sleep cool and relieve pressure. If you’re on the hunt for a durable, high-quality kids mattress, whether it’s a first “big kid” bed or one better suited to a gangly tween, here’s what to know about the Nolah Nurture.
The Nolah Nurture’s flippable construction enables growing kids to choose the feel of their bed: soft or medium-firm. Its organic materials and safety certifications should help with parents’ peace of mind—and the 99-cent 10-year accident coverage is especially generous.
Nolah Nurture Mattress Performance: My Overall Rating
Like all the mattresses we test, we evaluated the Nolah Nurture in our studio based on our testing methodology, which has been medically reviewed by our chief medical officer, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM. We carefully considered edge support, cooling ability, pressure relief, and firmness level on each side of the mattress to come up with our overall score of 4.7 stars out of 5. The flippable design is a standout feature, with firmness and support that works to keep kids comfortably aligned before, during, and after growth spurts.
For more details on individual testing categories, hover your cursor over the category below.
I Recommend the Nolah Nurture Mattress for…
- Active sleepers will find plenty of support all over this durable hybrid mattress, which works well for kids who move around a lot thanks to its responsive coil system.
- Back and side sleepers will get plenty of support for a neutral spine on both sides of the mattress.
- Parents interested in a flippable mattress that will work as children grow. The two firmness levels means the Nurture accommodates different sleep preferences and needs.
I Don’t Recommend the Nolah Nurture For…
- Accident-prone kids may do better with a new mattress that has a removable cover or sleep surface that’s been treated with a water-resistant finish. The Nurture doesn’t have either, so it works better for kids who have outgrown accidents.
- Older kids who are dedicated stomach sleepers. The coils are probably going to be fairly detectable for bigger, heavier kids, and it’ll be most uncomfortable for stomach sleepers.
How Firm Is the Nolah Nurture Mattress?
Testing mattress firmness is always subjective, because individual body weight and sleep position play a role in how soft or firm a particular mattress feels. Since kids are smaller and more lightweight than adults, they don’t sink in as deeply on a mattress. That’s why kids often perceive mattresses to be firmer, especially when they’re made with adults in mind. With a mattress that’s made for children, however, the reverse is true—adults are likely to find them softer because they sink in more deeply.
Sosha Lewis, a certified sleep science coach and mattress tester here at Mattress Clarity, tested the Nolah Nurture with that in mind. She assessed it on her side, back, and stomach and ultimately gave the mattress firmness ratings of 6.5/10 on the softer side and 7/10 on the firmer side. That’s based on a firmness scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 the firmest.
“I was surprised by how well this bed supported me on the firm and soft side,” she said. “I was expecting to bottom out and I didn’t.” While she says it wouldn’t be a good match for adults over the long-term because the innerspring coils were detectable through the comfort layers, she thinks it would do the job for a few nights. As for the intended target market, Sosha noted, “I think kid side sleepers would like the spinal alignment and the contouring.”
She was just as impressed when she tested the bed on her back. “The pocketed coils did a great job of keeping me balanced and even,” she said. “I didn’t experience too much sinkage.” Again, she was aware of the coil system, but that shouldn’t be an issue for kids.
Stomach sleepers, whether big or small, need a firmer, more supportive surface to keep the hips from dipping. Adult stomach sleepers aren’t likely to find that on a mattress built for kids, and that was the case here—even on the firm side. “As an adult, I’m not going for this on my stomach. My hips dipped and the coils were awful on my chest,” Sosha reported. Most stomach-sleeping kids should fare better, but those who are on the bigger and heavier side of the scale may experience a similar issue.
How Well Did the Nolah Nurture Perform?
Below, we’ve compared the Nolah Nurture to the average mattress we test to give you a sense of its performance against what’s most typical.
| Test | Performance | Average |
| Firmness | 6.5/10 – Medium-firm 7/10 – Firm | 6.7/10 – Medium-Firm |
| Side Sleeper Comfort | Good | Good |
| Back Sleeper Comfort | Good | Good |
| Stomach Sleeper Comfort | Good | Good |
| Pressure Relief | 4.5/5 | 3.9 |
| Edge Support | 5/5 | 4.1 |
| Cooling | 4/5 | 3.8 |
| Trial Period | 4/5 | 4.2 |
| Warranty | 4.5/5 | 4.6 |
How Does the Nolah Nurture Mattress Feel for Different Body Types and Sleeping Positions?
The Mattress Clarity team assesses mattresses for three weight classes: lightweight, average-weight and heavyweight. Kids up to the tween years (11 and 12) are generally lightweight sleepers, but some may reach the average-weight category.
Below, we cover how the Nolah Nurture is likely to perform for sleepers in varying weight classes and position. Since it is a kids mattress, it’s not designed with the support necessary for heavyweight sleepers.
| Sleeper Weight | Side Sleepers | Back Sleepers | Stomach Sleepers |
| Light (under 130 lbs) | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Average (130-230 lbs) | Good | Excellent | Unpleasant |
| Heavy (over 230 lbs) | Unpleasant | Unpleasant | Unpleasant |
Nolah Nurture Mattress In-Depth Test Results
Pressure Relief
Pressure relief can be really critical for adults, but it’s not usually a major concern for kids. A mattress with good pressure relief helps keep stress from building in joints like the hips and shoulders. But in a mattress for growing kids, the more important concern is ensuring proper spinal alignment and support. That’s why kids mattresses tend to be firmer. On the other hand, a mattress that’s too firm can lack the pressure-relieving comfort kids need to peacefully drift off to sleep, especially when they’re a little older and comfort becomes more of a focus.
Sosha, our tester, falls into the average-weight sleeper category — something kept in mind as she assessed both sides of the Nolah Nurture for its pressure relief. “This is tough since I am not the target audience for this mattress, but I was surprised by how aligned and supported I felt,” she said.
On her side, she noted some pressure around her shoulders and hips but added that it wasn’t as much as I expected, and she felt no back pain. “I think that kids would find this bed pretty comfortable on either the soft or firm side. I am a side sleeper and I could handle this bed a few nights in a guest room. My biggest complaint is how much you can feel the coils.” She gave the bed 4/5 stars for pressure relief in the side sleeping position.
It was a better experience when Sosha moved to her back. “I’m a pretty big fan of the pressure relief for back sleepers, even one of my size,” she said. “I liked it on both the soft and the firm sides, so it should do a great job based on weight recommendations.” For back sleeping, the Nurture earned a perfect 5/5 stars.
Edge Support
If you’ve ever shared a bed with a child, you’re probably familiar with their nighttime acrobatics. Young children in particular can be surprisingly active while they’re asleep, so a bed that’s just as stable along the edges as it is in the center can help keep them from sliding off the side. Even kids who don’t fling themselves around in their sleep benefit from a quality mattress with good edge support, since kids mattresses don’t usually come in sizes over a full. A mattress that’s equally stable throughout gives snoozing kids a little more room to spread out, and it helps smaller kids who are still mastering getting in and out of bed.
Sosha ran three tests to get an idea of the edge support in the Nolah Nurture. Once again, it earned full marks with 5/5 stars. It has a hybrid construction with a center layer of six-inch steel coils, but they aren’t reinforced around the perimeter (just in the center for enhanced spinal support) so this was a great outcome.
The first test was subjective. Sosha placed a 45-pound weight on the edge of the mattress and used a ruler to measure how far it collapsed. From a starting height of just over six inches, the Nurture collapsed .5 inch. That indicates excellent support.
In test two, Sosha herself sat on the side of the bed with her feet on the floor. From her seated position, she considered how stable she felt rising to standing. “It wasn’t difficult at all when I was sitting on the very edge of the bed,” she reported. “In fact, I was super impressed with how supportive this was on both sides (soft and firm), but particularly on the soft side.” When she moved back further onto the bed, she experienced a little more sinkage, but that’s unlikely to be an issue for a child.
For the final test, Sosha laid down on the edge of the Nurture to evaluate how secure she felt in different positions. “I felt very supported lying along the edge of this bed on the firm and soft side, and I am an average-weight adult,” she said. “I think kids would have no worries at all about falling out of this bed.
Cooling
Kids tend to run warm when they sleep. Chalk it up to biology—they have faster metabolisms than adults, so they naturally generate more body heat, and their developing nervous systems means they don’t yet regulate temperature very efficiently. It makes breathability and cooling ability important features in a mattress made for kids.
Unlike its adult counterpart, the Nolah Natural, the Nolah Nurture isn’t made with natural materials like latex or organic wool, which are known for their temperature-regulating benefits—but it does have a hybrid construction. The addition of an innerspring layer can help promote breathability because there’s room between the coils for airflow. The Nurture also uses gel memory foam in its comfort layers for additional temperature regulation. Sosha performed two tests on the Nurture, and ultimately awarded it 4/5 stars for its cooling ability.
First, she used a thermal gun to take the initial temperature of the mattress. It was 77.2, and Sosha noted that it was really hot in the studio on testing day. She rested on the bed for seven minutes and then took a second reading. The Nurture had increased by 6.5 degrees to 83.7 degrees. “That’s pretty good, especially considering the temperature in the studio,” Sosha said.
She completed the second test during the first test, when she was lying on the bed. Here, she considered whether she could feel the Nurture actively warming up beneath her. “The bed wasn’t cool to the touch, but it definitely didn’t feel like it was heating up,” Sosha reported. “I was comfortable on this bed and think the coils do a good job dissipating heat.”
Noise
Kids can be easily disrupted when they’re drifting off, but the Nolah Nurture is unlikely to be noisy enough to pose an issue. We pressed on it in different areas, rolled all over it, and even did a little light bouncing on it to test its motion transfer, but it stayed silent. That earned it another 5/5 stars.
Nolah Nurture Mattress Customer Experience Scores
There’s more to a mattress than how it performs. Below, we’re sharing details on the overall experience associated with buying a Nolah Nurture mattress.
Trial Period
Nolah offers a 120-night sleep trial on its mattresses, and that includes the Nurture. It’s not the longest sleep trial in the industry, but it allows for four full months to decide if it meets your child’s needs. If the answer is no within the 120-night trial period, you can contact Nolah to arrange for a pick-up, but a $99 return fee does apply.
Like most brands, Nolah asks that you (or your child) sleep on the mattress for a full 30 nights before making a decision.
Warranty
The Nolah Nurture has a limited lifetime warranty, but it’s important to understand exactly what that means. The brand is clear about what isn’t covered, including things like normal wear and tear, softening over time, indentations under 1.5 inches, and more.
But if your Nurture has a material or craftsmanship defect, you should be in good shape for a replacement or repair during the first 10 years. From year 11 onward, the warranty coverage is prorated, which means a repair or replacement won’t come with a full refund.
Unboxing and Moving
The Nolah Nurture is a bed-in-a-box, so it comes compressed, rolled, and tucked in a box. Depending on the size, the mattress weighs between 72 and 97 pounds, so you’ll probably want to recruit a helper to get it to your child’s room.
Readiness After Unboxing
Setup of the Nolah Nurture is straightforward—after unboxing, position it on the bed frame before carefully cutting with scissors and removing the plastic. It’ll begin expanding quickly, and it’s ready to be slept on within a few hours. But for the best experience, the brand recommends waiting a full 24 hours.
Nolah Nurture Mattress Mattress Construction
We like to take an up-close-and-personal look at all the new mattresses we test. We use a knife to cut into the side so we can see the materials and construction.
Mattress Height & Weight
The Nolah Nurture is available in twin, twin XL and full sizes. According to the brand, it’s an 8-inch mattress. But it was closer to six inches when we measured it, so there may be a little variation. The twin-size mattress is around 72 pounds, the twin XL is 78 pounds, and the full is around 97 pounds.
Materials
The hybrid Nolah Nurture is well made and durable. It’s GREENGUARD Gold certified and made with CertiPUR-US foam and an eco-friendly organic cotton cover. “The cover is soft and has a natural color with gray accents,” said Sosha. “I’m a big fan of the sturdy handles that make moving this easy.” She also noted that the coils were pretty impressive for a kids’ bed. We liked that the Nurture is fiberglass-free as well.
Layers
The flippable Nolah Nurture has a center layer of six-inch steel coils that are reinforced in the center third to ensure proper spinal alignment. On either side are foam comfort layers — one softer and one firmer, so you have two firmness options. These comfort layers are topped with a fire-retardant fiber blend that also offers bonus cushioning. The Nurture has an organic cotton cover that adds to its breathability.
How to Try and Buy the Nolah Nurture Mattress
Nolah’s mattresses are available for direct purchase from the brand on its website at nolahsleep.com. You can also find them in showrooms across the country. Check the company’s store locator for a dealer near you so you can double check that the right mattress is in stock.
Nurture mattresses ordered online from Nolah are shipped for free right to your front door from the brand’s Arizona factory. White glove delivery, which includes options for setup and old mattress removal, starts at $225.
Nolah Nurture Mattress Prices & Sizes
The Nolah Nurture kids mattress is available in twin, twin XL, and full sizes. Here’s how it’s priced before sales and discounts.
| Size | Price |
| Twin | $919 |
| Twin XL | $999 |
| Full | $1,224 |
How the Nolah Nurture Mattress Compares
Nolah isn’t the only popular mattress brand with a kids’ model. Here’s a brief comparison with three other mattresses specifically made for kids.
- Nectar Kids Mattress – More affordable
- BB Kids – Firmer for younger kids
- Saatva Youth Mattress – A premium pick
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Rating |
|
|
|
|
| Firmness |
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
|
Firm: 8/10
|
Firm: 7.5/10
|
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
|
| Material |
Hybrid
|
Foam
|
Foam
|
Innerspring
|
| Cooling |
|
—
|
—
|
|
| Best For |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers |
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers, Kids |
Kids
|
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers |
|
|
Nolah Nurture vs. Nectar Kids
The Nectar Kids Mattress shares the flippable design of the Nolah Nurture. But the Nectar is an all-foam bed with a removable cover, which works well for accident-prone kids. Still, it means it’s a little lacking in breathability.
During testing, we found the Nectar kids a little firmer than advertised, with a firm side of 7.5/10 and an even firmer side of 8/10. Older kids may prefer the softer, pressure-relieving feel of the Nurture, especially if they’re side sleepers. The Nectar is only available in twin and full sizes, but the brand offers a generous 365-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty. It’s also the cheaper option with a full-sized mattress priced at $399.
Read more in our Nectar Kids review.
Nolah Nurture vs. Brooklyn Bedding Kids
The Brooklyn Bedding Kids Mattress isn’t dual-sided for multiple firmness options, and it’s pretty firm at 8/10. We think that’s a good fit for younger kids (up to about age seven) who sleep on their backs and stomachs. It’s another all-foam mattress, so it’s not especially cooling. While the cover isn’t removable, we liked that it’s been treated with a moisture-resistant finish to protect against spills and accidents.
The BB Kids is shorter at six inches, but like the Nurture, it’s available in twin, twin XL, and full sizes.
Read more in our Brooklyn Bedding Kids review.
Nolah Nurture vs. Saatva Youth
The Saatva Youth is a hybrid mattress with dual firmness. We found it had a similar firmness as the Nolah Nurture—a softer side of 6.5/10 and a firmer side of 7/10. The 10-inch mattress has a six-layer construction with an organic cotton cover that’s been treated to resist water, bacteria, mold, and mildew. The softer side has a five-zone support layer that’s firmer in the center third of the mattress, while the firmer side has a patented wired layer designed for lumbar support.
Saatva’s kids’ mattress has a lifetime warranty and a 365-night sleep trial, but it’s expensive. Before sales, prices range from $799 to $1,059.
Read more in our Saatva Youth review.
Nolah Nurture Mattress FAQs
Are Nolah mattresses any good?
Nolah mattresses get great reviews for comfort, pressure relief, and cooling. The brand offers a good assortment of hybrid and foam beds to suit different sleepers, and the Nolah Nurture is a flippable model specifically made for kids.
What is the most comfortable mattress for kids?
The most comfortable mattress for kids often combines innerspring coils with memory foam or latex to ensure proper spinal support and gentle cushioning. Flippable models with dual firmness, like the Nolah Nurture, accommodate changing needs as kids grow. Check for certifications like CertiPUR-US, GOLS, and GOTS to minimize exposure to harmful chemicals.
What type of mattress do pediatricians recommend?
Pediatricians typically recommend medium-firm mattresses for kids to ensure spinal support and enough cushioning to be comfortable. Breathable and non-toxic materials are also important.
Should kids have a soft or firm mattress?
Kids should have a medium-firm to firm mattress to help ensure appropriate spinal support. A mattress that’s too soft can lead to misalignment, while a bed that’s too firm may result in pressure point pain and discomfort. A dual-sided bed can be a good choice to accommodate a child’s growing body.