What Size Bed is Right for My Child?

For kids, it’s an impactful experience to get their own “grown up” furniture – it’s a big event! But, as a parent, how do you know what type and bed size is right for your child? With standard beds to triple bunks and twin to queen sizes, your options are almost limitless. We've gathered our top tips and advice to help you select the right size bed for your child. 

When determining what bed size will “fit” your child, consider your child’s current height standing and how tall he/she is likely to grow in the next year. Also, how well is your child able to climb? How secure is he/she maneuvering around furniture? Watching their behavior on an outdoor playground is often a good indication of how ready and confident they are likely to be when it comes to elevated furniture.

To get started, measure your child’s standing height (foot to the top of the head) and sitting height (seat surface to the top of the head) to get an idea what bed would be a good fit. Compare these to our bed height and headroom dimensions for low, mid and high kids beds - see bed & child height guide.

Pre K (Ages 1.5 – 4 years old) Beds

When transitioning your child from crib to bed, a bed size that sits low to the ground is a great option - think standard or classic twin size beds or full size beds or daybeds with a back guardrail. Optional front bedside rails - available in 1/2 or 3/4 lengths - are very popular to create extra safety. Avoid falling out of bed with those sturdy rails! 

The core Maxtrix twin bed is 30.75” (78cm) tall from the floor to the very top of the bed. Like all Maxtrix Beds it is equipped with a solid wood slat base which is tested to hold up to 800 lbs (so it easily holds multiple kids and adults). It measures 11 3/4 in height to the slat surface, so consider how tall a mattress you want to put on the slats to get to the total height from the floor.

We recommend a quality low profile mattress (5”) for young children. So with a 5” mattress, the sleeping surface will be at a total height of 16 3/4 off the ground. Add a trundle bed for a second guest to sleep! 

Love to play? Add a top tent to create a play-area right on top of the bed frame. Our top tents are always the same height – 20 3/4 inches tall. Create a comfortable sleeping space that blocks out sound and light. And, they are super fun to play in too! They can easily be added on to any Maxtrix bed and removed later.

Remember that any Maxtrix bed size can be raised up to low, medium, tall or extra tall loft bed or stacked into many different bunk configurations. If in doubt whether your child is quite ready for a bunk or a loft, we recommend starting with a classic style like a standard bed so when the time is right you can easily convert to a taller bed.

K-3 (Ages 6 – 9):

Ready to go higher? A low loft bed is very popular with the elementary school crowd. Kids who love to climb and are secure on outdoor playground equipment love low loft beds! Low Loft beds measure 50.75” (129cm) from the floor to the very top of the bed, allowing 33.5” (85cm) in under-bed height (measured floor to the bottom of the slats). These beds are perfect for kids measuring 40 inches and taller. shop low lofts 

While some kids won’t be able to stand under these Low Lofts, they comfortably accommodate the sitting height of an average elementary school aged child. The top ladder rung for the straight ladder is 30 inches high, making it easy to reach for kids 40” tall.

The sleeping surface – assuming a 5” mattress – is a total height of 38.75" off the ground. You can get this bed with 3 different entries – straight ladder, angled ladder or staircase. We recommend the staircase for the safest way to climb into any elevated bed. shop low lofts with stairs

A Mid Loft is a great option for taller kids - measuring at 61.5” (156cm) inches in total height and 44.25” (112cm) in under bed height. They are great for kids 50” and taller. Older kids have lots of toys, so many parents opt for additional storage under the loft bed to create extra space in smaller kids rooms. shop Mid Lofts

4th Grade through Middle School:

This is the time for growth spurts! High Lofts or Tall Bunk Beds are popular bed size choices for kids measuring 50” and taller. shop High Lofts

Consider under bed headroom if you are planning to add desks, or create a lounge area for your kids (consult our storage and desk fit/measurement guide.) A High Loft will give you 52.5”, an ultra high loft will give you a full 58”. Ceiling height is also an important consideration. High Lofts work well in rooms with 8 foot ceilings, although we recommend a low profile mattress (5”) to maximize headroom on the top bed. 

The height from floor to the top of the slat roll for a high Loft is 54 inches. Add to that the mattress thickness of 5”, and you have a sleeping surface height of 59 inches off the ground. So for rooms with 8 foot ceilings, that leaves 37 inches in sleeping and sitting surface. Check your child’s sitting height to make sure you have enough headroom left and you pick the right height mattress.

For an ultra high loft, the height from floor to the top of the slat roll for a high Loft is 58 3/4 inches. Add to that the mattress thickness of 5”, and you have a sleeping surface height of 63 3/4 inches off the ground. Usually we do not recommend this bed size for 8 foot ceilings as it only leaves 32 1/4 inches in headroom for the top Loft Bed. shop Ultra High lofts

Bed Size: Low, Mid and Tall Bunk Beds

The same considerations hold true for Bunks Beds, which we offer in 3 different bed size heights. The top bunk for our LOW bunk bed measures 45 inches to the top of the top bunk slat roll. Add to that the mattress thickness of 5”, and you have a sleeping surface height of 50 inches off the ground for the top bunk. For rooms with 8 foot ceilings, that leaves 46 inches in sleeping and sitting surface. Under bed height measures 32.25” to the top of the slat roll, so if you add a 5” mattress you are left with 27.25” of headroom between top and lower bunk. shop Low Bunks

The top bunk for our medium bunk bed measures 50 inches to the top of the top bunk slat roll. Add to that the mattress thickness of 5”, and you have a sleeping surface height of 55 inches off the ground for the top bunk. For rooms with 8 foot ceilings, that leaves 41 inches in sleeping and sitting surface. Under bed height measures 37” to the top of the slat roll, so if you add a 5” mattress you are left with 32” of headroom. shop Medium Bunks 

The top bunk for our tall bunk beds measure 54.5 inches to the top of the top bunk slat roll. Add to that the mattress thickness of 5”, and you have a sleeping surface height of 59.5 inches off the ground for the top bunk. For rooms with 8 foot ceilings, that leaves 36.5 inches in sleeping and sitting surface. Under bed height measures 41.75” to the top of the slat roll, so if you add a 5” mattress you are left with 36.75” of headroom. shop High Bunks

Make Your Bed Size Selection

Using these dimensions above, we hope you are able to determine what bed size is right for your child. And the great news is that with Maxtrix you can change your Maxtrix bed over time, so you're not "stuck" with the same look forever! Think of it like a Lego brick - you can build and re-build your perfect bed setup all the way from toddler to college. If you still have questions or want input about your space, we'd love to help. Simply use our online chat tool or contact our design team!