4 Expert Tips To Choose Toddler Bedding

It's especially important to choose a good material for a toddler, as toddlers tend to be sensitive to different types of materials and chemicals can especially affect young children.

Toddler bedding tends to come in a few different types of materials, each with its own features. The most common bedding materials for toddlers include:

• Cotton/polyester blend: Blends are common in children's bedding because you get the best of both worlds. You get the breathability of cotton, while the polyester can mean added benefits like durability and less staining.

• 100% cotton: It's also common to find full cotton bed sheets for toddlers. These are warm and breathable. They also tend to be more natural than synthetics or chemicals found in some sheets, so full natural cotton is a good option for children with sensitive skin.

• Polyester/microfiber: Microfiber is a common material to find in a toddler's bedding because it is soft, resistant to shrinking/wrinkles and strong. If softness is a priority, choose a microfiber option. Polyester, in general, can be made to be soft and is more resistant to stains, often a must around small children. Often, polyester is also designed to be temperature controlled, meaning it stays cool enough in summer and helps with staying warm in winter.

Toddler bedding tends to come in a fairly standardized size, meant for smaller beds and small children. Some common dimensions you might see for smaller beds may be around:

• Fitted sheet: 28 inches wide by 52 inches long
• Flat sheet: 42 inches wide by 70 inches long
• Pillowcase: 20 inches wide by 30 inches long
• Duvet/Comforter: 48 inches wide by 60 inches long
• Sham: 20 inches wide by 26 inches long

However, some toddler bedding tends to be larger for if you purchase a big bed that the child is meant to grow into over the course of years. These dimensions could be around:

• Fitted sheet: 39 inches wide by 75 inches long
• Flat sheet: 66 inches wide by 96 inches long
• Pillowcase: 20 inches wide by 30 inches long

The important point to keep in mind is to measure the bed you have for your toddler and choose bedding accordingly.

You might also want to make sure where you purchase from has a good return policy. A curious feature of toddler bedding is that the listed dimensions tend to be different. Some may list every piece in the set, others may list a few and some only list product weight. You may just need to try the bedding on the mattress and set how it fits. Sheets should fit snugly over the mattress without being a struggle to get on and bedding should not touch the floor as it hangs down.

As a side note, it's also important to consider what is included. Some products could be a full bedding set like the first list of dimensions above or others might include a few items.

Another key feature is simply how the bedding looks. Often, the bedding makes up the largest focal point in a child's bedroom, rooms that are often designed with a very specific theme in mind. Below are some of the major types of bedding styles and in which kid's room designs they work best.

• Themed: This broad category covers anything that has some sort of design on it, from TV show characters to flowers to airplanes. If your child really likes a specific character, item or theme to the point where you've designed their whole room around it, themed bedding is the go-to option for these rooms.

• Solid colors: Even toddler bedding comes in solid colors, usually bright primary shades or pastels. If your kid's room is more timeless, solid colors can be an appropriate choice. These can also work in theme rooms if the theme does not match any bedding that you can find. For instance, if your child really likes ladybugs and you cannot find ladybug bedding, some red bedding could fit the theme.

• Geometric patterns: Another go-to for more timeless bedroom themes, geometrics work well in toddler bedding as well. These are often brightly colored, but you can also find understated and neutral choices, like white and gray stripes.

Another point to consider is which types of features might work well in the bedding. Many of these take into account allergies, spills and fun additions.

• Hypoallergenic: If your child has allergies, choose a type of toddler bedding that is rated as hypoallergenic. These are often woven to capture less dust and.
• Waterproofing: If your child hasn't outgrown the bedwetting phase or tends to spill everything everywhere, waterproofing might be a necessary feature.
• Matching stuffed animal: How fun would it be for a kid to curl up cuddling a character that's featured on their bedsheets? That's the idea behind stuffed animal/bedding combos. This may be a must for the kid who wants every character they see represented in their toys.
• Machine washable: Make sure the bedding is machine washable, which is often the point with durable synthetics like polyester. If you have a toddler, odds are, you'll be washing that bedding quite often.