What Type of Pillow is Best for a Child?

September 25, 2024 | Casper Editorial Team

Fact checked by Jonathan Eilenberg, CPE

The best type of pillow for a child is one that is firm, low loft, and allergen-free.


Exploring the world, making new friends, learning life skills — being a kid is basically a full-time job. All that work makes quality rest a necessity, so it’s critical to ensure your child’s nighttime environment promotes a deep, restorative slumber.

The right pillow can make all the difference, especially when it comes to supporting healthy sleep habits for your children. But you may wonder: what type of pillow is best for a child?

The short answer is: one that is firm, low loft, and allergen-free.1 But since children of different ages have different needs, it also depends. 

Let’s take a deeper look at what makes for an ideal children’s pillow.

Understanding Children’s Sleep Needs

Children require far more sleep than adults overall. According to experts, children thrive when their total sleep time falls somewhere between the following ranges (based on age)2:

  • Infants – 12-16 hours (naps count)
  • Toddlers – 11-14 hours (naps count)
  • Preschoolers – 10-13 hours (naps optional)
  • Grade schoolers – 9-12 hours
  • High schoolers – 8-10 hours

When you add it up, this is an extraordinary amount of time spent in bed, and their pillow is there for every second of it — choose one that maximizes their natural flow.

Importance of Proper Support

The spine serves as a superhighway for our nerve signals and links the brain with the rest of the body.3 It connects our bones and muscles. It also supports our head, which carries our most important asset: the brain.3

If you’ve ever woken up with a crick in your neck, you know how it feels when things get out of whack. Maybe neck or back pain has even disturbed your sleep. Since children spend more time asleep than adults, there’s an even greater possibility of insufficient support causing pain and disturbing the sleep or growth process. This is why selecting the best pillow that provides proper support is essential for a child’s development.

Plus the lion’s share of children’s development occurs while asleep — this is when human growth hormone levels are highest.4When it’s time for growth to occur, you want the spine aligned.

Role of a Good Pillow in Sleep Quality

Besides maintaining alignment, high quality bed pillows also boost sleep quality. For children, the perfect pillow can mean the difference between a restless night and a night of rejuvenating sleep.

A top-notch pillow serves slumber by5:

  • Relieving pressure on the head, neck, and shoulders (keeping you pain-free)
  • Offering a soothing sensation
  • Reducing snoring, which disrupts sleep rhythms and stems from strained neck muscles

When their sleep environment is cozy and inviting, children have a much easier time falling and staying asleep. This paves the way for a full night of healthy development.

Key Factors in Choosing a Pillow

There’s a wide array of pillows out there, so it helps to take stock of a few different factors when choosing one for your child.

Let’s take a look at what to consider before settling on a pillow.

Age and Developmental Stage

The most important factor is your child’s age and level of development.

Infants under two years, for example, should avoid using pillows entirely, as they can pose safety concerns.1

Once toddlerhood arrives, pillows become an important feature of the bedtime landscape. An adult-sized pillow won’t be safe for them, however. Toddler pillows should be1:

  • Miniature-sized
  • Low loft (three inches thick, or less)
  • Firm (to avoid the risk of suffocation that comes with soft pillows)

The transition from a pillow-free sleep space to one with a pillow won’t happen at the same time for every child. Once they approach 2 years of age, keep an eye on your little one’s sleep habits. If you spot your child resting their head on blankets or stuffed toys, it’s time to introduce a pillow.1

As they grow, their sleeping position may change, so having a pillow that supports their new sleep patterns is essential. Older children (8-10 and up) can transition to larger pillows with medium loft (between 3-5 inches thick) to accommodate their growing bodies. Learn more about pillow height (loft) in our blog.

Once your child reaches their early teens, it’s time to graduate to an adult-sized pillow. 

Material and Fillings

Sweat and saliva easily transfer from our bodies to our pillows as we sleep. This is even more common with children as they pay less attention to hygiene than adults. 

Kids may also do things like:

  • Carry their pillows around the house as a comfort object 
  • Nap on the couch with them
  • Incorporate them into games (like pillow fights)

The right material not only ensures durability but also contributes to maintaining healthy sleep habits. Since children’s pillows work overtime, choose a material that’s simple to clean and resists bacteria. Our low loft memory foam pillow, which includes a removable polyester cover for easy cleaning, is an excellent choice.

When it comes to filling (the pillow’s interior support), you also have a few options:

  • Memory foam – Memory foam possesses an incredible power: to mold itself to the shape of your head and neck.6 Memory foam does trap heat, but a high quality cooling memory foam pillow like the Casper Foam Pillow with Snow Technology, wicks away warmth and moisture.
  • Cotton – One of the most widely used filling types, cotton is supportive, yet soft. It’s also known for its resistance to dust mites and mold,7 as well as its breathability and capacity to regulate body heat.8
  • Latex – Considered the firmest filling type, latex also resists dust mites and mold.7 Its stability is a big plus for anyone needing extra neck support. Latex also helps to regulate temperature, making it an ideal choice for hot sleepers.7

These are far from the only filling types available, but they’re some of the top choices for little ones.

Hypoallergenic Options

Finally, you’ll want to consider allergies. Some children may be more sensitive to their pillow’s materials, so you’ll want to safeguard their sleep by preventing reactions. 

Of the three types of pillows, memory foam pillows, because they are synthetic, are the least likely to trigger allergies.

You can still find certified hypoallergenic pillows of all varieties, however. These will be fortified with additional resistance to:

  • Mold
  • Dust mites
  • Bacteria

If your child struggles with allergies, going with a certified hypoallergenic option is a wise choice.

Practical Tips for Pillow Selection

A pillow is a deeply intimate part of our lives. Choosing one for a child is an opportunity to make a subtle but powerful impact on their development.

To make that decision simpler, keep the following tips in mind.

Involve Your Child in the Choice

The simplest way to discover the perfect fit is to let your child lead the way. Present the possibility of a pillow as an exciting badge of maturity and invite them to help you pick one out. If they are hesitant about the prospect, try gradually introducing the pillow during their bedtime routine.

A child will be much more likely to incorporate a pillow into their sleep if they feel a sense of agency in the process.

Try Different Options

The first pillow you choose may not finish as the winning candidate. If your little one doesn’t gel with their first pillow, it’s fine to swap it out for a different option. Perhaps memory foam is a better fit. Maybe an unforeseen allergy develops. 

Whatever the issue, keep experimenting with different options until you find one that clicks with your child and reliably summons a peaceful slumber. 

For toddlers, the low-loft Casper Foam Pillow is a fantastic starting point, and when it’s time for a mid-loft lift in the grade school years, the Hybrid Pillow is up to the task.

Signs of an Unsuitable Pillow

When evaluating a pillow choice, watch for clues — there are a few common signs that a pillow may not be an ideal match for your little one.

Discomfort and Poor Sleep Quality

The purpose of a pillow is to encourage healing sleep, so if your child reports that their new bedtime companion is uncomfortable, that’s a major red flag.

Children may not always verbalize their discomfort, however. They also may not understand the reason for it — the situation requires some sleuthing on your part. There’s an issue if your child:

  • Regularly states that their neck hurts or is stiff
  • Suddenly has trouble falling asleep
  • Abruptly replaces the pillow with a stuffed animal or wadded-up blanket

If any of these issues pop up, simply experiment with a different pillow type until you come across one that works.

Allergic Reactions

Although discomfort is more common, allergic reactions can also be a concern. Pay attention if your little one suddenly develops one of the following:

  • Itchy rash on their face or neck
  • Persistent sneezing
  • Nagging cough

In these cases, something about their new pillow may not agree with them. Take stock of the materials and filling, and swap it out for a totally new pillow type to see if the symptoms resolve. 

Of course, if you try several varieties of pillow and the allergies continue, there’s a different cause and you should investigate further.

Choosing the Right Pillow with Casper

As a parent, you have the honor of helping a life blossom. You strive to do all you can to support their development, and when it comes to ensuring deep healing sleep, Casper is here to help. 

Sleep is critical for children, but it’s also the bedrock of vibrant adult health. Make sure you’re achieving a rejuvenating snooze every night with one of our expertly crafted bed pillows suitable for all sleep positions, or discover the difference a meticulously engineered Casper mattress makes.

Wake up every morning ready to be your best, most present self to your little ones. Explore our catalog today.

Sources: 

  1. WebMD. Is It Safe for a Toddler to Use a Pillow. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/safe-for-toddler-to-use-pillow  
  2. Cleveland Clinic. How Much Sleep Kids Need: Recommended Hours By Age. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/recommended-amount-of-sleep-for-children 
  3. University of Maryland Medical Center. A Patient’s Guide to the Anatomy and Function of the Spine. https://www.umms.org/ummc/health-services/orthopedics/services/spine/patient-guides/anatomy-function
  4. Abbot. 6 Signs Your Kid is Having a Growth Spurt. https://www.nutritionnews.abbott/pregnancy-childhood/kids-growth/6-signs-your-kid-is-having-a-growth-spurt/
  5. Better Health Osteopathy. The Importance of a Good Pillow and How it Can Help Sleep and Health. https://betterhealthosteopathy.nz/the-importance-of-a-good-pillow-and-how-it-can-affect-your-sleep-and-health/
  6. WebMD. Memory Foam: Pros and Cons. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/memory-foam-pros-and-cons 
  7. WebMD. Snuggle Up With the Perfect Pillow. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/snuggle-up-with-the-perfect-pillow 
  8. WebMD. How to Cool Down When You’re Always Hot. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ss/slideshow-cool-down-when-hot