When your child transitions from a cot to a bed, it’s time to invest in their very first duvet, tucking them into a breathable cosy cover when they head to the land of nod.
Whether it’s an eco-friendly natural duvet, an anti-allergy option for sensitive skin, a coverless duvet for convenience or even the perfect sleeping bag for naps and sleepovers, we’ve got you covered.
Things to consider when choosing a duvet for your child
There are lots of duvets on the market that are either tailored specifically for children or come in single-bed sizes, so knowing which one to choose can feel quite difficult. Here are some things to bear in mind when making your choice:
Tog rating: The tog rating of a duvet describes how effectively the duvet insulates heat - the higher the tog rating, the warmer the duvet will be. If your child is over 12 months but under 3 years of age, it is recommended that choose a duvet no higher than 4 togs to prevent them from overheating. For older children and those in a single bed, you may choose to base your tog rating on the season, switching between lightweight duvets in summer to thicker, higher tog rated duvets in the colder winter months. Some duvet fillings are temperature-regulating and can be used all year round, whereas others are better suited to warm or cool environments. If you are looking for a duvet that is suitable for use all year round, a tog rating of 7 is the most common choice.
Bed size: What size duvet do you need? Is your child in a cot bed or a regular-sized single? Check the measurements of the duvet before you buy to avoid disappointment, particularly if your child’s bed is a shorty bed or irregular in size.
Materials/filling: Children’s duvets and single duvets come with a range of different fillings, each of which has its own unique benefits.â
- Synthetic man-made materials are generally kinder on the purse strings, easy to look after and work well for children with allergies, being less likely to cause skin irritation than feathers or down.
- Natural fibres such as bamboo tend to be more expensive but often provide temperature regulation benefits, meaning you can use the same duvet all year round.
- A duvet filled with natural woollen fibres can be the ultimate in comfort, offering an extra cosy and weighty cover. Your child may prefer the more lightweight feel of a bamboo duvet, which is generally thinner despite its warm tog rating.
Care instructions: How easy is the duvet to wash and clean? Some duvets offer hand wash options only, whereas others are machine washable at low temperatures, although bear in mind you’ll need a reasonable-sized drum on your machine for it to fit. You may also want to consider how quickly it dries and whether the duvet can be tumble dried, allowing your bed change routine to be as quick and efficient as possible. For even more convenience, some duvets are coverless (requiring no additional linen or covers at all), which can be a helpful solution when you’re limited on time.
Allergies: If your child has eczema, sensitive skin or allergies, you may want to look for duvets with hypoallergenic fillings to avoid skin irritation. A bamboo duvet is also a good option for those with allergies due to its antibacterial and anti-microbial properties. They can also be useful to help regulate temperature and prevent sweat or moisture overnight.
Budget: Duvets vary significantly in price, so your final decision may ultimately depend on how much you are prepared to spend. Bamboo and natural fibres tend to cost more, whereas synthetic fibres may offer a more budget-friendly solution.
Whilst we sadly can’t guarantee that your children will sleep through the night or won’t still wake you at the crack of dawn, here’s the ES Best round-up of the best duvets for kids.
Best laptops for children: from study sessions to gaming with friends
Best baby bouncers and rockers 2022 to soothe and entertain babies
Best baby nursery furniture sets
Best babies and children’s mattresses UK for a great night’s sleep
Best kids beds: Single, cabin and bunk beds for children
Best bedside cribs so your baby can sleep right beside you
Best baby play mats for a fun and stylish play space
Best nursing chairs for a comfortable feeding time for mum and baby
Panda Cloud Duvet
If you’re looking for a high-quality natural duvet that is suitable for your children to use all year round, the Panda Cloud duvet is an absolute dream.âFilled with ethically sourced organic bamboo and Nano-Microfibre, this breathable, lightweight duvet is soft and hypoallergenic, making it an ideal choice for those with allergies, eczema or skin conditions.
Despite its lightweight and slimline nature, the Panda Cloud duvet is super soft and luxurious, offering a similar level of comfort to a feather down duvet.
With a naturally thermoregulating 10.5 tog rating (or 4.5 tog rating for the cot bed option), there is no need to swap this duvet when the seasons change. Insulated enough to keep your child warm in winter but breathable for summer, the Panda Cloud Duvet offers moisture-wicking qualities that can prevent sweating or overheating. The bamboo filling is even naturally anti-microbial, so you won’t need to say ‘don’t let the bed bugs bite’ when you tuck your child into bed.
With sealed filling that won’t clump, bunch up or become misshapen after washing, the Panda Cloud is really easy to care for, simply pop it in the washing machine before tumble drying at a low temperature.
For children, the Panda Cloud duvet is available in both cot bed and single sizes, but be warned, you’re likely to want one for your own bed too.
Buy now £84.96, My Panda Life
Soak&Sleep Soft as Down Duvet
If you want to offer your child the comfort of a light and fluffy duvet but need or prefer a synthetic alternative, the Soak&Sleep Soft as Down is a great option, filled with a lightweight microfibre that closely mimics the sensation of a down-filled duvet.
Available in a choice of tog ratings from 4.5 tog summer warmth through to 13.5 tog for the coldest winter nights, we recommend the all-season 7.5 tog as a great value for money solution or the Spring/Autumn 9 tog for those who like a more cosy and snuggly sleep.
Wrapped in a made-to-last, moisture-wicking cotton cover, the super soft and lofty Soak&Sleep duvet is machine washable and quick to air dry or tumble, offering a five-year guarantee that allows you to purchase with confidence.
Buy now £40.00, Soak&Sleep
The Fine Bedding Company Jungle Adventure Junior Children’s Reversible Coverless Duvet & Pillowcase Set
If convenience is key and you hate nothing more than constantly grappling with bed linen, then you really can’t go wrong with the Jungle Adventure Junior Children’s Reversible Coverless Duvet sets from the Fine Bedding Company, which make life so much easier for parents.
Each single duvet set comes in a handy drawstring carry bag containing a coverless duvet and pillowcase, with absolutely no need for additional bed linen or duvet covers. Fully reversible, your child can choose which side of the duvet suits their mood or room aesthetic, selecting from either Rose Mist (with a choice of pink or grey) or Night Sky (with a choice of blue or grey).
Soft, super silky to the touch and lightweight for comfort, each duvet has a tog rating of 7, making it ideal for all-year-round use. Filled with Smartfil microfibre made from Recycled PET Bottles, you can quickly machine wash the entire duvet along with the pillowcase at 40 degrees and have it clean and back on your child’s bed in just 90 minutes flat. A stylish yet practical no-fuss option for families.
Buy now £52.50, The Fine Bedding Company
The White Company Super Soft Duvet
Don’t be fooled into thinking synthetic-filled duvets can’t be cosy, they absolutely can and in this case, the White Company Super Soft Duvet certainly lives up to its name.
With a 7.5 tog rating that is suitable for those colder nights snuggling up warm but without the risk of overheating or sweating, this single-size duvet is filled with Smartfil polyester that is not only soft and cosy but surprisingly lightweight too.
With a stylish yet subtle honeycomb fabric covering, the White Company Super Soft Duvet is machine washable at 60°C and dries in just a matter of hours, making it an easy-to-care-for choice for busy parents. â
At £35, it’s also a reasonable price point too - the ideal combination of affordability matched with the quality you’d expect from the White Company.
Buy now £40.00, The White Company
Bloomsbury Mill Nap Mat
If you have a younger child heading out to spend the day with family, going to a sleepover with friends or even wanting a cosy solution to snuggle down in whilst watching a movie at home - the Bloomsbury Mill Nap Mat is a practical and effortless solution that provides the comfort of a duvet without the restrictions of a sleeping bag.
Suitable for most toddlers and preschoolers, this fully portable and easy-to-use ‘nap mat’ comes rolled up with an integrated carry handle for travel and simply rolls out to create a super-soft padded mat with an integrated removable pillow.
Made from a soft pre-cotton blend in a bright and colourful design, children will love personalising the name tag before slotting it back into place. âWith no need to worry about drink spills or sticky fingers, the Nap Mat is fully machine washable at 40 degrees, dries quickly and requires minimal ironing, meaning it can be clean and ready to be used again in next to no time.
Buy now £42.99, Amazon
Silent Night Anti-Allergy Duvet
If your child has allergies, eczema, dermatitis or sensitive skin, you will know only too well how disruptive skin irritation can be when attempting to secure a good night’s sleep. As comfortable as down and wool-filled duvets can be, they can also exacerbate skin conditions, keeping your child with allergies awake and itchy into the early hours.
For a comfortable and allergy-friendly solution, the Silent Night Anti Allergy duvet comes in a choice of tog ratings from 4.5 through to 13.5. For the winter months âwhen external factors such as central heating can make skin conditions worse, this 10.5 tog duvet is the ideal choice.
With approval from the British Allergy Foundation, the Silent Night Anti Allergy duvet is filled with antibacterial and anti-allergy fibres that are scientifically proven to actively protect against bacteria and dust mites. Most importantly, the anti-allergy benefits are permanent, even after regular washing.
A budget-friendly and gentle single duvet from a trusted bed care brand.
Buy now £35.00, Amazon
Slumberdown Little Slumbers Anti Bacterial 4.5 tog duvet
A budget-friendly option that has been specifically designed for children, the Slumberdown Little Sleepers Anti-Bacterial Cotton single duvet is a safe and hygienic sleep companion for a child’s first duvet.
With an antibacterial, antimicrobial odour control treatment called BI-OME that helps prevent the build-up of unwanted bacteria, dust mites or bed bugs, this duvet provides great peace of mind for parents. Independently tested by experts, it also makes it an ideal choice for children with allergies or sensitive skin.
With a reduced fill 4.5 tog rating, there’s no chance of young children overheating during the night, but this duvet still offers a fresh and comfortable cover for a happy and healthy bedtime routine. An easy-care option, the cotton-bound Little Sleepers duvet can be machine washed in a standard-sized machine and tumble dried to make refreshing your child’s room a doddle.
Buy now £28.00, Argos
Eve Light Eco Duvet
If your children have a tendency to get hot and bothered at bedtime or get into the habit of flicking off the duvet during the more stuffy summer nights, you may want to opt for a lower tog, thinner duvet to help keep them cool and content all night long.
An eco-friendly option that certainly doesn’t compromise when it comes to comfort, your kids will be fascinated to learn that the single-sized Eve Light Eco Duvet is made from recycled plastic bottles that have been blended down to create a super soft fibre filling.
Despite its lower end of the scale 4.5 tog rating, the Eve Light Eco Duvet is lightweight yet soft and plump, so much so that you’d be forgiven for thinking this was filled with feathers or down.
This duvet offers the best of both worlds; the comfort of down, without the risk of allergies or irritation. With a breathable 100 per cent cotton cover to prevent sweating and unwanted moisture, you can ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep even when the temperature rises.
For younger children, see the Little Eve range which offers cot bed-size duvets and sheets.
Buy now £65.00, Eve Sleep
Eve Sleep Away Duvet
For older children heading out on sleepovers or hosting their own at home, the Eve Sleep Away Duvet is a stylish and super soft zippable duvet with a design that will appeal to even the pickiest of children and teens.
It can be used in one of two ways - opened and spread out like a traditional duvet or zipped up to create the security of a traditional sleeping bag.
With no cover or bed linen required, the Eve Sleep Away Duvet with a super soft microfibre filling simply needs to be removed from its handy drawstring bag and rolled out to create instant comfort, even with the smallest amount of notice.
With a darker shade that is more forgiving between cleans, parents will be pleased to know the duvet is also machine washable at 40 degrees.
The Eve Sleep Away Duvet is available to buy separately or as part of the Eve Sleep Easy all-in-one set, the latter of which comprises a mattress, duvet and pillow. If you’re hosting sleepovers regularly, you may want to wave goodbye to an inflatable mattress. The included Eve mattress offers 8cm of luxurious foam which can easily be rolled up and stashed away when not in use.
Be warned, however, that it’s so comfortable your guests may never want to leave.
Buy now £89.00, Eve Sleep
Verdict
For an all-year-round duvet for children that offers extreme comfort whilst being lightweight, moisture-wicking and antibacterial, we just couldn’t beat the Panda Cloud duvet. Despite having a slightly higher price tag than some of the other children’s duvets on our list, the Panda Cloud offers a huge number of eco-friendly and anti-allergy benefits that help achieve a long and comfortable slumber. After seeing the positive impacts of a temperature-regulating duvet, we’re fully converted to bamboo!
