At 5 Little Monkeys, our mission is to help kids and families everywhere experience the life-changing potential of truly healthy, restful sleep. As we know from personal experience, healthful sleep can make a transformative difference in a child's growth and development. But all too often, kids are robbed of the best sleep by factors parents may not even notice – especially when it comes to children's beds and pillows. The right children's mattress will give your child's growing body the support it needs for optimal health and development, but their pillow is just as important.

When Should I Give My Kid a Pillow?

At the very beginning of your child's life, pillows should be nowhere near their sleep environment. In fact, infants and babies should sleep free of pillows, blankets, or any other objects in their crib, as these can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

So when is the best time to give your child a pillow? As it turns out, the science still isn't clear. Scientists still don't agree on a single, ideal time to introduce a pillow to your child's sleeping environment, but research does show that you should only give your child a pillow after age 1 or later. At this age, the risk of suffocation and SIDS drops considerably, meaning that after your child turns 1, you can give them a pillow when they feel ready for it.

The Importance of High-Quality Child's Pillows

When the time comes to give your little on a pillow, it's important that it be a high-quality, specially-designed children's pillow. Pillows made for adults don't provide the kind of support that kids need for healthy sleep and development, and soft adult pillows can even pose a greater suffocation risk. Ideally, your child should be sleeping on a pillow that is not too overstuffed or under-stuffed for their body. You are looking to see that the pillow provides proper spinal alignment so that little heads are not too elevated or creating an odd neck position during the night. A medium firmness that is not overfilled is the best choice for children’s bodies. This construction provides the support that kids' bodies need for healthy sleep, healthy growth, and healthy development – and of course, the 5 Little Monkeys custom designed kids pillow was created to provide the perfect balance.

Try the 5 Little Monkeys Kid Bed

Our custom-designed pillow is a part of our complete sleep system for kids, which means we've put countless time and energy into ensuring that our kids pillow gives growing bodies just what they need for optimal sleep and health. If you're interested in seeing the difference for yourself and trying the sleep system, we'd love to help. Take the 100-night rest test and try our children's mattress and pillow for 100 nights, completely risk-free. We can't wait to help you and your child experience the difference that quality, restful sleep can make.