A sleeping bag is an essential piece of camping kit. After seeing my 4 year old swamped by my spare, full-size sleeping bag (honestly I could fit two of her in there), I decided to look for the best kids’ sleeping bags available today.
If you’re in a hurry, I would recommend the Quechua Kids MH100 Sleeping Bag. This bag has an adjustable length, meaning it can grow as your kids grow. It’s also a great price at just £14.99 (at the time of writing).
How to Choose a Kids Sleeping Bag
You might be wondering whether you need a kids’ sleeping bag for camping. In reality, you can get away without one, but it is worth getting one to ensure your little one gets a good night’s sleep.
If you are going to get a kids’ sleeping bag, the following are some of the key factors to consider when choosing one,
Length of the Sleeping Bag
There is nothing worse than spending money on a sleeping bag for your kids only for them to grow out of it within a camping season.
Some manufacturers provide max height information so that you know the height at which your child will have outgrown their sleeping bag.
For those that don’t list the maximum height, a good rule of thumb is to take around 15cm off the sleeping bag length if you want to make sure you don’t need to replace the sleeping bag within a year!
Sleeping Bag Warmth
Sleeping bag warmth is measured either by the season rating or by specific temperature ratings.
In the below list, where it has been provided, I have given the season ratings for each sleeping bag.
Generally speaking, a 2 season sleeping bag will be comfortable at temperatures as low as 10°C, which means it can be used outdoors between May and September. A 3 Season sleeping bag will go down to around 0°C, making it suitable between March and November.
Sleeping Bag Weight
If you are expecting your child to carry their sleeping bag to camp, you might want to think about the weight of the sleeping bag.
If you are camping at a site and driving to your camp, this is less of a concern, however, if you are hiking to your final destination a heavier sleeping bag might be a bit more problematic.
Sleeping Bag Shape
The shape of the sleeping bag will make a difference to your child’s ability to sleep.
Square sleeping bags are rectangular in shape. This means that there is room for your child to move their feet inside the sleeping bag. This is great for comfort, however, the excess space means there is more air inside the sleeping bag, which can become cool in the night and make the sleeping bag a little colder.
Mummy sleeping bags fit more closely to your child’s body, increasing their warmth during the night. These sleeping bags can be a little restrictive though, so your child might not be quite as comfortable as in a square sleeping bag.
You can also buy Pod shaped sleeping bags which provide extra space inside of them for those who shuffle during their sleep. This might provide extra comfort, however, the extra space can make these sleeping bags cooler.
Best Kids Sleeping Bags
Outwell Contour Lux Junior
This sleeping bag is a good choice for those who want a sleeping bag with a built-in pillow.
- Guide Price = £47.00
- Weight = 1,200 grams
- Bag Size = 170cm x 70cm
- Shape = Square
- Season Rating = 2 Season
Eurohike Juniors’ Adventurer
This sleeping bag is a great choice for those who would like a comfortable mummy design sleeping bag.
- Guide Price = £40.00
- Weight = 1,200 grams
- Bag Size = 170cm x 65cm
- Shape = Mummy
Pod Kids Sleeping Pod
This Pod sleeping bag is designed to give extra space for those who shuffle a lot during their sleep.
- Guide Price = £35.00
- Weight = 1,300 grams
- Shape = Pod
Vango Starlight Junior
The Vango Starlight Junior is a mummy sleeping bag for little ones up to 150cm in height. This should suit many children into their early to mid-teenage years.
- Guide Price = £35.00
- Weight = 1,100 grams
- Bag Size = 160cm x 70cm
- Max Height = 150cm
- Shape = Mummy
- Season Rating = 2 Season
Quechua Kids’ 2-In-1 Sleeping Bag 10°C
This Quechua Kids’ 2 in 1 sleeping bag is a 2 season sleeping bag with a self-inflating mat included. Simple top up the inflation by mouth to get a super comfortable mattress for the night.
- Guide Price = £44.99
- Weight = 1,900 grams
- Bag Size = 150cm x 55cm
- Max Height = 155cm
- Shape = Square
- Season Rating = 2 Season
Quechua Kids Sleeping Bag Forclaz 0/5°C
The Quechua Kids Sleeping Bag Forclaz 0/5° is a 3 season sleeping bag, great for those looking to take their kids camping in colder weather.
- Guide Price = £29.99
- Weight = 1,200 grams
- Bag Size = 165cm x 65cm
- Max Height = 140cm
- Shape = Mummy
- Season Rating = 3 Season
Vango Kanto Junior
The Vango Kanto Junior 2 season kids sleeping bag is suitable for children up to 150cm.
- Guide Price = £27.99
- Weight = 1,100 grams
- Bag Size = 155cm x 70cm
- Max Height = 150cm
- Shape = Mummy
- Season Rating = 2 Season
Quechua Kids MH100 Sleeping Bag
The Quechua MH100 Kids sleeping bag is an adjustable, square sleeping bag. It can be adjusted to fit a child between 115cm and 155cm. Shortening the sleeping bag is a great way to reduce the unused space inside the sleeping bag and keep the inside warm.
- Guide Price = £14.99
- Weight = 755 grams
- Bag Size = 170cm x 65cm
- Max Height = 155cm
- Shape = Square
Andes Pichu 300 2-3 Season
The Andes Pichu 300 2-3 Season kids sleeping bag is suitable for use for most of the year. It is light and comes in a variety of colours.
- Guide Price = £19.99
- Weight = 800 grams
- Bag Size = 160cm x 60cm
- Shape = Mummy
Redcamp Kids Sleeping Bag
The Redcamp Kids sleeping bag is an adjustable sleeping bag that can be converted from 170cm in length to 140cm in length. This means less cool air inside the sleeping bag as night and (hopefully) a better nights sleep for your little one.
- Guide Price = £32.00
- Weight = 1,100 grams
- Bag Size = 170cm x 65cm
- Shape = Mummy
- Season Rating = 3 Season
Meteor Trail Kids Sleeping Bag
The Meteor Trail Kids sleeping bag is a good option for those on a very tight budget. Whilst this claims to be for kids, it is actually quite long at 215cm in length. For an RRP of £12.99, you get a lot of sleeping bag for your money.
- Guide Price = £12.99
- Weight = 600 grams
- Bag Size = 215cm x 75cm
- Shape = Mummy
Mountain Warehouse Basecamp 200
The Mountain Warehouse Basecamp 200 is a great choice for those whose kids love anything to do with outer space. This sleeping bag isn’t a novelty sleeping bag though, boasting a 2 season rating and a lightweight.
- Guide Price = £23.99
- Weight = 700 grams
- Bag Size = 160cm x 65cm
- Shape = Square
- Season Rating = 2 Seasons
Trespass Unisex Child Bunka
The Trespass Bunka Child’s sleeping bag is the most expensive “bag only” option on the list. At just shy of £40, you get a 2 season mummy sleeping bag, which is on par with others on the list.
- Guide Price = £39.99
- Bag Size = 170cm x 65cm
- Shape = Mummy
- Season Rating = 2 Seasons
Vango Saturn Kids
The Vango Saturn Kids sleeping bag is an affordable sleeping bag from a quality name.
- Guide Price = £19.99
- Weight = 998 grams
- Bag Size = 170cm x 70cm
- Shape = Mummy
- Season Rating = 2 Seasons
Fun Kids Sleeping Bag
The last sleeping bag on my list is very much a novelty item. Coming in a variety of styles (including this awesome unicorn design), your kids will love this sleeping bag, however, I don’t think it offers that much warmth. Probably one for camping at home rather than for the campsite.
- Guide Price = £25.99
- Weight = 800 grams
- Bag Size = 138cm x 50cm
- Shape = Square
Summary
Hopefully from the list above you have found a sleeping bag suitable for your kids. I’m personally a big fan of the Quechua Kids MH100 Sleeping Bag, due to its adjustable length, so it can grow as you grow.