Shopping for the perfect furniture for your home is fun, as you can design it any way you’d like and purchase anything that your heart desires, so long as it doesn’t break the bank. When buying kids’ furniture, however, it sometimes it can be a bit confusing – especially for first-time parents.

Design is just one of many factors to consider when buying children’s furniture, in particular kids’ sofas. Children can be rowdy, playful, and unruly. We need to provide them with safe options while enjoying their precious playtime moments, which means making sure their furniture is durable, kid-friendly, and versatile.

Don’t be overwhelmed, just like adult furniture, you simply need to find furniture that suits your child and their lifestyle. With this comparison guide, we aim to help you make these decisions and choose the perfect kids’ sofa for your little ones.

In this article, we will cover these important sofa features to look for:

• Seating
• Sofa Dimensions
• Suspension
• Cushioning
• Shape and Style
• Design
• Fabrics

Let’s take a look!

1. Seating

Kids’ sofas come in many various sizes. This is because families come in different sizes, and some may want to allocate more space for kids, siblings AND visitors.

If you have two kids at home, for example, you’ll want to make sure that there is enough space for the both of them. The last thing you want is to see your kids fussing over the furniture. And if you have one kid for now, but you are planning to have another one in the future, you can always opt for a larger design to plan ahead. With proper maintenance, these sofas can endure for years.

A lot of sofas these days feature convertible designs as well. They are a delight to parents, as the customizable position saves on space. Kids also enjoy transformable furniture because it almost serves as a playground to them.

2. Sofa Dimensions

Before buying, also consider the size of the kids’ sofa you’re planning to invest in, compared to the size of the room. Make sure that the dimensions fit within the allotted space. Wherever you place it will most likely have various toys and other children’s furniture around it, so you need to provide enough space for those as well. Remember that kids like jumping, running around, and other physical activities, so it’s best if the sofa doesn’t take up too much space or is next to any hard edges or drop-offs.

3. Suspension

If your kid’s couch is a long-term investment, then an eight-way hand tied spring system is the best choice in terms of suspension. The amount of strength it offers is excellent. However, this option might be more costly since it requires a lot of craftsmanship. If you consider your kids’ sofa a smaller, short-term investment, you may prefer to go for a sinuous spring system instead. This is less expensive, but wears less well over time with constant use.

When sitting on a spring-based sofa, listen for squeaks and creaks. It might be a symptom of a loose or poorly installed spring if it produces a noise. Remember that while cushions give a couch form and added softness, it is the suspension mechanism that determines comfort levels.

4. Cushioning

Remember that the inside is just as important as the exterior when picking the best sofa for your kids. As with any couch, excessive use of foam or fiber fillings can lead to your couch being flattened out, and feathery cushions require constant plumping. The debate over what constitutes “perfect softness” is highly subjective and transcends aesthetics.

While adults tend to love falling into the warm embrace of a feather-filled sofa, or the solid feel of a clean-cut contemporary couch, kids might just pick the one with their favorite cartoon character on the outside and be completely happy. As guardians, we can always help them make sound decisions on what’s the best design for them using other important criteria. Kids can be picky after all, so you might also want to ask them how soft they prefer their cushions.

5. Shape and Style

Kids’ sofas and sofa-chairs come in a variety of patterns and styles to set them apart from the ordinary. They can be round, L-shaped, flip and flip open, soft-seated, and more. In comparison to flip couches, round-shaped sofas take up a lot more room.

A sofa has the potential to become the focal point of your child’s room. A comfortable chair, a toddler flip sofa, a plush chair, a character couch, a children’s flip open sofa, and so on are just a few of the models created specifically for children. They also have very unique designs that serve as potential eye-candy for kids, like princesses, pirates, animals, and many others.

6. Frame Design

The structure of a kid-friendly sofa determines how long it will last. Softwood frames are less durable than hardwood frames. Wooden frames need to be reinforced, to take the wear and tear of constant, enthusiastic use. Make sure the sofa is sturdy and can bear more than you child’s weight before completing your purchase.

A sofa’s reliability is dependent on its sturdy joints. Children may leap and bounce on the sofa, so avoid sofas that rely solely on glue, nail, and staples – they may not provide adequate strength, durability & stability.

7. Fabrics

You should also pay attention to the fabric on your children’s couches. The material should be durable enough to withstand the wear and tear, wrinkles, and snags that come with childhood recreation.

Although leather appears to be a simple to clean fabric, it is not always a good choice for children. The reason for this is because it is susceptible to scratches and ink. Wool is a good alternative since it is less likely to wrinkle, scrape, or snag. Vinyl is a washable material, but it may get uncomfortably warm in direct sunlight.

Natural fibers and synthetics, on the other hand, have variable degrees of durability. Natural fibers have a deeper color and, in most cases, a superior texture, whereas synthetic fibers have a smoother feel.

You can have very specific criteria for your fabric. It could be an assessment on vibrancy of color, a pattern, or the type of upholstery itself. What you ultimately decide will have a significant influence on the overall atmosphere of the place it was intended for, so make sure it’s a good fit.

Final Step

So now what? Go to Aosom.com and start shopping for an affordable kid’s sofa that fits all your criteria! We have a wide variety of kid’s sofas for all styles, needs and budgets!