A toddler duvet is a small, light duvet, usually 120x150 cm, for a child over 12 months in a cot bed or toddler bed. Most toddlers sleep comfortably under a 7.5 tog duvet for most of the year, with 4.5 tog for summer and warm rooms and 9 tog for cold rooms. Babies under 12 months shouldn't have a duvet at all.
When can a child have a duvet?
A child can have a duvet from 12 months old. The NHS advises against using duvets, pillows, cot bumpers and loose blankets for babies under 12 months, because soft bedding can cover a baby's face and raise the risk of overheating. The Lullaby Trust gives the same advice and asks parents to keep the cot clear until 12 months.
For premature babies, the NHS says to follow safer sleep advice for a year from the baby's due date rather than their birth date. Until then, use a baby sleeping bag in the right tog instead of a duvet.
What tog duvet suits a toddler's room temperature?
Match the tog to the bedroom: 4.5 tog when the room is warm, 7.5 tog when it's mild, and 9 tog when it's cool. Toddlers sweat more in their sleep than adults, so they need a lower tog than you'd use on your own bed in the same room.
This table is our guide, based on how our three toddler togs are made to be used. It isn't official NHS guidance:
| Toddler's bedroom | Tog |
|---|---|
| Warm: summer, or the heating keeps the room warm all night | 4.5 tog |
| Mild: spring and autumn, or heating on in the evening | 7.5 tog |
| Cool: winter, or the heating goes off overnight | 9 tog |
For babies, the NHS and The Lullaby Trust recommend a room temperature of 16°C to 20°C. Many parents keep a toddler's room in the same range, and a room thermometer makes the tog choice easy.
Can a 2 year old have a 4.5 tog duvet?
Yes, a 2 year old can have a 4.5 tog duvet. It's the lightest of the three toddler togs and suits summer, warm bedrooms and children who run hot. In a cool room in winter, a 2 year old under 4.5 tog may wake up cold.
Can a 2 year old have a 7.5 tog duvet?
Yes, a 2 year old can have a 7.5 tog duvet. 7.5 tog is the middle weight and suits most of the year in a UK home. If the room is warm and your child wakes up sweaty or kicks the duvet off every night, drop to 4.5 tog.
What tog duvet for a 3 year old?
A 3 year old usually suits a 7.5 tog duvet for most of the year, with 4.5 tog in summer and 9 tog in a cold room. The choice depends on the room temperature, not the age. Three year olds move around a lot in their sleep, so a light duvet they can push off is better than a heavy one.
How do you check if a toddler is too hot?
Feel the back of your child's neck or their tummy. If the skin is hot or sweaty, remove a layer or swap to a lower tog. The NHS gives this method for babies because hands and feet often feel cool even when the body is warm, and it works for toddlers too.
Our toddler duvet in 4.5, 7.5 or 9 tog is 120x150 cm and fits standard cot beds and toddler beds. It has a breathable microfibre shell and anti-allergy hollowfibre filling, and comes with or without a matching cot pillow. Like all our children's duvets, it's for children over 12 months.
Not sure of the size? Our guide to cot bed duvet size explains the 120x150 cm size, and our page on what a tog rating means explains how tog is measured.
Sources: NHS, "Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)", nhs.uk. The Lullaby Trust, "Safer sleep information", lullabytrust.org.uk.
Written by the Adam Home team at Ensor Mill, Rochdale.
