If you can remember being a kid, and loving the thought of camping or merely wanting to sleep in a tent for no reason at all – whether it be in the yard, the bedroom or anywhere really, then you’ll agree that a bed tent is the ultimate gift for the kids, and adults too!
Even though bed tents are generally reserved for camping, or areas where there are just a few too many mozzies, they’re also a great every-night bed accessory too. They’re the perfect way to create a cozy, warm and comforting environment in the bedroom, and they also help with sensory deprivation too.
If you struggle to fall asleep at night, don’t feel the safest when actually out camping or a have a child who loves to set up the tent in the living room for faux camping trip, then our list of the best bed tents is undoubtedly for you.
Take a look below at the best bed tents you can find online today.
This list was curated based on customer reviews, feature claims as well as durability, versatility and material choice.
DDASUMI Warm Tent — The Best for Large Beds
Hitting at number one on our list is the DDASUMI tent that works best simply because of its size. This bed tent is the best for older kids and young adults looking for plenty of vertical and horizontal space and room to move around.
The materials used are also ideal too, as there’s a polyester fabric used here that’s flexible and durable. You won’t be stuck seeing any tears or rips anytime soon with this bed tent, and we’re happy to say that reviews help bolster this claim too.
Add to this polyester’s heat retention, and you’re going to have a cozy sleep at night that’s not too warm or too cold.
The size of the tent is quite large at 53 inches tall and 82 inches long, so it will fit across twin size mattresses reasonably easily.
To enhance the durability, there is a fibreglass material used for the frame, so there’s again not too much to worry about if your teens have smaller siblings who get a little rowdy. The tent should be able to take a little bit of a beating.
You’ll also find that there are some zipper windows here too, so sleepers can easily adjust the amount of light coming into the tent. If there’s a movie night planned, and there’s a bit too much sun, you can remedy that pretty quickly.
One big perk this tent has above other full-size variant is that its design can easily be folded up and stored if there’s not a use for it. Everything can be un-latched, folded up and zipped together for easy storage.
In all, this is a great tent when it comes to adding a little extra privacy to a child’s bed or to reduce distraction and stimuli at night when it’s bedtime. It’s machine washable too, so keeping it nice and clean is as easy as throwing it in the wash.
Privacy Pop Bed Tent — The Best for Simplicity and Privacy
The no-frills bed tent on the list here is the Privacy Pop bed tent. It’s got a great frosted or opaque material wrapping the sides, front and back and it’s ideal for anyone looking to add a touch of coziness to their existing bed.
Whether camping or at home, the Privacy Pop Bed Tent is the ideal solution to everything from dealing with mosquitos, privacy, light, distractions and more.
The entire front of the tent unzips here too, so you’re able to control whether you want just a little bit of light or air circulation or none at all. This control also makes it our top choice for camping or sleeping in a room that’s quite cold. You can prevent almost all ventilation and keep yourself warm with no trouble at all.
Like the DDASUMI it is a polyester fabric which means its more durable than other lighter fabric tents and can, again, take a bit of a battering from kids, or other family members who are too rough with the tent.
The style of tent is an under-mattress model, which means you’ll need to slide the mattress inside the tent as you set it up. This shouldn’t be too much of an issue, and it works out as a perk since there’s no chance the tent is going to slip off the bed.
Camp 365 Indoor Privacy Tent — The Best for Style and Appearance
The tent for the kids that love outer space and that feel for real-life camping from home, the Camp 365 is our top choice. It’s a privacy tent, of course, but there’s an excellent star gazing print on the interior and exterior of the polyester.
There are three sizes here too, small, medium and large so there’s a good chance you’ll find a size of the Camp 365 to suit the bed you’re shopping for.
With a 3-opening design there’s also plenty of entrances that suit wherever the bed is located in a child’s bedroom. It’s also a fun way for the kids to ‘escape’ through one of the openings should they zip them up and ‘disappear’ through one of the other doors.
Like the other tents on our list, it’s machine washable and easy to dismantle and store or use on another bed in the house.
One thing to note is that the fabric is heavy-duty and quite thick, so it’s perfect in colder climates as it holds heat quite well. However, anyone who lives in warmer temperatures may be forced to go with a thinner tent material.
Alvantor Canopy Bed Privacy Space — The Best for Ultimate Privacy
Designed in a way that resembles a pipe or tunnel, the Alvantor Canopy Bed is the ideal solution for anyone who wants true black-out privacy from their bed tent. There’s a material here that’s almost 100 per cent opaque, so all light and visibility are shut out when it is zipped closed.
There are two entrance doors built in here as well, so wherever your bed is located in the bedroom, there’s an easy in and outside to choose from.
With fibreglass making up the bed tent’s frame, it is a flexible and robust model to choose from and is one of the better models for kids and teens who might be prone to breaking things.
In all, this is the ultimate bed tent for anyone who wants a closed off and ultra-private space in the bedroom or when camping. Ensuring a dark, warm and quiet space, it’s the best model on our list for movie watching or zoning out with a torch and a good book too.
Sunny Days Entertainment Thomas & Friends Pop-Up Bed Tent — The Best for Thomas and Friends Lovers
For the little ones who adore Thomas the Tank Engine, we can’t think of a better gift for them other than a Thomas-designed bed tent.
It has been created to mimic the shape of the Tank Engine rather than just being a print on the fabric, so there’s a pleasant atmosphere created here, especially for bedrooms that have been styled according to Thomas and friends.
There is some even better news too, the bed tent is quite large so when friends and family come to visit all the kids can disappear into the world of imagination inside the bed tent that looks just like their favourite TV character.
Keep in mind that as a pop-up bed tent, the bed is almost effortless to open and set up and then put away again. There’s no multi-step guide to follow; you’ll simply be able to casually push it back into its packing and zip it up.
Pacific Play Tent Kids Tree House — The Best for Toddlers from Crib to Bed
With a focus on strength and stability in the base section of the tent, this bed tent is the ideal, colourful companion for toddlers making their way out of their crib up to a big kid bed.
There’s a 42-inch headspace in here, so it’s plenty tall enough for the little ones to stand up and move around, though being an under-mattress design, it’s also good to make sure no one ends up falling out of bed during the night.
The zipper is designed to sit in the centre of the front entrance space, so you’re able to leave it open without the worry of the kids falling out at nighttime.
One good point to note is that the fabric here is anti-tear and anti-rip, which means even the most unruly little ones aren’t running the risk of tearing their tent and falling out of bed.
Like the other tents on the list, this model is easy to fold up and put away, or quickly unpack and set up. It folds inside itself, so there’s little to worry about when it comes to storage or keeping the kid’s room nice and tidy.
FeelingLove Indoor Privacy Tent — The Best for Room-sharing and Privacy
One of the largest bed tents on the list, the FeelingLove is our top pick for teens or young adults making their way to university in a shared space.
The bed tent is designed in a fabric that is opaque and offers a great private experience but also keeps airflow at an optimal level.
There are some awesome strings lights in here too, so getting a nice ambience even when the tent is zipped closed is a given. It’s also great for studying too as anyone inside can zip the tent up and still see what’s going on without having to bring in their own light or torch, the string lights do the work.
Besten Floorless Privacy Tent — The Ideal for Teenagers
With an ultra-high canopy and wide openings on all sides, this is the ideal bed tent for teenagers who want something stylish and also private.
This bed tent opens on all sides, and the ‘doors’ can quickly wrap around the tent poles for a more airy and ‘open’ look. However, when it’s time for privacy, the entire tent can zip back up and offer a total lockout of the outside world.
The mesh fabric is ideal for teens too, in that it’s a little stronger than most other materials on the list, and it’s not going to wear, tear or fray with use.
In keeping with privacy, the canopy can also be adjusted and reduced to a lower angle if you’re looking to create an environment that is a little smaller and cozy, great for creating a cubby or reading nook rather than a wide-open space.
Final Things to Keep in Mind
When buying a bed tent for the first time, there are probably a few questions or points you have in mind, like cost, style and materials for the bed tent. We have some of these questions answered for you below.
How Do You Set Up a Bed Tent
If you’ve not used a bed tent before, this is a very valid question.
Generally, your bed tent will either latch to a bed frame, the undersides of a mattress or ask that you slide the mattress directly inside of the tent.
Most of the tents on the market feature some sort of clip or strap to wrap around the mattress, which is ideal for the older sleepers with a bed tent. For the younger ones, you’ll want a bed tent that goes around the entire mattress, so there’s no chance of anyone falling out of bed.
What’s a Good Material for a Bed Tent
For us, we would suggest that you invest in either a polyester fabric or a mesh fabric. You’ll want your bed tent to be strong and not prone to fraying or rips.
Of course, for older sleepers who are more aware of their tent’s strength, a cotton or textile model will be fine, though, for smaller kids and teenagers, a warming and cozy polyester or mesh is ideal.
How Much Should a Bed Tent Cost
For a high-end and good quality bed tent, expect to spend around $60 to $80 with the $100 range being the best for quality and experience.
For smaller bed tents and tents for younger kids, these cost around $50 to $60 depending on the tent.
However, we would suggest against spending any less than $30 on a bed tent only for safety and durability concerns.
A Note About Safety
Before you head off to buy your bed tent, you may be a little concerned about safety — especially if the tent is for a younger child. We’re happy to say that bed tens are incredibly safe; they will just need to be installed and set up correctly.
It’s essential to read the manufacturers notes on installation and correctly adhere the tent to the bed or have the mattress correctly installed inside the tent itself.
Good to keep in mind is that younger kids, as they often do, take things that could be dangerous inside their sleeping spaces. Whether it be a toy, sticks or anything else, it’s important to always check what’s inside the tent before anyone goes jumping inside of it.
