Kids Bedding
The best blackout curtains for kids' rooms
Most blackout curtains fail for a reason that has nothing to do with the fabric. Fix the rod and the cheap panels work; leave it and the expensive ones don't.
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Quick picks
The short version. Tap any row for the full write-up and its spec block.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NICETOWN Blackout Curtains for Kids Room Triple-weave microfiber that measurably darkens a room, at a price that lets you do every window. | Summer bedtimes and early sunrises | 8.3 | |
| 2 |  BGment Star Blackout Curtains Room-darkening panels with a cut-out star pattern, for the child who will not accept a plain dark room. | A compromise between dark and fun | 7.7 |
How we chose
We are a small publisher, not a testing lab. We don’t buy, assemble or sleep in the beds we write about, and we won’t pretend otherwise. What we do instead is read the published specifications and check them against the rules that actually govern children’s beds in the United States: the federal standard for children’s bunk beds (16 CFR Part 1513), the ASTM F1427 requirements it incorporates, and the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidance on upper-bunk age. Where a manufacturer publishes no number, we write “not published by the manufacturer” rather than guess — that absence is itself worth knowing. We read owner feedback at volume for the things specs can’t tell you, and we label it as signal, not proof.
We earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes an ordering. Our full editorial policy.
A bedroom that is bright at half past eight in June will not produce a child who goes to sleep at half past eight in June, and a bedroom that is bright at five in the morning will produce a child who is awake at five. Light is the strongest signal a body clock responds to, and it is also the cheapest one to control.
The rod problem, which is the actual problem
Blackout fabric on a straight rod leaks light around both sides. That gap — an inch or two down each edge of the window — is where the morning gets in, and no amount of extra fabric layers fixes it, because the light is not coming through the panel.
The fix is a wrap-around or return-style rod, which curves back to the wall at each end so the panel edge meets the wall rather than hanging in space. It costs very little and it is the difference between the curtains working and not. Buy it at the same time as the panels or you will conclude the panels were a waste of money.
Blackout is not the same as room-darkening
“Room-darkening” is a real and useful category and it is not blackout. Cut-out patterns — stars, moons — pass light by design, which is the point of them. If you are fighting a 5 a.m. summer sunrise you want a solid triple-weave panel; if you want a child’s room to feel less like a cave, the patterned ones are a reasonable compromise.
What to look for
| Feature | Why | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Weave | Layers block light | Triple-weave microfiber or a lined panel |
| Drop length | Light leaks under a short panel | Floor length, or well past the sill |
| Width | Panels need to overlap the frame | 1.5-2x the window width in total |
| Rod type | Side leakage | Wrap-around or return rod |
| Thermal layer | West-facing rooms get hot | Thermal-insulated construction |
| Washability | Children's rooms | Machine washable, cold |
Measure before ordering
- Width: measure the window, then buy total panel width of 1.5 to 2 times that. Two panels of 52 inches on a 40-inch window is right; two panels of 24 inches is not.
- Drop: from where the rod will sit to the floor. Fit the rod higher and wider than the window, not to its exact frame — that is what creates the overlap that blocks the light.
- Check for other leaks: a gap under the door, a light switch that glows, a smoke alarm LED, a street lamp aligned with a gap. In a genuinely dark room these become obvious.
Safety, which matters more here than in an adult room
Cords. Corded blinds and curtain pulls are a strangulation hazard in a child’s bedroom. Choose cordless, or fit the cleat high on the wall and well away from the bed. This is not a hypothetical risk and it is the single most important thing on this page.
Climbing. Do not put a bed, a chest or a toy box under a window. A child who can reach a window is a child who can open one.
The cheaper alternatives
Blackout curtains are not the only route, and two options cost less.
Blackout blinds behind existing curtains often block more light than the curtains do, because a blind fits inside the recess and has no side gap.
Portable blackout panels — suction-cup or velcro sheets — are ugly, extremely effective, and the right answer for a rented home or for travel.
On why any of this matters for sleep, see blackout and kids sleep.
The picks, in full
Every pick below carries the same spec block, so you can compare the numbers across this page and every other page on the site.
#1 · Summer bedtimes and early sunrises
NICETOWN Blackout Curtains for Kids Room
NICETOWN
Triple-weave microfiber that measurably darkens a room, at a price that lets you do every window.
| Guardrail height above mattress | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Stated weight limit (per bunk) | Not applicable |
| Manufacturer minimum age | Not published by the manufacturer |
| Mattress thickness ceiling | Not applicable |
| Materials / construction | Triple-weave microfiber with thermal insulating layer |
What works
- Blocks enough light to make a 9 p.m. sunset survivable
- Thermal layer also helps with a hot west-facing room
- Available in the full range of drop lengths
- Cheap enough to do the whole house
What doesn’t
- Panels alone leak light around the edges without a wrap-around rod
- Microfiber holds creases straight out of the packet
- Colors read darker in the room than on screen
The catch: Blackout panels on a straight rod always leak at the sides — that gap is where the morning gets in. Budget for a wrap-around or return-style rod at the same time or you will not get the result you bought them for.
#2 · A compromise between dark and fun
BGment Star Blackout Curtains
BGment
Room-darkening panels with a cut-out star pattern, for the child who will not accept a plain dark room.
| Guardrail height above mattress | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Stated weight limit (per bunk) | Not applicable |
| Manufacturer minimum age | Not published by the manufacturer |
| Mattress thickness ceiling | Not applicable |
| Materials / construction | Room-darkening polyester with cut-out star detail |
What works
- Gets a reluctant child to accept a dark room
- Stars glow softly rather than casting real light
- Standard rod pocket and grommet options
- Priced like ordinary curtains
What doesn’t
- Room-darkening, not true blackout — the cut-outs pass light by design
- Less thermal benefit than a solid triple-weave panel
- The novelty wears off before the curtains do
The catch: Cut-outs and blackout are opposites. These darken a room well; they will not black it out, and if you are fighting a 5 a.m. summer sunrise you want the solid panel instead.
Questions parents actually ask
Do blackout curtains really work for kids' rooms?
Yes, if they are hung correctly. Most disappointment comes from side leakage on a straight rod rather than from the fabric.
What is the difference between blackout and room-darkening?
Blackout aims to block essentially all light; room-darkening reduces it. Cut-out patterns are room-darkening by design.
How wide should blackout curtains be?
Total panel width of 1.5 to 2 times the window width, so the panels overlap the frame rather than just covering the glass.
Are corded blinds safe in a child's room?
No. Choose cordless, or fit a cleat high on the wall and far from the bed. Cords are a strangulation hazard.
Will blackout curtains keep a room cooler?
A thermal-insulated panel will help meaningfully in a west-facing room in summer. It is a genuine secondary benefit.
Can you wash blackout curtains?
Most microfiber ones, yes — cold, gentle cycle, hang to dry. Check the label, because coated blackout fabrics sometimes cannot.
Sources
Read next
- Blackout and kids sleep
Why light matters more than almost anything else in the room.
- Toddler bed transition troubleshooting
5 a.m. waking is a window problem, not a behavior one.
- Best kids bedding sets
The other half of the sleep environment.
Back to Kids Bedding.