Curtains for a child's room seem simple until you start ordering them. You guess at the width, the length depends on who's running around, and nobody warns you how fast fabric picks up jam, crayon and dust. Plenty of parents send the first pair back. This kids curtains size guide covers measuring, fabric, light and safety. So the pair you order is the pair that fits. The whole job takes about ten minutes, and a tape measure is all you need.

Get the Curtain Size Right Before You Buy

Most sizing mistakes start with measuring the glass and forgetting everything around it. A curtain that stops short of the sill or bunches across the glass looks off straight away. And it's hard to fix once it's hung. Sort out the width first, then the length, and the rest gets a lot easier.

Measure Width and Length

Measure the track or pole rather than the glass. If you're fitting a new one, let it run 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) past the frame on each side. Open curtains then rest against the wall instead of covering the window. So the room gets more daylight.

Windows and walls are rarely square. Take three measurements across and use the biggest one. A metal tape stays straight, which a soft one doesn't always manage. Write the numbers down in centimetres and inches so you're not converting at the checkout.

Parents often ask how much fabric coverage do I need for a kids window. Multiply the track width by 1.5 to 2. With a 120 cm track, that means 180 to 240 cm of curtain. This is enough for the fabric to fall in folds instead of sitting flat. That's also the core of how to buy curtains for a kids room: track width first, then the multiplier..

Choose the Right Length for the Room

Length mostly comes down to your child's age.

• Sill length: easy for little ones, and it keeps fabric away from radiators and the floor.
• A little below the sill (10 to 15 cm / 4 to 6 in): stops more light leaking round the edges and still hangs out of reach.
• Floor length, about 1 cm off the carpet: looks the neatest. But toddlers trip on it and it collects dust quickly.

Toddlers do best with sill length or just under it. Once a child is at school and steady on their feet, floor length is fine. If you're asking what size curtains for a standard kids bedroom window, most windows measure 90 to 120 cm across. So a pair totalling 180 to 240 cm that drops to the sill or slightly below covers the majority.

Treat these as rough sizes and check each product page for what's actually on offer.

Choose Fabric and Light Control for the Room

With the size settled, you're left with two choices: the fabric and the amount of light it stops. Fabric decides how much you'll dread wash day, and light control decides whether anyone gets a lie-in.

Compare Common Curtain Fabrics

Parents often ask what fabric is best for kids curtains. It changes from room to room, so here's how the usual choices stack up.

In a normal week a curtain gets tugged, sneezed into and, sooner or later, introduced to a juice box. That makes washability the first thing to check. If you're wondering what curtain fabric is easiest to clean, polyester and cotton-polyester blends are the usual answer. Since most can go in the machine. After that, weigh toughness, then light control, then looks. For most families, a washable polyester or blend is the best curtain fabric for children. Read the care label on the product page first. Because wash temperatures and lining rules vary.

Decide Between Light-Filtering and Room-Darkening

Light-filtering curtains let daylight in but soften it. This works well for playrooms and homework corners. Blackout curtains are the better pick if your child naps in the day or wakes as soon as the sun is up. The lining can also take some heat out of a summer room and cut screen glare.

Blackout is rarely total, though. Light finds its way round the edges of any curtain. A gap a finger wide is enough to notice at 5am. Let the fabric overlap the frame by a few centimetres. Or choose a style that wraps back to the wall, and most of the gaps close up.

Make Safety Part of the Curtain Setup

Good curtain safety for kids room planning mostly comes down to cords, fixings and whatever sits near the window. Loose cords, heavy poles and low-hanging fabric cause most of the trouble. So sort those out before anything goes up on the wall.

• Go cordless or wand-operated where you can. Are cordless curtains safer for kids? Yes. With no looped cord, the strangulation risk that comes with corded systems is gone.

• If cords or chains stay, keep them well out of reach, tied off or held on a cleat.

• Move cots, beds and anything climbable away from the window and tie-backs.

• Screw poles and tracks into studs or proper wall plugs. Plaster alone won't hold.

• Check the fixings every few months, since kids like to swing on things.

• Choose short or breakaway tie-backs and skip long fringing.

• Keep fabric clear of radiators, heaters and lamps.

• Leave floor-length curtains for children who walk with confidence.

The curtain is only one part of the setup, and the rest matters as much. Our FAQs cover care and fitting questions if you want more detail.

Choose a Design That Can Grow With the Room

Kids change their minds fast. The character they begged for in spring can be old news by autumn, and replacing curtains every few months adds up.

A calmer base helps. A solid colour, soft stripes or a small pattern will last for years, and character designs can come in as the fun layer whenever the room gets a refresh. One bold accent on a neutral base also keeps future updates cheap, because only the accent changes. A new duvet cover or a wall sticker then does the job of a full makeover.

Try to tie the curtains to the bedding and wall colour. So the room feels planned instead of pieced together. If you'd like ideas on what kids are choosing right now, our guide to popular kids bedding themes for 2026 is a good place to look before you decide.

A Parent's Checklist Before Ordering

Read through this before you check out:

• Width and length measured in three places

• Track or pole extended past the frame

• Curtain width worked out at 1.5 to 2 times the track

• Length that suits your child's age

• Care label checked, ideally machine washable

• Light level chosen: filtering or blackout

• Cordless or cord-safe setup sorted

• A design that will still work next year

If every line is ticked, you're ready to order.

Find Curtains That Fit Your Child's Room at RugsnLinen

Our kids' range at RugsnLinen includes character designs like Minecraft, Spider-Man and Toy Story. Each product page lists the fabric, sizes and care details, so you can check everything before you order. Rooms vary a lot, and a curtain that suits a small nursery window can look lost on a wide bay, so we show the size options clearly on each listing. 

To see the whole range in one go, browse our full curtains collection. And if sizing or fabric has you stuck, contact us and we'll help you work it out.

Conclusion

Size, fabric and setup decide whether a kids' curtain works out. Measure the track once, allow for fullness, pick something that can go in the wash. And go cordless where possible. If you're stuck between two sizes, go for the wider one. Since fuller curtains almost always look better. With this kids curtains size guide to hand, ordering should feel far less like guesswork, and with any luck your child will sleep past 5am.

FAQ's

1. How wide should curtains be for a small kids' bedroom window?

Multiply your track width by 1.5 or 2. Under 90 cm, a pair totalling 135 to 180 cm works. If they look thin when closed, you went too narrow.

2. Is polyester a safe choice for a child's bedroom?

Yes. It takes a lot of washing and dries quickly. Read the label on each listing, since blends and linings differ.

3. Can I keep my corded curtains if I have a toddler at home?

If the cords are wound high on a cleat and the cot is nowhere near that wall, it can work. Going cordless removes the worry.

4. Should I measure the window or the curtain track?

The track. Curtains hang from it, so its width sets everything else.

5. What should I check on a curtain's care label before buying?

You must check the wash temperature and tumble drying. Also whether the lining can go in with the curtain.

6. Can the same curtains work in a nursery and later in an older child's room?

Sometimes. A soft colour or small print can last for years, but a favourite character rarely does. Recheck the length too.

7. Do blackout curtains keep a bedroom cooler in summer?

A bit. The lining blocks some sun heat, so the room feels less stuffy by afternoon. A fan still does more.

8. How often should kids' curtains be washed?

Every two or three months is plenty. And straight away after a spill or illness.

9. Should kids' curtains touch the floor?

Not while they're small. Toddlers trip, and a floor-length hem soaks up everything. Sill length or just under is easier.

10. Where can I buy Minecraft, Spider-Man and Toy Story curtains?

RugsnLinen's curtains collection has Minecraft, Spider-Man and Toy Story designs, with sizes, fabric and care details on each listing.