Bean Bag Chairs for Kids: Safe Zippers, Sizes and Covers

The safest bean bag chair for a child has a locked or permanently disabled outer zipper, an inner liner, and a size the child can climb in and out of alone. CPSC says the voluntary standard requires non-refillable bean bag chairs to have closed, permanently disabled zippers, after children opened zippers, crawled inside and died.

Why the zipper matters most on a kids bean bag

The zipper is the part to check first, because it is how children have been hurt. In 2015, CPSC and Ace Bayou reannounced a recall of about 2.2 million bean bag chairs after the deaths of two children, a 13-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl. CPSC’s notice says the zippers “can be opened by children who can then crawl inside, get trapped and suffocate or choke on the bean bag chair’s foam beads.”

The remedy CPSC announced was a free repair kit to permanently disable the zippers. Its notice also says the recalled chairs had no pull tab on the zipper, and children could still open them, so a missing tab alone is not enough.

The ASTM safety standard for bean bag chairs

The voluntary standard is ASTM F1912, the Standard Specification for Safety of Bean Bag Chairs and Bean Bag Chair Covers. ASTM says it covers bean bag chairs with and without zippers and is meant to reduce choking and suffocation hazards. It separates two kinds: refillable chairs, and chairs with permanent closures that are not meant to be refilled.

That split is useful when you shop. A chair sold as not refillable should arrive with its closure sealed. A refillable chair has a zipper you can open, so it needs a lock and an adult who closes it every time.

What size bean bag for a child

A child’s bean bag should be small enough for the child to get in and out of without help, which is CordaRoy’s main sizing advice for kids. Here is what two makers list:

Neither maker gives an age range for these sizes, so go by the child’s height and how easily they climb on and off. Older children and teens who want to sprawl may suit an adult size; our bean bag chair guide covers 4 and 5 foot sizes, and giant bean bag chairs covers the biggest ones.

Liners and washable covers for kids

A liner and a washable cover make a kids bean bag easier to live with. CordaRoy’s suggests looking for an inner liner with restricted zipper access, so the fill stays sealed even when the outer cover comes off, and a removable, machine-washable cover for spills and messes.

A removable cover brings its own zipper, and the same rule applies. CPSC has also recalled bean bag chair covers because children could open the zippers and get inside; our main bean bag guide covers that recall. Look for a cover with a lock or child-safety zipper, and close it fully after every wash.

Refilling a bean bag with children at home

Loose fill is a choking hazard, which is why CPSC’s notice names the foam beads. Refill a bean bag while children are out of the room, pick up or vacuum every stray bead, and close and lock the zipper before anyone sits down. Our bean bag filling guide covers how much fill to add and how to top up without a mess.

A secondhand or older bean bag

An older or secondhand bean bag may predate the zipper rule. Check the label and search cpsc.gov for the brand before a child uses it, and make sure the outer zipper is locked or disabled.

For a reading corner around the bean bag, see how to make a room cozy, and add a soft throw blanket for quiet time.