Shopping for bedroom furniture for kids? Don’t make a single purchase until you’re happy with the answers to these 3 questions:

1. Is this furniture the right size?

There’s a big difference between toddlers’ furniture and something your 7th grader would use. In most cases, bedroom furniture for kids is designed for smaller bodies. So, your two-year-old might have a tiny kids’ dining set or chairs that aren’t very far off the ground, while your ten-year-old will definitely need something bigger.

Typically, size only really matters on things that are going to be sat on — like chairs, benches, and couches. After all, your kids don’t want to sit with their legs hanging in mid-air! Special toddlers’ furniture will make them much more comfortable. But when it comes to things like beds and dressers, you can always buy a bigger piece that your child will “grow into” in a few years.

Just remember — if you’re buying bigger stuff, it will need to have a design that appeals to kids of all ages. For example, your daughter might go crazy for Hello Kitty bedroom furniture now, but in five years, she might think it’s totally “babyish”.

2. Can my kids entertain their friends here?

Whether it’s a play date or a study date, your kids need space to entertain as much as you do! After all, would you have a group of friends over and make them sit on the floor? Of course not — and your kids shouldn’t have to, either!

Having things like a small kids’ sofa or a kids’ dining set are ideal. Even if these pieces aren’t sitting in your kids’ room every single day, they’re easy to set up when a group of friends comes over. And, as an added benefit, having a separate kids’ dining set means that the adults can have their own conversations when all of the families get together — instead of trying to work Barbie into your conversation about 401K’s.

3. Do my kids think this stuff is “cool”?

In their minds, shopping for bedroom furniture for kids means one thing — getting stuff that looks cool. Your kids probably want to adorn their rooms with their favorite cartoon characters, their favorite superheroes, or their favorite sports team.

Even if you don’t create a complete theme room for your kids, it’s not that hard to get a couple of pieces that satisfy their “cartoon craze”. For example, you might think it’s tacky to have an entire room full of Hello Kitty bedroom furniture, but if you buy a couple of pieces — like a toy chest or a bookcase — you’ve made your kids happy, without feeling like you’re spoiled your décor.