Bunk beds- what age was yr youngest when they went in the bottom bunk and did't they climb up top anyway some of the time?

[ihatemyjob]

I know that the shops that sell bunk beds say the child on the upper bunk should be 6. But what about the younger one? Won't they climb up anyway? Early in the morning for instance? Can you get detachable ladders?

Am dithering about getting some as my older son is v keen. But as my youngest is a mad climber (he got concussion at the playground falling off something in the summer) am a bit worried. Hes only 21 months but very tall so am thinking about what to do. I can't afford to put him in bed first then a bunk bed (unless it was bunk beds that came apart I suppose). Will keep him in a cot as long as possible. Had a hellish week when I moved my older son into a bed. He was in and out for hours.

Any advice/experiences gratefully received

I have just had this same situation where I work. The youngest girl could climb out of her cot so she was moved into the bottom bunk. She was 23 months. Her older sister was moved to the top bunk. She is five. We took one of the rungs off the ladder which meant that the 5 year old can still climb up but the younger girl has no chance . Good luck!

DD1 (7yo) is in the top bunk and DD2 (4yo) in the bottom. DD2 can climb up the ladder and get on the top bunk but she can't get down again so she doesn't do it any more as it leaves her stranded!! Good idea about taking one of the rungs off.

thanks, thast a great idea!

Tbh if your DS is a good climber I don't think taking a rung off will help.
My ds is Destined to be a steeplejack and a t 2.5 can climb onto the top bunk at a friends even without the ladder, He stands on the end of the bottom bunk and hauls himself up, and he is not tall.
So if you have concerns, I would definately go fo a set that can be seperated the reassembled at an appropriate age

we put ours in bunk beds about a month ago as we need the cot bed for DC3.
Ds1 is almost 4 and he is on the top bunk and DS2 is 2.
I had my concerns with them being so young, particularly DS2 climbing up, getting stuck, falling out etc. and also keeping each other awake.
But to be honest, we have had no problems.
They both mastered the ladder straight away, they have a strict rule of no bouncing on the top bunk, and apart from the 1st night when we found DS2 had climbed up and fallen asleep in the top bunk, he has stayed put in the bottom.
I think the fact that they now share a room actually makes them sleep better as they are not on their own it gives them some security.

We got bunk beds for our girls about 3months ago. They are 2.10yrs and 22mths now. However we purposely got bunks with a slanted ladder so that both dds were ok on them. Also they were both able to climb up ds midi sleeper ladder from about 12mths.
So guess that means as I have ignored the age 6 rule as ds is only just 5 and had his midi sleeper from being 2.

My DS is 2 and he's in a bottom bunk, he can climb onto the top bunk but generally doesn't so it often.

We bought a high sleeper for DS1 when he was 4, the cot went under it. DS2 would climb up it at age 18 months. I was forever getting calls from him to help get him down but it didn't take him long to master geting up and down. When DS3 was born and I needed the cot we bought a bed to go under it and put one of those bed side thingy's on it.

When we moved to a bigger house DD1 has his own room and has a mid sleeper because of the storage. DD2 then 2 and 1/2 went into the high sleeper and DS3 went under in the cot. We have just put DS3 in a bed with the side thingy under the high sleeper, he was 14 months and goes up the steps of the high sleeper with no problems but can't get down and I have to go and rescue him.

I know it's not recommended but with the space we have there was no other option.

Ds1 has been in a top bunk since he was 5.

Ds2 is only 18 months, but quite often goes and visits ds1 first thing in the morning - although he's not quite yet worked how to get back down again

dd (8) & ds (just turned 2) have shared a bunk bed (her on top) since he was 16 months old. He started climbing up to the top when he was about 20mo & can now climb down as well. I don't let him play unsupervised up there but don't worry about him climbing up if dd is with him.

DD went straight into the top bunk when she was about 3 and half & we've never had any problems. They are both fearless when it comes to climbing though.

I was worrying about this but good to hear other people have put their DC in bunks younger than 6.

We are planning on bunk beds next year when DD1 will be 5 and DD2 3 1/2, I was worrying about DD1 needing the loo in the middle of the ngiht and not being able to get down and of course them both being up there mucking about and falling off.

Last xmas - eldest on top was 4 1/2, youngest 21 months.

He is an escape artist climber like yours - kept legging it out of the cot even on the lowest setting. Figured he'd do himself more damage leaping over that and dropping than he would with bunks and a ladder.

He has never fallen out of the top bunk. We have had to rescue him dangling hanging over the edge before now, but as a general rule if he does that he just drops down and is fine anyway

thanks for all that. Will have a think about. I can't stand him getting concussion again. The worry and the vomit!

DS seems to have a very hard head - oodles of injuries but never concussion